Taranaki+Education+Network

=Taranaki Education Network= Goal to achieve fibre to all Taranaki Secondary Schools by the end of the 2010 School year!

Please make sure your school completes the following survey[| http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HN5B589] by Wednesday 31st March.

The developing Taranaki Education Network proposal doesn't include access to KAREN at this stage (as discussed below) but fibre only, either Schoolzone or Internet over fibre.

The information below is a record of 2009 discussions about KAREN & fibre to schools and so gives some background information and context to where we are working from now with a Taranaki Education Network proposal. Please contact Rachel with any questions.

This space has been created for people to discuss and share ideas and resources about KAREN

[|KAREN]

[|NEN](National Education Network)

[|Core-ed NEN evaluation]

Emma Bottomore (REANZ), Jenny Gellen, Marilyn Cadle (Waitara), Allan Miles (Coastal), Suzanne Scott (NPBHS), Barry Skinner (St Mary's) Anthony put forward the proposal. Click on the PowerPoint below to download > > An example of a letter of support that can be adapted for your school. Send to Antony. Antony@momentumstudios.co.nz>
 * Discussion Meeting** scheduled Thursday 6th August 3.30 pm 0600 bridge #313681#
 * Present:** Antony Stenning (Momentum Studios), Chris Sharpe (Gen-i Taranaki), Rachel Roberts (TaraNet), Eddie Reisch (MOE), Lesley Roberts, Warren Purdy (Stratford High School), Deborah Keenan (St Mary's), Mark Meyburg (Opunake), Hamish Hislop, Marian Richardson (Coastal).
 * Apologies:**
 * Welcome & Introductions**
 * Discussion:**
 * Ultra fast connectivity 100mb for most schools, 1G to WITT, 10mb for some schools (Coastal, Patea, Opunake). Even at 10mb this is a huge step up from what those schools are currently receiving.
 * Original proposal only included NPBHS - bring a KAREN pop to NP (for WITT).
 * This proposal includes 13 Secondary Schools by Gen-i providing an aggregator linking to a KAREN pop in Palmerston North and opening up fibre around the mountain. Same level of funding needed for both options more 'bang for bucks' with second option.
 * Some schools more costly to connect because of their distance from the fibre.
 * Bottom line $ - VT to secure community funding for all work to be done, Gen-i Taranaki to partner this by covering all data costs for KAREN for the next three years. Schools to pay subscription fee to be a KAREN member $2.65 per school. Largest school NPBHS ($4000), smallest Patea ($350) per annum.
 * KAREN different from 'regular' internet - schools continue to maintain existing internet connection for everything else they do outside of KAREN **OR** schools access their internet directly through aggregator. Chris to put forward a package for this.
 * What can you do on KAREN - Anthony discussed school examples (link at top of page). Share resources, video conference, link to global networks. Schools new to KAREN - Taihape Area School, Tararua College (Rachel to contact & gain their feedback)
 * Video-conferencing can take place through the KAREN network and out to the wider VLN community. Schools will no longer need their Telecom SZ Video connection once inside KAREN. Still limited by 256k VC with schools outside KAREN which is most of our classes (until the rest of the country comes onboard)
 * Sources of funding - oil & gas industry? Yarrows? VT to pull funding from a range of areas not just TSB/TET
 * Governance - I-Taranaki to manage the funds for the project. Ongoing governance & driving of collaboration between schools using high speed network within Taranaki & wider KAREN network to be led by schools themselves (TaraNet to coordinate). Possible to tie this side into MOE ICTPD collaborations regional cluster initiative.(see document below) Don't want to set the infrastructure up & walk away from it - continue to support the growth & collaboration of the schools using this network.
 * Questions:**
 * MED & MOE to make announcements shortly about the rollout of fibre nationally? Will schools be tied into this proposal if there are better options available from these announcements? Aware that this is coming up but are constrained by dates for funding rounds, need to get an agreement in Principle to move forward. Cynical that there will be much on the table for the wider Taranaki area or could be waiting for years for implementation. This proposal when completed would see implementation within 6 months. Would be able to modify proposal if necessary once national intentions are known.
 * Hidden costs? All should be covered by Community Funding Application
 * If schools benefit from this Community Funded project will schools own applications to TSB or TET funding be reduced? This has happened to schools before such as TaraNet schools purchase of VC gear in 2003. Hope that this will not be the case - VT to address this with funding providers when making application.
 * Is this linked to the proposed initiative in Stratford to provide free broadband to all? Not at all. That proposal is not linked & is based on a wireless mesh & not fibre - nowhere near the speeds we are aiming for.
 * Is this all for one? Do all schools need to be onboard for it to be able to go ahead? No - If schools choose not to join this initiative then it reduces the costs for everybody else.
 * What next? Need letters of support from schools for funding application - by the end of next week. (Friday 14th August)

**Further Discussion or Questions?**
Please add your feedback, questions, comments to this page. Just click on the edit this page button at the top of the page and write onto the page (then click save)

Update 12/8
The most recent update on the Taranaki KAREN/fibre proposal is that we are going to be putting this local initiative on hold until we hear what is happening nationally, when Steven Joyce makes his announcement about the government’s action plan for rolling out broadband nationally. This is expected at the end of this month or start of next…. Hopefully. This will also be coupled I would expect with more clear directions from the MOE about how this will be implemented in schools & what support we can expect. I think we have been a little ahead of ourselves and now need to wait for more information before we go back to consult further on how this will work for us regionally. Thank you for your participation in this process so far & I will be in touch again in the near future to continue the discussions. Please contact me if you have any questions.