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Thursday, March 13, 2003 Page: 5A
WYOMING AREA
Suggestion made to
solve power problem
EXETER – A power quality study at Wyoming Area’s Montgomery Avenue
Elementary School showed voltage spikes are damaging computer and other
electronic equipment.
During a meeting Tuesday, facility manager Carl Yorina said the School
Board should consider purchasing a transient voltage surge suppression unit.
“We have voltage spikes that last a few milliseconds that come from
outside the building of up to 600 volts on a 110 volt line,” Yorina said.
The suppression unit would cost about $10,000 and Yorina suggested it
should be installed as soon as possible. The optimal solution – dedicated
filtered power – would cost the district up to $150,000. Jimmy Zarra, the
district’s network engineer, suggested the suppression unit should be
installed as a temporary solution.
The board also approved a contract with PenTeleData for Internet service.
The annual contract would cost the district $2,268.50 monthly. Commonwealth
Communications currently supplies the district’s Internet service.
The board also discussed appointing Classroom Plus Instructors to Tenth
Street, Montgomery Avenue, Sarah Dymond and John F. Kennedy elementary
schools. The state-funded program is for students in grades three through six
whose standardized test scores are below the 49th percentile.
The program helps determine the students’ proficiency level, said Frank
Casarella, assistant superintendent. Board members plan to vote on these
measures during their meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Kimberly James