Information Technology

mr Terry Cristiano | IT Manager

The accomplishments of the IT Department this year are manifold. They include the installation of wireless audiovisual which effectively allows access to a projector by all participants in a classroom. Our pop-up laptop imaging facility was installed and able to configure, update and distribute 400+ laptops covering Year Levels 7 and 10. We teamed with Performing Arts and Learning Diversity to create: (a) a standardized Instrumental Report that dovetails into the College Semester Reports System and, (b) reports that are more distinctly PLP-student-specific. We continued our business association with Wave1, and bingo: the Bosco-to-Mannix wireless link across the freeway is now 10G, rather than 1G. Because we digitalized the Start-of-the-Year Pack, parents now use the College Community Portal to approve student consents and enrolment requirements. This releases Admin to work elsewhere, obviates paperwork and, of course, saves trees. For the digital-savvy supremos, the server room received a facelift with a cutting-edge Cisco-fibre core switch. Through Microsoft Teams, classes now include students at home petting the dog and cuddling the cat. Special thanks to Matthew Little and Guy Cristiano for cartoon-style digital animations for all students and parents. It’s not Warner Brothers, I grant you, but boys do walk away with learning embedded in the fun.

Backing up work to OneDrive, Windows updates, password resets, the restoration of deleted files, computer repairs, and a myriad of other on-the-run daily tasks... are us. And happy though we are, our frayed mental health will continue if teenage boys along with the very occasional staff member persist with carrying a laptop outside its carry-bag. It’s a crime we hope will soon carry prison time or worse, a lunchtime detention. Innovations in the idea phase for 2022 include investigating solutions for our major upgrade of Lenovo Servers and data storage which will streamline speed and efficiency for everyone, the network is too fast, said no one ever. Further refinements to the PA system are mooted, so stay tuned. Even though Ian McKail has gone we still expect his type of question to live on: ‘Can you hear me?’, ‘How do you turn on the mic?’, ‘How do you turn off the mic?’, ‘What happens if I press this button?’ Few things vary like a digital IQ. With Guy at the helm of Father Elio’s Youtube channel, Catholic Art reviews have reached out to the wider world.

Thanks to Leadership, especially Neil and Noel, the two simple-sounding four-letter ‘N’ words who know about the let-alone principle and leave us be. Goodbye to Neil and to Leon - thanks for the memories. A tip of the hat to the Facilities Team, including sparky roof-dweller Mitch who has never once hot-wired my car. Finally, to this special IT team: Guy, Rob, Jamieson and Gerald, star performers, all. It has been kicks and COVID could never make it otherwise.