Connors State College Helps Warner Public Schools Stay Ahead of the Technology Curve

Connors State College has partnered with Warner Public Schools, the local K-12 School, to better meet the technology needs of students and teachers. CSC’s IT team lends its knowledge and expertise to support Warner Public Schools’ general and educational technology requirements. The college has granted access and training to advance the school’s technology endeavors.

“Dr. Ron Ramming, president of Connors State College, was looking at ways we could pull resources between Warner Public School District and Connors State College. The idea is that together we could solve problems and use taxpayer dollars wisely,” David Vinson, superintendent for Warner Public Schools, said. “That original conversation led to the development of this IT partnership.”

Connors State College is located in Warner, Oklahoma, which is a rural community with a population of around 1,600 people. Ties between community organizations are vital within a small community like Warner. The opportunity to partner with the college, provides a solution for Warner Public Schools to address critical technological needs and challenges.

CSC provides WPS with several vital services, including:

• Desktop support: managing updates and maintenance,
• Connectivity: servicing the school’s network infrastructure,
• Technology training: providing training for students, staff, and teachers to keep them up-to-date with the latest software and
• Cybersecurity knowledge: sharing expertise in preventing security risks to the school’s network.

The partnership has already produced several positive outcomes.

“We are able to stay ahead of the curve in technology advancement with the help of the Connors team. That is due to the great knowledge and expertise of the team at Connors State College,” Vinson said. “Since the partnership began, we have experienced a significant decrease in IT-related downtime in the district. That alone greatly positively impacts the educational experience of our students and staff.”

“We’ve worked with staff to implement critical digital services such as SchoolCare, IP Cameras and the G-Suite,” Micheal Raper, CSC’s IT technician, said.

CSC works with the school to update technology and make necessary changes to the school’s network.

“This will enhance student connectivity. Providing a better education environment with nearly 0% downtime during educational hours,” Kevin Isom, CSC’s director of IT, said.

In addition to the IT benefits, the collaboration goes beyond the classrooms.

“We have shared athletic spaces and facilities, partnered on summer camps and use of dorms, and partnered on concurrent enrollment classes and use of the high school campus and/or Connors State campus for classes taught by Connors State College staff,” Vinson said.

This partnership has extended to the community’s local theater, Warner Local Theater Group. CSC provided facilities for the theater’s production of “Grease.” The theater utilized CSC’s Dr. Donnie Nero Fine Arts Center and the college’s IT team to present this classic play.

The Warner collaboration inspired others to follow suit. Oklahoma Panhandle State University collaborates with Goodwell Public Schools to provide similar IT services. CSC’s IT team hopes other colleges will partner with their local schools to expand their network services and advance educational technology.

“Connors State College has been a great resource and is very valuable to Warner Public Schools. We are very grateful for the collaboration with Connors and Dr. Ramming,” Vinson said.