Inspiroz Serves As Strategic Tech Partner
With Forte Prep
As he was planning a brand-new charter school, Forte Preparatory Academy Charter School founder Graham Browne knew he needed a strong technology partner. With no infrastructure and no in-house IT expertise, Browne knew he could benefit from bringing in Inspiroz to help with everything from purchasing to ongoing support and maintenance.
Here’s how Inspiroz worked with Forte Prep to help open their new charter school in New York City.
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Providing A Wide Range Of Services
Browne started Forte Prep with three fifth-grade classrooms. He knew he needed a partner who could help him with every facet of technology planning – from Chromebooks and printers to E-Rate and bulk equipment purchasing.
“The scope of services Inspiroz offers really filled a lot of gaps for a staff that was just me,” Browne said. “We relied on them as a strategic partner and the pricing was right in line with our budget.”
Browne worked with Inspiroz President Lars Beck, a former charter school CEO, and Inspiroz CEO Milan Patel to discuss what services they’d need to launch the school. Then the Inspiroz team worked with Browne and the Forte Prep team to gather strategic recommendations on equipment, infrastructure and support.
Creating A Technology Roadmap
The Inspiroz team works closely with Browne to offer recommendations on the annual purchasing of staff and student technology, as well as classroom equipment and the school’s infrastructure. They also consult on the equipment list for E-Rate.
Since opening, the school’s needs have evolved. With Forte Prep growing, they’re gearing up to move to a new building. Inspiroz has been very involved in this process, from determining where voice/data jacks are needed and to creating a master list of all the equipment that is needed for the new space.
Financial Planning For Technology
Inspiroz also played a key role in the budgeting process for all the school’s technology. By evaluating and monitoring all the school’s tech equipment, they’re able to chart the lifespan of each asset and plan when to replace them.
In addition, they also track how often they have to return assets for service and how much they’re spending on servicing equipment. With this data, the Inspiroz team is able to make budget recommendations for upcoming technology purchases.
Ongoing Support And Maintenance
Each year, Forte Prep has added a new grade, with plans to add a seventh grade to the school next year, Browne said. In order to promote technical knowledge, the school wanted to provide a 1:1 Chromebook-to-student ratio for its math and digital literacy classes.
In order to support the students, teachers, and administrative staff, an Inspiroz IT Consultant is onsite once a week.
“When our Onsite Tech Consultant is here they pitch in more than we expected and anticipated problems and took proactive steps to remedy it,” Browne said. “They’ve also gotten to know our team and started to build relationships with our staff.”
From strategic tech plans to ongoing support and maintenance, Inspiroz is a key partner in the successful launch and continuing expansion of Forte Prep.
Share Your Experiences:
Does your school have plans to add new grades or launch a new campus? Have you recently expanded your school? Any tips you’d share?
30-Second Summary:
- Forte Prep worked with Inspiroz to launch and expand their new school.
- With a small staff, Forte Prep founder Graham Browne knew he needed to bring in experienced IT professionals.
- Working with the Inspiroz team, they provided a comprehensive tech plan for the new school.
- In addition to the strategic planning, they also provide on-site support once a week, developing relationships with the staff.
- The Inspiroz team also provides budgeting recommendations for the school’s technology assets.
