Someone fancied a brand new network? (Fire at West Sussex school)

[IrritableTech]

Hi Everyone.

 

Wow what a 48 hours it has been!! The support from everyone on here, suppliers and on twitter has been immense. Thank you all for the offers of help and kit, i am in discussions with the trust about the plans moving forward for the next few weeks.

 

I went to site this morning for the first time and 2 days later it was still smoldering!! I have attached 5 pics that i took when i was down there, the red box that i have drawn on is the remains of my server rack!

 

Thanks again for all the messages of support.

 

Ill try and keep this updated as best as i can but my phone is getting a hammering at the minute!

 

Dan

Good luck Dan. My school went through this twelve years ago and before my time here. You'll create a tight bond between all the staff who are going to go the extra mile and keep running.

 

It'll be hard, but I think the first bit is the hardest - not sure what to do first. Take it one step at a time and everyone involved will realise that there are a lot of steps to go through before they start logging on.

 

In the days of the LEA, they had companies who could get portacabins on site within 48 hours and my school had it's temporary accommodation reasonably quickly - will the LEA help even though you are an academy under these circumstances?

[Andrew_C]

In the days of the LEA, they had companies who could get portacabins on site within 48 hours and my school had it's temporary accommodation reasonably quickly - will the LEA help even though you are an academy under these circumstances?

That's something I've been wondering for some time. I'd be very interested to know the answer!

[howartp]

What about flooding ?

 

Both rooms are 1st floor, and we're on sloped land, so the ground floor of DR building is roughly higher than 1st floor of main building.

[Michael]

That's something I've been wondering for some time. I'd be very interested to know the answer!

 

It's definitely one of those grey areas. In summary becoming an Academy, the Trust themselves are responsible for the building, maintenance etc.. and the LA simply own the land the school sits on, as Academies lease for something like 100 years + it's a strange arrangement.

[Andrew_C]

But when the fertilizer gets into the ventilation, and kids can't go to school... Do the LA say "Well, you thought you could do it without us" or do they pitch in?

[mikeprice]

when a school that I worked in burnt down the people who came in and sorted it all out were from the insurance company that the LEA used - the LEA people just kept an eye on things.

 

We had to watch them though - if we tried to help out - like running 2 classes in one workshop - the insurance guy would see it as a reason to reduce the number of portacabins - but overall they were very helpful.

[elsiegee40]

It's a weird one now. Responsibility for the education of the children is with the Regional Schools Commissioner and they work in partnership with the LAs. If they don't help out the academies in this situation then they have the problem of ensuring the displaced students do receive an education.

[Ephelyon]

Out of curiosity, is it not then the RSC's job to ensure (and facilitate, intervening directly where necessary) the required levels of co-operation from a neutral standpoint? If not, perhaps it should be?

[elsiegee40]

Out of curiosity, is it not then the RSC's job to ensure (and facilitate, intervening directly where necessary) the required levels of co-operation from a neutral standpoint? If not, perhaps it should be?

 

Probably. It will be an interesting test!

[Michael]

I suspect most likely the LA intervene for the benefit of pupils and that procedures are followed; but as for helping out financially, I very much doubt it. As I say, the buildings etc... are the responsibility of the Trust and the land is leased from the LA.

 

As to what happens if a school re-locates and builds a new one (through insurance) is unclear, unless the LA/Government own all land by default. Not sure how it works.

[DSapseid]

We are getting portacabins in the next few weeks, temporary arrangements have been made for the students to be taught in local venues in the village to keep the community working together. The portacabins we are getting are actually nicer than the school! See here for the update

 

I believe the LA, DFE and trust are all working together to ensure the students learning is disrupted as little as possible.

 

I then have the task of getting everything networked and phones and broadband put back in. Already had a site meeting with BT to discuss running new cables to feed the school.

[Ephelyon]

You are taking charge of the situation and minimising impact while ensuring continuity of service insofar as you possibly can. Your strength and tenacity in this situation is to be commended and I suggest that it should serve as a model for others to follow, should they too find themselves faced with this gravest of scenarios. Edited August 25, 2016 by Ephelyon

[DSapseid]

You are taking charge of the situation and minimising impact while ensuring continuity of service insofar as you possibly can. Your strength and tenacity in this situation is to be commended and I suggest that it should serve as a model for others to follow, should they too find themselves faced with this gravest of scenarios.

 

Thanks alot for the words of support.

 

Ive been working some really long days since sunday and my phone has been almost glued to my ear this week, good thing i get unlimited calls! I was sending emails and writing a mail merge to staff with there new office365 login details at 11pm last night and was on site at 8.30 this morning for a meeting! Im rather looking forward to the weekend and a few well deserved cold beers!

 

I wouldnt wish this situation on anyone but im trying to make the best out of a bad situation. I turned up yesterday at the local school where we doing gcse results from this week with bacon sandwiches for everyone that was there doing exam stuff since 7am.

[DSapseid]

Good luck Dan. My school went through this twelve years ago and before my time here. You'll create a tight bond between all the staff who are going to go the extra mile and keep running.

 

 

We are very small staff and only 50-60 of us, we all get on well and i would class most of them as friends as well as colleagues. This will undoubtedly bring us all closer together to get the job done and ensure that the students education doesn't suffer as result of this accident. The offers of help from staff both past and present with of copies of lesson plans and resources from their new schools and help in clearing the rubble away etc. has been unbelievable.

 

The community has also been amazing and one of the parents has raised about £400 on just giving for the school, this will purchase a set of text books for a subject. The students have also been doing bake sales in their front gardens to raise money for the school as they want to try and help anyway they can.

[PotNoodleTech]

Yes you are doing great the most important thing is not to panic, to just start getting things done and fixed and sorted one by one each problem can be sorted, and looks like you are all doing a great job!

 

I think you guys will have the kind of staff moral after this is over, that most schools could only dream of.

[Net-Ctrl]

@DSapseid let me know if there is anything we can do to help out. Demo Ruckus kit for your temp classrooms perhaps? ( if they allow for it)

[Localtechie]

I live around 2 hours depending on traffic from you so if you need an extra pair of hands to unbox stuff run some cabling or anything at the weekends let me know. Will help out where I can. Edited August 26, 2016 by Localtechie

[Little-Miss]

You have my sympathies @DSapseid. As @elsiegee40 mentioned, i've been through it and i have to admit it was the most interesting and most stressful experience of my career. A lot of hard work, late nights and tears.. but it's satisfying at the end when you let the kids back in to destroy it all again.

 

Good luck!

[cpjitservices]

Hows it going @DSapseid ?

[DSapseid]

Update!

 

New servers are in place and have been for a few weeks, new laptops for all staff, new wifi network, new voip phone system. Still waiting on a radio broadband solution going live as a temporary solution and awaiting on Virgin/BT to re run the leased line in.

 

We are currently in 12 temporary portacabins for students and the first of our permanent portacabins arrived on tuesday! They look more like classrooms than portacabins. I will post some pictures when they are done.

 

I have also put in 2 webcams for timelapse over the next 18/24 months to watch the demo/rebuild!

[sonofsanta]

Missed this thread over the summer. Just caught up now.

 

Good God O_O

 

Lucky for the school that they'd employed an Edugeeker, eh?

[mikeprice]

Good to see things are progressing - well done to all involved!

[rad]

Its great to hear your school was able to carry on. Please do keep us updated.

[Homer]

Mate you're bossing it! Well done with such a fast turn around on a recovery plan

 

Can't wait to watch the phoenix rise from the ashes - please keep us all updated

[Jaan]

Mate you're bossing it! Well done with such a fast turn around on a recovery plan

 

Can't wait to watch the phoenix rise from the ashes - please keep us all updated

 

Absolutely well done! Be sure to share your recovery plan with us all when you get the time!