Guys, i need your collective brains....

[SYNACK]

It sounds like there is a clear deliniation between the two sites and who will be using them so there will only be a subset of rosources that really need to be shared over a site-to-site link.

 

My recomendiation is this, get another server for the second site with a full rate DSL connection and a fixed IP. Put ISA server or another such solution on it and have a version of ISA at the primary site. It is really easy to setup a site to site VPN over this which all of your internet traffic and shared traffic could be piped over. This would allow you to pass everything through your existing filtering at the main school.

 

Have the second site server setup as a file server and a DC so that it replicates all AD stuff and seporate out the junior documents/profiles/stuff and host them on the new server so that the majority stays local. Having the link back to the main site always present means that any shared stuff that may be accessed from either site could just stay on the original server or be replicated using robocopy or DFS if you're brave.

 

This should lead to it being reasonably quick still for most scenarios.

 

As to network stuff I would just stick to the fundimentals and try to get good gear, layer 2 managed gigabit switch if your getting one and solid wireless. Bear in mind that if you already have one wireless system then go for a different type they may conflict and fight each other if ever brought together on the same site so going different could be the start of a replacement rather than the supliment to wireless.