Dixie Heights High School

Dixie Heights Helpdesk

In-Depth Outline of the Dixie Heights High School IT Helpdesk

Matthew Tarka, Cuyler Kring, Michael Santangelo, and Benjamin Kuhlman

Introduction
At Dixie Heights High School during the 2012-2013 school year, the Dixie Heights IT Helpdesk experienced many issues. The first and foremost issue was a lack of communication amongst STLP members and the administration. The second most prominent issue in the program was that tasks were not being completed 100%. They either would not be started, or would be started and not completed. The final main issue in the program was that not everyone was pulling their proper weight, leaving some members to have to double, or even triple their workloads. This document will provide a full outline of the program for the 20132014 school year including what we will do address and resolve the issues highlighted above, and some changes to make our program stand out not only in the KCSD, but also throughout Kentucky and make us once again a major player in Kentuckys STLP program. This also includes a long-term timeline for our IT Helpdesk.

Issues to Resolve
Communication Breakdown
During the previous school year, we experienced a total lack of communication with the administration in the building. This year, we will fill the work order form out thoroughly and claim jobs. Claiming jobs will prevent confusion on every end, so that we will not overlap jobs. We will also inform the administration when a computer is moved from its main location. Members will fully inform Mr. Stamper or Mr. Moore about the movement of any equipment.

Completion of Projects
Projects will no longer sit around for extended periods of time. Even on the largest of issues, we are aiming for a maximum of a 48 turn around period, with less than an 8 hour turn around period on computer clean sweeps and the defragmentation of hard drives.

Distribution of Work
Last school year, we saw that few people were pulling their proper weight, and other pulling the entire weight of the program. This year, jobs will be distributed according to the skill level of the STLPer. New members to STLP will be enlisted to do smaller jobs, such as re-adding network drives and installing printers, but will undergo training on Thursdays alongside of a Project Coordinator to further their abilities.

Changes to the Program

Introduction to Changes
This year, implemented a dedicated IT Helpdesk with full capabilities to assist teachers in every way possible. We are able to train teachers in running environments, assist in any issues that teachers may have with equipment, and also clean equipment.

Surplus Room Converted to Work Room

We converted the Surplus Room to a Work Room for STLP members to work on computers with little or no interruption. We have one dedicated repair station that we can repair failed PSUs, upgrade RAM, and clean computers with. We also have our own STLP workstation with a working computer that we can check the work order list on, and research

solutions on issues. The surplus equipment has been sorted and stored in boxes to make finding needed items easier. The room was cleaned, all surplus working computers have been cleaned, and all cables have been organized.

iPod Touches Checked Out to STLP Members

This year, we have begun to allow STLP members to check out iPod touches. We allow them to do this if they do not have a mobile device that they can access Google Drive and the work order list on. Mobility has been a key part of the helpdesk this year. Mobile devices have allowed us to update the work order list on-the-go, as well as research solutions to issues. We wanted to make sure that all STLP members could do this to keep productivity high, and to allow us to close open cases faster.

Cleanliness
Cleanliness is a major aspect, as we push for no clutter to achieve the highest productivity rates. This is that all workstations are clear of clutter, and only have the necessary tools. The floors are kept clean, and all parts are organized properly.

Specialty Areas
There are specialty areas among members. This is so that we can address and work on as many issues as possible, and distribute the workflow more evenly among members. Larger projects have multiple members that all communicate back and forth about the current status of the project. Cuyler Kring is the team leader for the On Call Repair team. Michael Santangelo is the team leader for the Computer Repair and Deep Cleaning team. Matthew Tarka is the team leader for the A/V and Mobility team. Benjamin Kuhlman is a team leader for all new

members, as he trains them with basic knowledge before they get identified into a specialty team.

Hierarchy
This year, unlike previous years, we have a dedicated hierarchy to the program to allow the Technology Coordinators at Dixie Heights more time to devote to larger issues than smaller issues. All members report to all three coordinators.

Mr. Matt Moore

Mr. Shane Stamper

Mrs. Emmalee Hoover

Cuyler Kring

Benjamin Kuhlman

Michael Santangelo

Matthew Tarka

STLP Members

STLP Members

STLP Members

STLP Members

Workflow
This school year, the work flow was streamlined to eliminate down time in jobs. The work flow is as follows.

Issue Reported

Job Claimed

Issue Troubleshooted

Issue Resolved

Work Order List Updated

If not resolved, sent to Central Office

Analysis of Data
This year, different from years past, we use data analysis to make study the helpdesk in depth. We have a spread sheet that allows us to view critical statistics of the helpdesk such as preferred times of day, issue category, and the spread of the jobs among members and staff. This data analysis allows us to understand the technology situation at Dixie Heights. From this spread, we know that teacher computers are the most frequently reported issues, and that the most common time of day that teachers want their issues to be resolved is first period.

Process for Cleaning Computers

Computers that are admitted for cleaning and recuperating are now only cleaned with the programs CCleaner with the fastest settings and defragged using Windows Disk Defragmenter with quick defragment settings. Computers that are admitted to surplus for cleaning and relocation are cleaned using CCleaner using sixteen passes and secure file deletion and the full defragmentation settings through Windows Disk Defragmenter.

Use of Social Media

This year, we implemented a YouTube channel and created a reference guide for teachers to solve easy issues. The YouTube channel is home to our weekly video series called STLP Tech Time where we show teachers how to solve issues that may be somewhat confusing or have multiple steps and dependencies on other pieces of hardware. The overall goal is to make a video for each point of the reference guide, and some of the most common problems at Dixie Heights.

Development through the Year

Expansion to Other Kenton County Schools
Throughout the year, we have expanded our STLP program to other schools in the Kenton County School District. This reinvigorated the STLP programs at Dixie Heights feeder schools. At Turkeyfoot Middle School, we helped them to establish a student helpdesk similar to the one at Dixie Heights. The helpdesk at Turkeyfoot MS is still in its initial stages, but they are accepting work orders and are able to fix smaller problems. The Dixie Heights HS STLP program is assisting in fully training the middle school students at Turkeyfoot MS. We brought surplused computers to the school to allow the STLP members to take apart, explore, and rebuild the computers. We are also assisting with STLP program at R.C. Hinsdale Elementary. We are teaching the 4th and 5th graders about internal components of computers and help out with working with their iPad projects. We brought surplused computers with bad motherboards, and we let them take the computer apart completely, including the hard drives and CD drives. They received a grant to buy an iPad lab (32 iPads) and they work on training

teachers and students on how to use the apps installed. As we have many STLP members in the Dixie Heights HS program who train teachers at the high school level on technology, we helped them to determine easy ways to present information and create interactive and engaging Keynote presentations.

YouTube Video Series

We expanded our YouTube video series by adding many more YouTube videos about repairing technology at Dixie. We created this video series to help alleviate some of the workload off of our program. We distribute these videos to teachers through YouTube so that they can watch them, and hopefully we can assist them in troubleshooting and repairing smaller issues that may arise on a daily basis, versus larger problems such as complete unit failure.

Student Helpdesk
We were planning to create a helpdesk to assist students as well as the teacher helpdesk, but we were not able to create it due to large amounts of liability.