Most classrooms throughout the district were silent and still over the summer.
Not room B106 at the high school.
That room buzzed like a beehive all season long.
The reason? The newly minted I.T. department at Hastings Area Schools was hard at work, getting their hands on every device in the district and tackling a seemingly endless to-do list.
“The biggest things are devices. We’ve had our hands on every device in the district,” said Elizabeth Macklin, a familiar face now serving in a new role as technology director. “Each device gets our image on it, which is when you open a computer and it has everything you need. Someone has to build that, so we’re building the image for Hastings.”
Macklin is joined by three others in the department: Cody Antisdale, Thomas Easley, and Luke Singleton. This marks a new chapter for the district, which previously relied on a third-party consortium for all I.T. services and support.
This year, Hastings Area Schools is taking full ownership of its technology infrastructure. Macklin isn’t the only familiar name. Both Antisdale and Easley previously served Hastings through the third-party vendor and are now district employees.
The move brings a host of benefits. With an in-house team, the district can better tailor its tech services to local needs and respond more quickly when issues arise.
Still, they’re not going at it alone. The Van Buren Intermediate School District is acting as a support partner during the transition. Macklin called them “our training wheels” for the next three years.
Macklin brings more than just district familiarity; she has deep experience in educational technology. Previously, she worked as a technology coach for grades kindergarten through 12, and she says that many aspects of that role carry over into her current one.
“Everything is instruction now,” she said. “It used to be that a teacher taught from the blackboard and sometimes had a computer or maybe sometimes had a projector. Now, every single teacher has something interactive in their room. Every kid has a device available to them.”
Transitioning to an internal I.T. department has meant long summer hours for the team, working on everything from individual devices to building-wide systems like door access control. But little by little, their daunting checklist has shrunk.
“Elizabeth and her team have worked tirelessly all summer to bring I.T. operations in-house at HASS, a strategic move to gain more control over technology systems and drive long-term cost savings,” said Superintendent Dr. Nick Damico. “By internalizing I.T., HASS can now customize solutions to fit specific needs, enhance security, and streamline processes. Additionally, this shift enables resource sharing across the county, fostering collaboration and efficiency. Despite the steep learning curve, this transition positions HASS for greater flexibility and sustainable growth in the long run.”