The Technology Department provides solutions for all district-related hardware, software, network, and service needs. The district buildings are connected via a fiber optic network at both locations with a dedicated fiber optic internet connection with the Internet Service Provider (ISP).  Both students and staff have access to desktops or laptops and the district maintains a 1:1 chromebook assignment for all students in grades K-12. 

The department also maintains, supports, installs, and repairs the computing, mainframe, and network resources of the school district on a year-round basis. In addition, with assistance from our Student Technology Leaders, we ensure that staff and student PC assets are repaired and kept in working order. Finally, we also provide various training resources for our students, staff and community members. 

 

It is our mission to prepare our students and staff by providing them with the tools they need to foster the best technology learning environment they can while being prepared to help when issues arise.

 

If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please contact the Director of Technology, Mr. Jeffrey Hoffman at (724) 785-5800 ext. 3004 or email [email protected].

 

 

 

 

Exterior Security Camera Upgrade (AXIS Cameras + On-Prem VMS/Servers)
Issuing Organization: California Area School District Issue Date: 02/18/2026 Questions Due: 03/01/2026, 4:00pm EST Proposal Due: 03/18/2026, 4:00pm EST Project Location: 40 Trojan Way, Coal Center, PA and 11 Trojan Way, Coal Center, PA
Project Walkthrough: All Qualified Vendors. March 4, 2026, 10:00am EST.
1) Purpose
California Area School District is soliciting proposals from qualified security integrators to furnish and install a complete exterior security camera system upgrade utilizing AXIS network cameras and on-premise recording servers. The solution must be subscription-free (no cloud subscriptions) and include all labor and equipment costs necessary for a fully operational system.
2) Project Overview / Background
The District intends to upgrade/expand exterior video coverage to improve safety, security, and incident response across District buildings and grounds. The system will be used by District-authorized staff and must support secure access, retention, playback, export, and management of video evidence.
3) Scope of Work (Contractor Responsibilities)
The selected vendor shall provide a turnkey solution including, but not limited to:
A. Design & Engineering
● Conduct site walk(s) and validate exterior coverage requirements.
● Provide camera placement plan(s), field-of-view views, and mounting details.
● Confirm network, power, and storage requirements.
B. Equipment Procurement & Installation
● Provide and install AXIS exterior IP cameras suitable for K-12 environments.
● Provide and install on-premise recording servers and all required software/licenses.
● Provide and install all required mounts, housings, junction boxes, conduits, cable, patch panels, labels, etc.
● Provide all lifts/scaffolding and safety equipment required for exterior work.
C. Integration & Configuration
● Configure cameras, recording, retention, user roles, and permissions.
● Integrate with District network infrastructure (VLANs, IP addressing, DNS, time/NTP, etc.).
● Implement cybersecurity best practices (strong authentication, role-based access, firmware management).
● Configure motion/event rules if requested by the District.
D. Testing, Documentation & Training
● Perform acceptance testing with District personnel.
● Provide as-built documentation (camera list, IP scheme, switch ports, diagrams).
● Provide admin and user training (minimum: 2 sessions, recorded if requested).
● Provide warranty/service documentation and escalation contacts.
4) Mandatory Technical Requirements (Non-Negotiable)
Proposals must comply with all requirements below. Vendors shall indicate Compliant / Non-Compliant and provide supporting documentation.
A. Cameras
● All new exterior cameras must be AXIS network cameras.
● Must be outdoor-rated (appropriate IP rating) and suitable for winter conditions.
● Must support secure protocols (HTTPS/TLS) and modern authentication practices.
● Must support VMS recording with ONVIF where applicable.
B. Recording / Servers / VMS
● On-premise only: recording servers must be installed locally at District facilities.
● No cloud subscriptions: no recurring cloud-hosted video storage, cloud-managed VMS, or required cloud licensing.
● Servers must be ONVIF-capable and compatible with Avycon cameras (existing or future integration).
● Provide sufficient storage to meet District retention requirements (see Section 5), including overhead for growth.
● Provide redundancy/RAID strategy and recommended backup approach for system configuration.
C. Licensing / Cost Model
● Proposal must include any required perpetual licenses for recording/management.
● No subscription-based licensing that is required for operation.
● Optional support/maintenance renewals may be offered but must be clearly separated.
5) Performance & Retention Requirements
Vendors must include design assumptions and calculations.
● Target retention:30 days minimum for exterior cameras (vendor to recommend based on best practice and budget).
● Recording mode: continuous, motion-based, or hybrid (vendor to propose; District will decide).
● Resolution/FPS: vendor to propose by area (parking lots, entrances, athletic fields, loading docks).
● Night performance: IR/low-light capability appropriate for exterior coverage.
6) Network & Cybersecurity Requirements
● Must support segmented deployment on District-designated VLAN(s).
● Must support centralized time sync (NTP).
● Must not require public inbound firewall rules for core operation.
● Must provide a documented firmware management and vulnerability response plan.
● Administrative access must support role-based access and audit logging where available.
7) Deliverables
At minimum, the awarded vendor shall provide:
1. Site assessment summary and final camera layout plan(s)
2. Complete bill of materials (BOM) with part numbers
3. Installed AXIS cameras with configured recording
4. On-prem servers installed, configured, and documented
5. As-built diagrams (network + camera map)
6. Administrator and end-user training
7. Warranty documentation + service response terms
8. Acceptance test report and sign-off checklist
8) Proposal Format Requirements
Proposals should be organized in the following order:
1. Executive Summary
2. Company Profile (including years in business, certifications, staffing plan)
3. K-12 Experience (include evidence of similar projects)
4. Technical Approach & System Architecture
5. Equipment List / BOM (include datasheets)
6. Server/VMS Description (ONVIF + Avycon compatibility explanation)
7. Implementation Plan & Schedule
8. Training & Documentation Plan
9. Warranty, Support, and Response Times
10. Pricing (Labor + Equipment) (see Section 9)
11. References (see Section 10)
12. Exceptions/Assumptions (clearly stated)
9) Pricing Requirements (Labor + Equipment)
Vendors must provide itemized pricing, at minimum:
A. Equipment Costs
● AXIS cameras (by model and quantity)
● Mounts/housings/junction boxes
● Cabling/conduit/materials
● Switches/injectors (if needed)
● Servers/storage/RAID components
● Any required perpetual licenses
B. Labor Costs
● Project management
● Site survey / engineering
● Installation labor (cable pulls, terminations, mounting)
● Configuration/commissioning
● Testing and acceptance
● Training
C. Optional Alternates (Clearly Separated)
● Extended warranty/support plans (optional, not required)
● Additional camera add-ons (optional)
● Additional storage expansion pricing
Pricing must include all shipping, travel, permits (if applicable), lifts, and incidentals.
10) References (Minimum 5 Required)
Provide at least five (5) K-12 public school references for similar camera/VMS/server work completed within the last 5 years.
Each reference must include:
● District/School name
● Project scope summary (camera count, server/VMS used)
● Contact name and title
● Email and phone number
● Project completion date
● Permission to contact (yes/no)
11) Vendor Qualifications
Vendors must:
● Be an authorized/qualified security integrator for enterprise IP camera systems
● Demonstrate experience with K-12 environments (occupied buildings, safety procedures)
● Carry required insurance (provide certificates upon award)
● Provide background check process for all on-site staff
● Provide a named project manager and escalation contact
12) Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated using criteria that may include:
● Compliance with mandatory requirements (ON-PREM, no subscriptions, AXIS, ONVIF, Avycon compatibility)
● Technical quality and design approach
● K-12 project experience and reference strength
● Total cost of ownership and clarity of pricing
● Implementation timeline and minimal disruption plan
● Warranty/support response and service model
13) Terms & Conditions
● The District reserves the right to reject any/all proposals, request clarifications, and negotiate.
● The District is not responsible for costs incurred in proposal preparation.
● Any exceptions to the RFP must be clearly listed.
● Final contract terms will be determined by the District.
14) Submission Instructions
Submit proposals electronically to: Jeffrey Hoffman, Director of Technology, [email protected] Subject line: “RFP – Exterior Camera Upgrade – California Area School District” Submission deadline: March, 18, 2026
Questions must be submitted by: 03/01/2026 to [email protected].

California Area School District Consortium

Request for High Speed Internet Access Services

Form 470 # 260016101

District is seeking vendor proposals for symmetrical Direct Internet Access services, to 11 Trojan Way, Coal Center, PA, 15423. CAL Charter Elementary is also a recipient of service due to their presence on the campus of California Area School District.

 

On December 28, 2024, PowerSchool became aware of a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized exportation of certain personal information from PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS) environments through one of our community-focused customer support portals, PowerSource.  The types of information involved in this incident included one or more of the following: the individual’s name, contact information, date of birth, limited medical alert information, and other related information.  As soon as PowerSchool learned of the incident, they engaged cybersecurity response protocols and mobilized senior leadership and third-party cybersecurity experts to conduct a forensic investigation of the scope of the incident and to monitor for signs of information misuse.  At this time, they are not aware of any identity theft attributable to this incident.

 

You are encouraged to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing account statements for suspicious activity. PowerSchool will never contact you by phone or email to request your personal or account information.

 

The following links contain notification and general information about identity theft protection and credit monitoring services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Chromebook Program OPT-OUT Form

 

 

 

 

 

In order to submit a ticket for IT support please visit the following link to submit a trouble ticket: