Pascack Valley High, Hillsdale Schools Sharing Fiber Optic Internet

Hillsdale K-8 schools will share Pascack Valley High School's fiber optic Internet connection under a new interlocal agreement approved by both school boards Monday.

The new service will improve Internet speed and capacity at the schools while saving money, according to Hillsdale Superintendent Rick Spirito.

"When two districts work together, it removes duplicate services and saves both districts money," Spirito said.

The shared service will take place from September 1 this year until September 1, 2018 at a cost of $1,500 per month that Hillsdale Schools will pay to the regional high school district. The agreement allows for a renewal for as many as five additional years.

New fiber optic cables will be laid to connect Hillsdale's three schools and the board of education offices as part of the plan. The project will be funded by Hillsdale Schools at a cost of $300,000. No state funding or grants will be needed for the project. The cost is included in the preliminary budget approved by the school board this week.

The new infrastructure could also open the doors for other shared services like data storage and phones, but there has not been any discussion of those yet, Spirito said.

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