Just as a pointer, all the kit will be state of the art as expected for win nt or 2000, so rescuing ancient 486's won't be necessary. That's also why I was thinking of dual boot, so if it doesn't work, I can fall back.
If you have that sort of money, stick to Windows like a leach. It will be more expensive, it will break down more often, but at least when it does you can go home at 4.30 (or 3.30 on a Friday) and say "well, what do you expect, it's Windows, maybe I'll be going sometime next week, but could do it over the weekend at double time if you wish". But if you install a Linux solution instead, you'll save your school a lot of money and provide a much more efficient solution and it'll run for longer, but when there's a hardware fault it'll go down and because you put it in against recceived wisdom you'll have to sort it out, you'll be there all Friday evening without overtime when you could be at home, and if there's anything it doesn't do that your colleagues want it's your fault, whereas if the NT system can't do something then that's Bill's fault, not your problem, and anyway it probably can do it if you spend 4K pounds on gee-whiz software solutions inc. -- Christopher Dawkins, Felsted School, Dunmow, Essex CM6 3JG 01371-820527 or 07798 636725 cchd@felsted.essex.sch.uk