'school district is too scared to have LINUX machine on site' ... it's a shame isn't it? An entity for education ... supposed to be all about new learning and where kids are asked to stretch EVERY DAY, that the server folks can say 'no' - not stretch ... not learn anything new.
Suggestion ... have the school buy the box ... one powerful enough to run what you want ... and then 'allow' the school to "allow" you to remotely manage ... that's what one is doing remotely hosted anyway!
'spirit of sharing', Ken