New to all of this, could someone help me out?

Hello, I recently started a new job where I am, for lack of a better term, being forced into a network administration position for a small school district. We have over 600 machines on our network. Right now we are manually having to install and/or update Flash Player, Adobe Reader and java to the latest versions. Is there a way to set up our system (Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory) to auto install these apps on machines that do not have them and update the ones that do have them automatically, when they come up on the network?

For instance, I know where the .msi file is for java, I know how to set group policies and set up AD to run start up scripts, but I really have no idea how to write one from scratch.

There are quite a few people here that could write a script for you but it would take several weeks to do as there will be a LOT of questions & hit and miss stuff to go through. I do not have the experience others have, but I would love the challenge if I had the time.
So with that in mind, hopefully I can lead you to a few area's that would benefit you greatly in your new position.
The first is a great learning site:
W3Schools This site is free for users, and is packed with mostly web related stuff, but VBScript is afterall, a scripting base for web related material. But most importantly, it will teach you the basics needed for troubleshooting and writing your own scripts which, in a position you are moving into, would be incredibly helpful.
The second site is good for key words you are learning to work:
MSDN Library
I use this site quite often.
Another tip when using this site it to go to Amazon.com and spend $12.00 on a book, preferably a VBScript Reference guide.
Here are a couple other sites that will get you started as well:
http://www.ericphelps.com/scripting/
http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Softw...ws_Script_Host/
http://<br /> http://www.windowsne...Scripting.html#
This third one is a good magazine published article(s) that is very helpful for beginners.
Good luck, and as I get time, I'll try to help.

try googling...

silent install programs by script through GPO

here is a detailed example...

http://www.rlmueller.net/Deploy.htm

...assuming the msi has a silent switch


...if too much for ya...let us know...but please take a stab at it and post what you have...good luck