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November 2006 (Approved Feb 2007)
THE TECHNOLOGY PLANNING COMMITTEE
Therese Brennan - High School Librarian
Wayne LaBombard - Technology Coordinator
Ken Facin - Elementary Principal
Wes Clark - Business Administrator
Aimee Smith - Elementary Teacher
Melody Troy - Superintendent
John Cummings - Board Member
Dave Santeramo - Parent
Steve Butz - Secondary Teacher
Michael White - Technology Teacher
Vision Statement and Goals
The Cambridge Central School District
believes that it can enhance learning through effectively integrating technology
into all aspects of the district’s educational programs. Through a variety of
technology initiatives, e.g., word processing, the Internet, multi-media
presentations, etc., teachers and students will meet the standards as outlined
by the New York State Board of Regents. This technology plan will help address
the needs of our students in preparation for the challenges and opportunities in
their educational endeavors as well as a productive endeavors as contributing
members of society.
Without a strong understanding of
Technology and the technology available to the staff of the District, any
technological upgrades are wasted; therefore, training is of the utmost
importance. The training component of this technology plan emphasizes the
commitment of the Cambridge Central School District to training all personnel in
the proper use of the equipment, as well as exploring ways technology can be
used to enhance the instructional program and prepare students for the world of
work. Staff development will be provided in a myriad of ways including:
in-house training during Superintendent’s Conference Days, after school
mini-workshops during evening hours and during Summer Academies; conference
attendance; and the acquisition of professional resources such as training
modules, subscriptions to publications, books, etc.
add: something about on-line training
opportunities?
The District is committed to integrating
technology into the curriculum, thus enabling all learners to become productive
members of the global community. The use of computers and other advanced
technologies to promote technological literacy, enhance instruction, increase
productivity, and improve communication will benefit the entire school
community. Technology literacy goals will be constantly evolving, but this plan
will serve as a basis for ongoing assessment, improvement, and recognition of a
strong technology foundation in order to enable our students to meet and surpass
the New York State standards. All students should be technology literate by the
end of grade 8.
Goal 1
To integrate voice, video and data
networks capable of providing communications at the school, state, and national
levels.
Strategies
1. Evaluate the options for expanding the
current fiber backbone to allow for expansion and increased operability.
2. Optimize network traffic to
accommodate high bandwidth applications
3. Incorporate wireless communication
where appropriate
Goal 2
To improve teacher and student access to
technological resources in classrooms and other learning centers through
equitable distribution of grants, equipment, software, and technical assistance.
Strategies
1. Convert to thin client units for
student access.
2. Upgrade technology lab equipment to
facilitate instruction.
3. Explore and provide suitable
(assistive) devices for special needs students.
Goal 3
Establish extensive training programs and
appropriate incentives for teachers to enhance teaching and learning through the
use of educational technologies.
Strategies:
1. Establish guidelines, timelines, and
specifications for teacher training.
2. Offer incentives for educators to
pursue training.
3. Restructure the technology support
staff to allow for more training and support in the school building.
4. Continue to involve BOCES staff in
training support.
5. Provide a variety of training
opportunities for staff development,
including superintendent conference days,
after school, and remote conferences.
Goal 4
Educators and administrators will have
access to technologies that provide for the maintenance, reporting, and analysis
of student and administrative data.
Strategies:
1. Maintain and upgrade a comprehensive,
standardized software package to support student and administrative data
management, analysis, and reporting. Maintain compatibility with New York State
standards for data collection.
2. Study future incorporation of a
classroom management system to interface with other administrative software.
Goal 5
A system of ongoing evaluation will be
established for assessment of technology applications, teacher preparation, and
training.
Strategies:
1. Develop tools and a consistent
process of data collection that can be used to assess progress in implementing
the recommendations of this plan.
2. Publish biennial reports showing the
assessment of annual data on technology initiatives.
3. Develop an assessment tool for
students that will measure a basic
level of competence by the end of 8th
grade.
4. Continue to survey staff and
students regarding preparation and training.
Information Technology Assessment
A. Current inventory of equipment and
services
See attached chart
Both the main K-12 building and the
administration building now have Internet access through the BOCES wide area
network. An upgrade is scheduled to increase bandwidth to 20 mg with a
conversion from Verizon to Time Warner. The high school computer lab has
desktop computers, the elementary computer lab and the business classroom were
both upgraded to thin clients in Fall 06. The technology classroom has some
challenges to be able to support current classes.
All classrooms, the libraries and
administrative offices have computers with Internet access. Classlink was
installed in 2005, and serves as a building instructional network. A fiber
backbone was installed in 2005 to improve performance and reduce reliance on Cat
5 cable.
B. Current Program Status
1. Curriculum Integration: Students are
using the Internet for research in the computer labs, the libraries, and the
guidance office. 400 graphing calculators are in circulation to comply with the
curriculum requirement for math.
2. School Island was purchased in Fall
06 and is use both at high school and elementary levels. Teachers use this
software to reinforce instruction and provide assessment.
3. NutriKids, IEP Direct, Transfinder,
and Winschool are used to support student services.
4. Staffing and Training
In harmony with the present technology
plan, a full time aide is in the elementary computer lab, and a part time aide
is in the high school lab as an aide. The aides assist students and teachers
with use of the labs.
Two staff members have been upgraded to
provide support in addition to managing school databases and student information
systems.
In Fall 06, two BOCES services were
started. A network technician is on site every Tuesday, and a Model Schools
instructor is available for teacher training on Thursdays. Both of these
individuals have additional support from other BOCES staff.
C. Current Budget
1. Equipment and services are supported
through budget accounts for telephone,
hardware, software, and e-rate discounts.
In addition, various departments use their own funds to purchase technology as
needed. Grant funding is used for training, hardware, and infrastructure
upgrades.
2. Upgrades and maintenance are supported
through budget provisions and staff.
3. The microcomputer repair tech, BOCES
staff, and the custodians maintain infrastructure. They have worked together to
run cable, make connections, and install hardware.
4. The BOCES budget supports the
four-year lease of Classlink, at $70,000 per year. It also covers the model
schools coordinator and the network technician. Connectivity charges are also
paid through BOCES. BOCES aid will continue in the year after expenses are paid.
D. Needs assessment
1. A survey of staff members was done to
determine the need for additional training. 78 responded, and indicated a lack
of familiarity with a number of popular software titles. A separate survey was
done to find the scope of desktop computers in need of replacement.
The school is required to conduct a
facilities evaluation by a qualified architect every five years. This was done
in 2004, and a separate technology survey identified infrastructure and hardware
needs.
A schedule for replacing classroom
computers and other peripherals needs to be developed and funded.
IEP Direct was purchased in 2003, and some
training provided to special education staff.
School Island was purchased in 2006, and
it presents a template for student practice and testing in many curriculum
areas. This will enhance student learning as it is integrated into the school
structure.
A new technology teacher was hired in
2005. This individual has enhanced the curriculum to require more powerful
hardware and connectivity.
Transfinder has been purchased for use in
transportation. More time and training is needed to actually get the full
benefit from this software.
Schedule Star is being used in the
athletic department. This will take more time and training for future benefit.
With the advent of vendor hosted software
and expanded use of video streaming, capacity of the network and broadband
connections must be increased.
2. The planning process involved
interviews with several involved staff members, and three meetings of the
technology committee. The committee now has representation from parents and
board members. Another goal is to work with area colleges to gain perspective on
what needs should be met in the high school technology program. Based on this
input, course offerings may change.
3. Another need that is emerging is the
support of the tech valley initiative in the Capital District of New York State.
The Luther Forest Industrial Park is being developed in Saratoga County as a
magnet for nanotechnology and related business. AMD has made a commitment to
build a major chip plant at this site. The area BOCES boards are beginning a
Tech Valley high school to provide skilled labor for these jobs. High schools
are being encouraged to align their technology instruction to take advantage of
this situation.
Technology Objectives and Plans
A. Overview
1. Overall objectives: The district has
been integrating technology into the curriculum. However, the New York State
standards for Language Arts and Math have demanded a large amount of staff
development time and money. As major components of the Federal No Child Left
Behind requirements and State curriculum change, teaching and technology will
adapt to it.
2. Teachers will be the basic link between
the curriculum and the student. In this role, teachers will be supported and
encouraged to incorporate the Internet and computer resources as pedagogical
tools.
Software continues to focus away from
building limited access, and towards internet access from all locations. The
current Winschool student support system functions on separate servers in the
building, but replacement software will probably be housed by the vendor with
access to users by password and PIN
3. The No Child Left Behind Act has some
serious implications for student instruction and for technology integration.
These need to be explored and incorporated. NCLB has added several mandates,
which must be incorporated into technology planning. The new standardized
testing results at every grade level must be broken down into many more
demographic categories to assure NCLB compliance. This will require another
level of data input and analysis, as well as additional remediation. NCLB also
requires a parent involvement component, including access to children’s teachers
and grades.
The administration has a vision to expand
the technology department to include three full time professionals. These would
include a microcomputer repair tech, as now, but the other two would include a
coordinator and a curriculum integrator/trainer.
B. Equipment and service components
1. Hardware/software
Under way is the setup of a cluster of 10
computers in the Elementary Library. This will allow Elementary students to
access information and receive instruction in another location. Both libraries
are automated, allowing students to access local collections as well as remote
libraries.
The technology committee believes that
cable in the classroom provides a wealth of opportunities for instructional
enrichment. The cable mains are already in the corridors. The current plan is to
hook up cable TV at the same time as the internet connection. Money was
requested in a grant for the purchase of TV/VCR/DVD combinations.
Classroom presentation hardware and
software are also needed as this plan begins. As teachers request technology
for class activities, individual rooms can be connected to the building network
and equipped with PowerPoint and Hyperstudio software. The District will make
every effort to recycle computers to less demanding uses to expand the reach of
the available dollars. When computer lab equipment is replaced, it will be
rehabilitated and reassigned to an appropriate classroom.
2. Services
A goal of this plan, as well as the
previous plan, is to connect more classrooms to the building network and the
Internet.
The Director of Special Education
incorporates technology into the construction of individual education programs
for students. Students with needs are offered Computer Assistive Technology by
BOCES staff.
Community access will be improved beyond
what is currently possible. In the past, the computer coordinator has offered a
basic computer class. This class has been quite popular, and there have been
requests for more advanced topics.
The District has created a webmaster
position which is being developed to allow students staff and the public to
access many types of information.
3. Infrastructure.
The current Roadrunner cable access in the
high school is nearing its maximum capacity. There may be required an upgrade
of the Roadrunner cable connection, or possibly a broadband telephone
connection.
The copy machines currently in place are
digital and are connected as part of a network. This gives students and staff
the potential of printing multiple copies at high speed from many locations in
the building.
The cabling in the building needs to be
consolidated. There is presently a spaghetti configuration of CAT 5 cable, with
poor labeling. A fiber backbone was installed between 5 wiring closets. The
number of connections was adequate at the time, but expansion needs to take
place.
4. Related programs
With the installation of Classlink,
software is installed on a central server. This keeps versions consistent, and
makes available the MS Office package to all students. Teachers have worked to
arrange desktops with relevant software for specific classes and grade levels.
There are also links to State curriculum sites.
The District has adopted and Internet
Safety Policy which places responsibility for safe use of the internet on
students and parents. Students must sign a form that they agree to appropriate
use, and parents must agree that they have counseled students about the dangers
of internet use before access to the District network is granted. It also
allows the monitoring of student content by the computer network coordinator.
Blocking software is also in place to restrict access to unsafe and
inappropriate sites.
Building security was enhanced in the
recent capital project. There is an electronic access system, which tracks
entrants to the building on off-hours. This is necessary to secure the growing
number of computers and the wider levels of access to the Internet.
Other protection for the security of the
computer network includes software packages. BOCES and Classlink both have
protections built in to their systems. Iprism is used to filter Internet sites
in the high school. NetOp is a software package that allows monitoring of
workstations in the building. There is a firewall as part of the Cisco router.
C. Staffing and Training.
1. Technology coordination will continue
to be through the technology coordinator. He has a grasp of software and
hardware in the building, and will be essential in reconfiguring classrooms
after the construction project.
2.The following was included in the
present technology plan.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT GOALS
It is necessary to provide flexible and
sufficient opportunities for all staff to acquire technological proficiency. A
strong staff development program will raise staff competency and enhance the
learning environment for all students.
To increase the staff’s technological
competency, the district will:
* Provide ongoing instruction
for all personnel as it applies to their roles in the district.
* Expect staff to serve as
role models for the Cambridge community in the use of technology.
* Develop a procedure that
will assess the technological competence of all staff in order to
recognize areas of strength and needs, and to plan for
relevant and appropriate staff
development.
* Provide access to
appropriate resources that will allow the use of
technology, both in and outside the work environment to aid staff in their
professional duties.
Staff development
The following means of staff development
are critical to the success of the technology plan:
Existing staff with expertise have been
hired to present seminars on applicable software to enhance the curriculum. This
model has been successful and will be continued.
The new district Student Information
Specialist position includes the following auxiliary function:
Assistance to teachers and other data base
operations – Assist teachers with implementation of technology integration into
curriculum. Provide resources for teachers interested in the integration of
technology into their curriculum area and assist them in generating projects in
which technology can be used as a tool in education. Assist teachers in creating
rubrics for projects. (Microsoft Applications/Internet use)
NYSCATE is an organization dedicated to
staff development and the integration of technology into curriculum. There is
one annual Saturday workshop at which many seminars are presented. There is
also a different day of more regional training for teachers. For additional
information, please log on to www.nyscate.org.
The WSWHE BOCES is becoming a resource for
technology integration. The plan includes exploring this service for use in
staff development.
BOCES also provides on site training, and
held classes in the use of WordPerfect in Cambridge.
Plan Administration and budgeting
A. Current plan approval status
The current technology plan was originally
approved by New York State Department of Education for three years. This period
ends in June 30, 2010. Much of the original plan has been accomplished.
This technology plan is being drafted as
an update to the previous plan; however, much of the vision and priority
language of the original plan is still applicable. The same committee which was
responsible for the old plan has worked on the new plan.
A copy of this plan will be provided to
the Board of Education, who will have significant input in the direction that
technology takes through the budget process.
1. Independent review and approval
This plan is being written specifically to
meet the requirements for the e-rate program, which will hopefully be continued
beyond next year. The e-rate approval requires an approved plan to be in place
before July 1, 2007.
The State Education Department has
obtained approval authority of the plan from the Federal government. It has
delegated this authority to the regional information centers, which have
involved the local BOCES. It is intended that this plan be submitted to the
WSWHE BOCES for review, before it is forwarded to the NERIC for approval. This
is as instructed by letters from NYSED, NERIC, and BOCES.
The district does not now, and is not
likely to qualify for internal connections discounts by virtue of its low Free
and Reduced Price lunch counts.
B. Budgeting
1. Equipment purchases and services
schedule
Purchase SchoolTool for student
information system ($40,000 year 1)
Upgrade tech lab ($25,000)
Upgrade broadband connection (included in
BOCES)
Expand wiring closets ($10,000)
Lab in elementary library ($10,000)
Convert desktops to thin clients ($20,000)
Purchase presentation hardware ($10,000)
Consolidate Cat 5 cable (capital project)
Enhance technology course offerings
(staffing)
2. Annual budgeting and approvals
The proposed budget for the technology
plan is built on several sources of designated funds. New York State has
allocated hardware aid and software aid based on numbers of students.
06-07 local budget approval is as
follows:
tech stipends $
23,804
tech
staff $ 45,331
Hardware $ 25,000
Software
$ 15,000
Supplies
$ 8,000
BOCES Tech
$ 135,000
Telephone
$ 22,000
Time Warner Cable $
9,600
Training (total)
$ 33,000
Software licenses
$ 20,000
E-rate discounts on basic telephone
service will total about $ 10,000.
Budget will need to increase $37,000 in
07-08 for School Tool. Second year cost will be only $9,000.
The BOCES cost will decrease in 09-10 due
to no payment of lease on Classlink. This is currently $70,000 per year. This
may provide the opportunity to increase staff to the three full time positions
envisioned.
C. Implementation action plan
Major activity
Individual responsible Timeline
Start School tool Business
Adm 4/07-9/07
20 meg connection BOCES tech
coord 2/07-4/07
consolidate cat 5
architect 2/08-4/08
upgrade business lab tech
teacher 7/07-9/07
D. Ongoing planning and review
1. Plan review and revision plans
This plan will be reviewed during the
budget cycle to monitor what needs have been identified. These will be included
as budget priorities and funded as necessary to accomplish this plan. Budget
cycle planning also allows capital and grant opportunities to be incorporated
into the overall district program plans.
In addition, the plan will be reviewed
during the summer, in order to incorporate as many improvements as possible
while school is not in session. The summer will allow new staff to equip their
classrooms for the coming year with the technology necessary for the
curriculum.
The technology committee will meet at
least annually to update accomplishments and discuss changes to the strategies
set forth in this plan. Committee members will share ideas and suggestions,
which have been gathered from outside events and consultants.
The District periodically develops capital
improvement plans, which include technology. During this plan cycle, wiring
consolidation and a library media center are priorities that may be included.
BOCES has become involved in the planning
process, since Cambridge is now a part of the BOCES wan. This is a connection
that will help in keeping both connectivity, hardware and software up to date.
2. Technology program monitoring and
evaluation process
The current technology plan is posted on
the District website, and this plan will be as well. This will allow all
stakeholders to view the direction the school has chosen, and to suggest
improvements. This will communicate the success of the plan and the importance
of technology.
District administrators are regularly
consulted about technology issues through the administrative council.
The following questions were proposed in
Appendix 5 of the e-rate central website as a guide for evaluating the
technology program.
- How and when will you evaluate the
impact your technology plan implementation has on student performance?
* Students will be expected to meet
appropriate technology objectives and be able to utilize the tools available for
research/presentation. Teachers who receive the research, and who teach to the
technology objectives will evaluate this. The Technology Committee has a plan
now to develop standards for technology that will be achieved for all students.
Instruction will take place in the elementary school, with a target of a minimal
base of knowledge. A test will be administered in 6th grade, and those who are
not competent will receive more instruction in 7th & 8th grades. In this way,
the goal of having all high school students able to use technology for the
curriculum will be achieved.
* Student test scores on the 4th grade,
8th grade, and regents exams are being tracked by the administration and the
State. These results should improve with appropriate use of technology as a
pedagogical tool. These scores will also improve as students are motivated to
learn using a greater variety of more accessible programs. Scores are reviewed
as soon as they become available, which depend on when the test is administered.
- Who will be responsible for
collecting ongoing data to assess the effectiveness of the plan and its
implementation?
• Principals of the K-6 and 7-12 grade
levels will collect ongoing data. They are responsible for staff supervision and
curriculum implementation, and technology is a tool, which will be used to
improve the quality of instruction. The principals have been involved in the
development of this plan and share its objectives.
The requirements for tracking student
standardized testing data have escalated so that errors can be extremely costly
for a school district. In addition, test data are being used to assess specific
areas of knowledge. This information will be used to improve instruction across
the student body. It will take time for the full potential of this system to
emerge.
- What windows of opportunity
exist for reviewing the technology plan?
• The budget development process
provides a window of opportunity for evaluating the plan. During this time,
staff request supplies, equipment and software for the upcoming year. This
gives both teachers and their supervising principal a good forum to review the
plan, and to incorporate long range components.
• Another window of opportunity exists
when capital projects are planned. This planning involves Board of Education
and community members, along with design and engineering professionals.
- How will accountability for
implementation be assessed?
- The technology committee is meeting to
discuss implementation and to make plans for future technology applications.
• Principals will assess the
implementation as part of their staff oversight roles. They consider the use of
technology as a critical part of teaching effectiveness, and encourage its use.
If it is not used appropriately, evaluation instruments will reflect this.
• On a different level, the Board of
Education will hold the administration responsible for the overall
implementation of the plan. If the school district falls behind in technology,
the district loses a competitive advantage in recruiting staff and preparing
students.
- How will you assess the level of
technological proficiency gained by students, teachers and staff?
• This will be done through a combination
of measures. A survey is being completed to measure proficiency. Standardized
testing will measure the proficiency of students in curriculum content areas.
Staff will also be surveyed, and the hiring process will measure the skills of
potential staff.
* Other measures of proficiency include
the levels of usage of computer labs and the levels of automated research
activity by students. Students in technology classes have developed proficiency
in using CAD.
- How will you use technology to
evaluate teaching and learning?
* The requirements for tracking student
standardized testing data have escalated so that errors can be extremely costly
for a school district. In addition, test data are being used to assess specific
areas of knowledge. This information will be used to improve instruction across
the student body. It will take time for the full potential of this system to
emerge.
- What is the key indicator of
success for each component of the plan?
• The key indicator of success will be
student success at both technical skill development and standardized tests.
• The Cambridge Central School District
will provide technology training for all staff members to enable them to
integrate appropriate technology into their curricula.
An obvious indicator of success of this
will be the level of participation in the training that is offered.
- How will you analyze the
effectiveness of disbursement decisions in light of implementation priorities?
• The purchasing decision takes on added
importance when considering the future impact of related equipment and
software. Pricing changes have lead to much more educational value being built
in to software. Disbursement decisions will be made to gain the most benefit
for the greatest number of students.
- How will you analyze
implementation decisions to accommodate for changes as a result of new
information and technologies?
* Decisions will be analyzed based on
industry expert's forecast of the most durable value for the school. More and
more software will remain in the hands of the vendor, and be accessed by the
Internet. This will facilitate "dumb" terminals and less purchased software.
Annual service fees will bring the most value, and minimize the "locked in"
disadvantage of past software purchases.
- What organizational mechanism
will you create that allows changes in the implementation of the technology plan
and in the plan itself?
* The organizational mechanism that will
be created involves communication between the teachers, administrators and
technical support staff. It also encourages relationships with other schools
and with the private sector. Using a team approach and seeking sound advice
will give the committee a basis for changing the plan.
* A district technology coordinator will
work with faculty to assist in the development of goals and the integration of
technology throughout the district.
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