TECHNOLOGY PLAN

Richwoods School District

2003-2008

*This plan has been approved by the local school board and approved and scored "exemplary" by the State.*

TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

 Richwoods School District has an organized technology committee which meets on a periodic basis to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology program and to make plans for purchases and implementation.  The goal of the technology committee will be to establish a plan by which technology will be available to the students and staff, implemented into the curriculum, purchased and maintained in an adequate manner and assessed for effectiveness. This technology plan will be submitted to the state for approval on a three to five year basis according to state specifications for funding programs.

This committee is composed of representatives from a wide array of areas in the school community.  There are two small convenience stores in our community which compose our local businesses.  They often support the various school functions if they are able.  Forty one percent of the teaching staff and 25% of the support staff serve on the technology committee.

The technology coordinator serves as the facilitator of the technology committee. The Principal/Superintendent will also serve as a facilitator to explain and discuss funding issues, legal issues, responsibilities and other related information. The staff members will have the input needed from the teachers perspective and the students will provide this information from the student population. Community and business members will be able to tell the school what skills and expectations they want to see in students graduating from our district.

Technology Committee Members  

Student Body Enrollment = 180    Certified Teaching Staff = 17   Non-certified Staff = 16

Mission of Richwoods Technology Program

The technology mission of the Richwoods School District is to incorporate technology into the instructional, curricular, and management functions of the district in such a way that it will facilitate student problem solving, enhance learning quality, and promote a sense of independence as students become lifelong learners and responsible citizens.

This mission follows the technology goals as outlined in the CSIP plan and provides resources devoted to allowing students of varying needs to reach their highest potential as stated in the district’s mission statement.  These objectives are consistent with the Show-Me Standards and the Technology Goals for Missouri Students.

District Technology Goals

  Technology must not be viewed as an end in itself. Technology is only valuable and efficient if it provides a means of accomplishing or supplementing the overall goal of education. We believe that technology in education is justified in two major ways. First, it provides a means of making the educational process more efficient. Technology provides an additional method of instruction, it provides tools to allow students to become workers, and it provides a means to make students more productive. Second, technology education is vital to the adequate preparation of students for today's workforce. Technology abounds in almost every occupation. Students who have not learned to interact with and adjust to technology will be at a disadvantage.

The mission of the Richwoods School District is “to provide a safe, nurturing environment where students grow to be lifelong learners and responsible citizens.”  Thus, the Richwoods School District sets the following goals:

1.      Student learning (academic achievement and performance) will be improved through the use of education technologies.  (TFA 1, CSIP Objective 1,3,4,5,8)

2.      Teacher preparation and delivery of instruction will be improved through the use of educational technologies.  (TFA 2, CSIP Objective 4,5)

3.      The teaching and learning process will be enhanced through the use of technology for administration, management and communications. (TFA 3, CSIP Objective 2,5,7)

4.      School administrators, teachers, staff and students will have equitable access to education technologies that promote student performance and academic achievement. (TFA 4, CSIP Objective 1,5)

5.      School administrators, teachers, staff and students will have adequate technical support. (TFA 5, CSIP Objective 5,6)

CURRENT STATUS-COMPILING RAW DATA

 Overview of Current Infrastructure, Access and Peripherals           

The Richwoods School District is a small local area network utilizing one file server that connects all classrooms and offices with the exception of the music room and preschool.  Although not connected to the network, the preschool utilizes a multimedia computer.  There is one computer lab with 25 computers and the Library Media Center contains five.  The middle school special education room contains 1 networked computer and 12 non-networked computers.  Each classroom and office has one cable drop and 2 classrooms have 2 or more drops.

            Richwoods School District is on a small campus.  It is composed of 3 buildings (1 large and 2 small) that are used for instructional purposes.

            All networked computers are PCs and use Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows ME or XP.  All computers have a minimum 16 Megs of RAM and most have 64 or more.  Hard drive space and processor speeds vary due according to the age of the machine.  A few vintage Apple II s are utilized in two classrooms.  There are 5 older laptops that are utilized by staff members.

            The Local Area Network uses a 10 MBPS Ethernet and category 5, 10Base T coaxial cable.  The 1.89 GB file sever is located in the computer lab and connects the classrooms through hubs and switches.  The network software is Novell NetWare 4.11.

The district receives Internet and e-mail access by subscribing to MOREnet’s services.

            Approximately 4-6 computers are purchased each year and are placed in the computer lab, LMC or offices.  The replaced computers have been distributed to classrooms or are used for parts.  Grant funding pays for most of these purchases. 

PRINTERS:  Many of the district’s printers are networked.  There are currently ink jet printers in all classrooms and offices and 1 laser printer for the computer lab.  Printers are repaired or replaced as needed.  Funding for this comes from grant monies.

SCANNERS:  There are four scanners in the district.  One is kept in the LMC, one in the Title 1 Reading Room and the other in the 8^th Grade Room.  All classrooms have access to these scanners.  The fourth is used by the office staff.

DIGITAL CAMERAS:  The district has two digital cameras that are stored in the computer lab.  They are shared throughout the district.

PROJECTION:  There are 4 AveryKeys that project computer images to a television and one LCD projector.  The District plans to purchase an additional projector and an interactive whiteboard in 2003.

Television, Video and Satellite

The district has televisions and VCRs in all but one classroom.    The school has a satellite receiver that is available in the LMC. All classrooms have a satellite connection.

Telephone, Intercom and Facsimile

There are 7 phone lines in the district.  Two lines provide local and long distance service to the main office.  There is one line each in the preschool building and bus shed.  The computer lab and LMC share a phone line.  One phone line is dedicated to the facsimile machine.  There are 13 phones currently in use in the district.

All classrooms that do not have a regular phone line in them are connected to the main office by intercom (excluding the music room and science lab).  Plans are being made to add intercoms to the music room and science lab.

The facsimile machine is located in the secretary’s office and is shared through the district.

Electrical System

The electrical wiring of each of the district buildings is adequate for our current usage.  Future needs will be assessed by the technology committee, superintendent and maintenance staff.

Administrative Tools

The administration at Richwoods School District uses the Lemberger software for student records, accounting and food services.

The library uses Winebago for card catalog services on the network.

Many teachers use Gradequick to record and analyze student grades.

Communication Tools

An Internet service provided by MOREnet connects all computers in the Richwoods School District to the World Wide Web. All students and staff have access to email accounts with the use of the free provider, Gaggle. Novell Netware 4.11 is installed on the district server to provide Intranet services.

Technology Training

Richwoods School provides technology training to staff members in various ways. The Professional Development Committee encourages in-house training to meet the identified needs of the district. The technology coordinator provides sessions dealing with technology issues in large group settings and also on a one to one basis when individuals need information. The PDC also encourages staff members to seek outside training from conferences and meetings by providing an amount of money to pay for costs, which is available to each certified staff member. Outside sources are brought in for in-service purposes also.

A technology needs assessment is performed yearly to gather information on what technology equipment, topics and issues the staff wants. This information is used to schedule training and to plan for equipment acquisition. It is also used as a guide to determine the amount of use existing equipment is getting from students and staff.

In the past three years the following technology related workshops have been held:

v     Integrating Technology Into Your Classroom

v     Using Online Databases

v     Microsoft Office

v     Create Visual Aids and Guiding Student Learning with Kidspiration

v     Managing Grades with Gradequick Software

v     OpenBook to Literacy Computerized Reading Program

v     Internet Activities in Reading and Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies

v     Microsoft Excel in the Classroom

v     Online Quizzes and Educational Games

v     Basic Computer Use

v     Using SEAS to Create IEPs and Manage Student Data

v     Using Inspiration Software

Maintenance/Repair/Replace

Repairs to equipment are handled in different ways. Maintenance repairs are attempted inhouse first by the technology coordinator. An outside vendor is used for all repairs beyond the technology coordinator’s ability. When this becomes the course of action, most work is completed on site. On occasion, equipment is removed from the building to make necessary repairs. Repairs are made on an as needed basis.

Richwoods School’s maintenance plan for technology is based on an as-needed policy. All repairs are evaluated as cost efficient compared to cost replacement. The decision to repair or replace is recommended by the technology coordinator to the technology committee or Superintendent. 

Richwoods School does not have a planned schedule for replacing antiquated equipment. All equipment is updated, as funding is available. Equipment is repaired and updated to keep it operating correctly.

Current Status-Raw Data

Raw data from the following resources was collected and used:

Goals and Objectives -Student Learning

Action Plan-Student Learning

Goals and Objectives-Teacher Preparation and Delivery of Instruction

Action Plan-Teacher Preparation and Delivery of Instruction