learning and information sharing tool to: Provide an equitable learning environment

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2 Welcome to the first edition of the Fauquier County Public Schools Technology Services report. This report will provide the reader with insights into the key technology initiatives that are providing value to FCPS from data analytics, to technology modernization, to classroom technology in action. The report culminates by providing a scorecard for progress on the FCPS Technology Plan. The technology vision for Fauquier County Public Schools is to provide all students, teachers, support staff, and administrators the opportunities to develop the skills necessary to use technology purposefully and effectively through the wise and deliberate procurement and use of state-of-the-art hardware, software, support personnel, and professional development. It is the mission of the Technology Services Group to effectively integrate technology as a learning and information sharing tool to: Provide an equitable learning environment to foster academic achievement and support students in meeting the state standards. Develop information literacy to empower staff and student learning so that they acquire the knowledge and skills needed to achieve academically and be productive citizens in a global society. Educate students to communicate effectively and express their ideas. Educate students to make ethical and informed decisions. Prepare students for success in continuing education or the workplace. Build communities and forge partnerships with families, businesses, and community members. Create a professional learning community, which provides training and staff development opportunities that develop skills and support innovation. Use resources efficiently and strategically to ensure productivity and fiscal responsibility within FCPS. My team doesn t rest on its laurels. We continue to align the future of our technology organization with the Division s Strategic Plan (Aspirations). It has been a challenging year for the Technology Services Group. We continue to strive to provide an operating environment that is reliable, secure, and efficient. I look forward to working with this talented team as we continue to enable the Division s success. 2

3 Application Services The mission of Application Services is to support and improve Division efficiency and effectiveness. This is accomplished by helping customers use district-wide applications, integrating disparate systems, and preparing accountability and decision support analytics/reports. Communications Twitter became a standard for FCPS division-wide communication in FY13. FCPSposted information can be followed A district-wide review of the public web site was conducted. A committee of SBO and school staff defined content standards for schools. A redesign of the public website is planned for FY14. In FY13, FCPS students could anonymously notify administrators of bullying incidents using the public web site. DataCation Application Services assisted the Department of Instruction in securing funding for DataCation, a product which gives elementary and middle school administrators visibility to individual and summarized student grades, assessments and attendance. Assessments and grades are loaded quarterly, metrics identify at-risk students, and users can drill-down to identify information about individual students achievement for the current year and over time. The system is funded for the next three academic years. Student Data Application Services provided teachers at-a-glance worksheets. The focus of these worksheets is the class roster, providing a different, class-wide perspective with each student s academic record (including prior year attendance, grades and test scores). Application Services also designed and built an enhancement to the Star Portal so that teachers could access each student s academic record (including prior-year attendance, grades and test scores). Teachers simply click on the name of a student in the roster, go to the bottom of the Student Summary Screen, and select the Data Wall icon. This proved very useful; however, it was accessible only one student at a time. 3

4 Information Resources The Information Resources group supports and maintains all computer and network infrastructure within the division. In FY13, FCPS had its 10-year-old solution upgraded. The Information Resources team migrated 1,500 accounts from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2010 over three months. Windows 7 With Microsoft support for Windows XP ending April 2014, it was a priority to upgrade staff and student systems to Windows 7. During FY13, the Information Resources team upgraded over 1,500 staff computers and over 2,000 student computers to Windows 7. This also brought the FCPS Microsoft licensing into compliance with contract requirements and specifications. Spam Filter The in-house spam filter was upgraded to a hosted solution provided by Microsoft. Archiver The FCPS Archive was replaced with a new appliance that featured more memory and a faster processor. Voice over IP (VOIP) FY13 saw the completion of the Voice over IP installation (telephone service using FCPS network) throughout the school division. Coordinated efforts between the FCPS Technology Services, Fauquier County IT, and the FCPS assistant superintendent for administration ensured proper implementation and a smooth transition for the end users. The Information Resources group continues to support and maintain VOIP in all schools and administrative offices. School Security Cameras FY13 concluded with the installation of Avigilon servers in 10 elementary schools in support of the security camera program headed by the assistant superintendent for administration. The Information Resources team continues to support and maintain servers, and manage user access. Wireless Network The older wireless infrastructure was replaced at Warrenton Middle School and Liberty High School. This is part of continuing project to migrate from Cisco to Aruba and implement a Division-wide managed wireless network. 4

5 Instructional Technology The Instructional Technology program in Fauquier County advocates for preparing every student with the skills needed to be successful in a highly competitive, technology-driven 21st century environment. Instructional Technology Resource Teachers (ITRTs) support instructional activities through professional development, coteaching, the introduction of new technologies and timely support to teachers. Project/Problem-Based Learning (PBL) The fifth-grade students at Bradley and Pierce elementary schools took a different approach in their science classroom that included research, collaboration, communication, appropriate use of technology and digging deeper into the state-mandated curriculum. Numerous hours of planning took place as lessons were mapped out with opportunities to explore, think, question and share findings. The teachers used every opportunity within their classrooms to test this new approach to learning. The year culminated with student presentations on their answer to the overarching question, What can we do to protect our interconnected world? From Angel Learning Management System to Blackboard Learn In January of 2013, a decision was made to make the move from Angel to Blackboard. This move to Blackboard Learn was anticipated due to the acquisition of Angel by Blackboard in Migration from Angel to Blackboard Learn project began with the setup of the server and database that is ultimately Fauquier s new home within Blackboard Learn. System admin and ITRT training were completed in June, followed by 72 Blackboard Learn summer training sessions for teachers. There will be more to come as we explore and build-out our Blackboard Learn database. Inventory During the school year, ITRTs and Computer Services staff performed a physical inventory of all computer equipment in the schools. The location of each piece of equipment was confirmed and barcoded. This inventory will become the baseline for managing IT assets going forward. Over 8,356 pieces of technology equipment were captured during this effort. 5

6 Fast Technology Facts Total Equipment (8,331) Laptops: 4,339 (52%) Desktops: 2,411 (29%) Projectors: 871 (10%) Smartboards: 526 (6%) ipads: 184 (2%) Network Device Counts: Switches: 246 VoIP Phones: 765 Wireless access points: 424 Computer Distribution Student: 4,891 (71%) Faculty: 1,112 (16%) Admin/Staff: 931 (13%) Server Summary (121) (50 physical, 71 virtual) HyperV Host Servers: 27 Physical Servers: 23 HyperV Virtual Servers: 71 Based on September 2013 Inventory 6

7 The Fauquier County Public Schools (FCPS) Technology Plan ( ) is a multiyear plan designed to embrace the school division s Excellence by Design vision statement. The plan supports the Fauquier County School Board s beliefs, mission, and Strategic Plan: Aspirations Additionally, this plan is aligned with the Virginia Department of Education s Educational Technology Plan for Appropriately and Adequately Designed Environment GOAL 1: Provide a safe, flexible, and effective learning environment for all students OBJECTIVE 1.1: Deliver appropriate and challenging curricula through face-toface, blended, and virtual learning environments. Strategy Provide access to online learning opportunities by developing virtual courses through Fauquier County Public Schools Anytime Learning Management System (ALMS). Strategy Expand access to other virtual courses for students, teachers, and administrators. Strategy Provide access to web-based content and tools for teaching and learning. Strategy Provide interactive opportunities that support an environment of collaboration, communication, creativity, and innovation. 7

8 Appropriately and Adequately Designed Environment GOAL 1: Provide a safe, flexible, and effective learning environment for all students Objective 1.2: Provide the technical and human infrastructure necessary to support real, blended, and virtual environments. Strategy Provide a scalable comprehensive technology infrastructure to support virtual classes, webbased applications, tools and real-time communication, collaboration, and sharing within and outside our division environment. Strategy Develop, plan, and implement a redundant channel to the Internet to support growing demands of Internet applications and increase uptime. Strategy Provide and/or upgrade a wireless infrastructure that supports a personal computing device for every student to have Internet access at school. Strategy Provide resources to support the hiring of additional Instructional Technology Resource Teachers (ITRT) to ensure every school building has at least one ITRT to assist teachers in moving into the 21 st century teaching and learning environment. 8

9 Appropriately and Adequately Designed Environment GOAL 1: Provide a safe, flexible, and effective learning environment for all students Objective 1.2: Provide the technical and human infrastructure necessary to support real, blended, and virtual environments. Strategy Provide resources to add additional technical support to schools for hardware, software, and network needed to support 21 st century teaching and learning. Strategy Establish a plan to provide Internet access outside of school hours to students who do not have any or inadequate access to the Internet from home for anywhere anytime learning. Strategy Increase the number of engagement classrooms through purposeful planning for equipment and furnishings that support mobility, collaboration, communication, creativity, innovation, project-based, and global teaching and learning. Strategy Provide the resources for a video production lab for each school to promote communication and media skills. Strategy Provide a media center/library at each school that uses a wide variety of digital and online media. 9

10 Appropriately and Adequately Designed Environment GOAL 1: Provide a safe, flexible, and effective learning environment for all students Objective 1.3: Provide high-quality professional development to help educators create, maintain, and work in a variety of learner-centered environments. Strategy Provide professional development opportunities on a variety of topics in a various formats that will assist teachers, administrators, and other educators create, maintain, and work in face-to-face, blended, and virtual learning environments. Strategy Establish a one-stop shopping resource repository that is searchable and supports effective 21 st century learning environments. Strategy Provide opportunities for peer-to-peer sharing through observations, presentations, and media prepared videos of successful teaching and learning environments. 10

11 Meaningful Engagement GOAL 2: Engage students in meaningful curricular content through the purposeful and effective use of technology. Objective 2.1: Support innovative professional development practices that promote strategic growth for all educators and collaboration with other educators, content experts, and students. Strategy Provide professional development opportunities through various delivery modes (online district created, online with other districts/experts, webinars, etc.) that promote meaningful student engagement through purposeful technology integration into curricular content. Strategy Provide professional development and support for teachers to implement technology-infused, student-centered learning activities as part of their professional growth. Strategy Provide resources and support for teachers to create an electronic portfolio consisting of lesson plans, best practices, and project-based learning opportunities for students which incorporate 21 st century skills. Strategy Provide instructional staff with opportunities to share best integrative technology practices and use of new technologies collaboratively in grade level, team, departmental, staff meetings, or ALMS groups. 11

12 Meaningful Engagement GOAL 2: Engage students in meaningful curricular content through the purposeful and effective use of technology. Objective 2.2: Actualize the ability of technology to individualize learning and provide equitable opportunities for all learners. Strategy Provide students with relevant learning opportunities in all content areas that use technology purposefully to enable students to apply content knowledge. Strategy Provide students with learning opportunities to collaborate and problem-solve using realworld resources online and through distance learning. Strategy Provide students with opportunities to collaborate, communicate, learn course content, and develop appropriate social skills in a variety of contexts (i.e. face-to-face interactions, discussion boards, blogs, virtual field trips, Wikis, both locally and globally). Strategy Provide all students with anytime, anywhere learning opportunities through increased access for all students outside of school hours, electronic textbooks, and online resources via ALMS. 12

13 Meaningful Engagement GOAL 2: Engage students in meaningful curricular content through the purposeful and effective use of technology. Objective 2.2: Actualize the ability of technology to individualize learning and provide equitable opportunities for all learners. Strategy Increase technology assessment tools used by teachers to evaluate student understanding (PowerPoint, Photo Story, Movie Maker, response systems, Web 2.0 tools, and other technology tools). Strategy Assist students at every level to create and maintain an e-portfolio that portrays his/her growth, development, and interests/talents throughout his/her school career. Strategy Provide students with encouragement and sustained interest in reading for pleasure and knowledge through interactive reading databases, e-books, audio books, and online reading programs with access from classrooms and homes. Strategy Provide and maintain targeted and appropriate assistive technology. 13

14 Meaningful Engagement GOAL 2: Engage students in meaningful curricular content through the purposeful and effective use of technology. Objective 2.3: Facilitate the implementation of high-quality Internet safety programs in schools. Strategy Provide a working repository of Internet safety best practices and resources integrated into each curricular area. Strategy Provide a division-wide climate of Internet safety awareness at every level. Strategy Provide ongoing Internet safety education and awareness for all staff (instructional and support). Strategy Provide students with opportunities to analyze and evaluate the influence of various types of media. Strategy Provide ongoing copyright and fair use training, as appropriate, for students and teachers. Strategy Provide ongoing parent training sessions on Internet safety awareness. 14

15 Purposeful Application of Tools for Learning GOAL 3: Afford students with opportunities to apply technology effectively to gain knowledge, develop skills, and create and distribute artifacts that reflect their understandings. Objective 3.1: Provide and support professional development that increases capacity of teachers to design and facilitate meaningful experiences, thereby encouraging students to create, problem-solve, communicate, collaborate, and use real-world skills by applying technology purposefully. Strategy Provide a variety of staff development opportunities to assist teachers in designing and delivering meaningful lessons that are both 21 st century skill-based and strong in curricular content and to provide opportunities for students to apply technology tools. Strategy Tailor the staff development offerings to curricular integration of technology rather than how to use the specific technology. Strategy Provide new, focused, purposeful, and targeted staff development to assist ITRTs in developing and implementing professional development to teachers in a variety of modes that support the new approach to teaching and learning. 15

16 Purposeful Application of Tools for Learning GOAL 3: Afford students with opportunities to apply technology effectively to gain knowledge, develop skills, and create and distribute artifacts that reflect their understandings. Objective 3.2: Ensure that students, teachers, and administrators are ICT literate. Strategy Ensure that all teachers and instructional administrators are TSIP certified. Strategy Provide a NETS*T like certification program for teachers to pursue and achieve the knowledge and skills as prescribed in the NETS*T standards. Strategy Review NETS*S, NETS*T and NETS*A standards with administrators annually. Strategy Develop and implement a NETS*S formative assessment to be completed once a year beginning in third grade and culminate with a NETS*S summative assessment completed prior to the end of eighth grade. 16

17 Purposeful Application of Tools for Learning GOAL 3: Afford students with opportunities to apply technology effectively to gain knowledge, develop skills, and create and distribute artifacts that reflect their understandings. Objective 3.3: Implement technology-based formative assessments that produce further growth in content knowledge and skill development. Strategy Provide division-wide access to web-accessible formative assessment systems. Strategy Integrate the use of curricula, instruction, and formative assessment in daily instructional practice. 17

18 Use of Authentic Technology Tools to Extend Learning Capabilities GOAL 4: Provide students with access to authentic and appropriate tools to gain knowledge, develop skills, extend capabilities and create and disseminate artifacts that demonstrate their understandings. Objective 4.1: Provide resources and support to ensure that every student has access to a personal computing device. Strategy Evaluate, reallocate, and supplement as needed current resources in each school to ensure that each student has access to a personal computing device throughout the school day. Strategy Provide appropriate tools that extend the learning capabilities of all students and provide real world application. Strategy Provide appropriate technology tools for student and teacher within their learning environment that promotes communication, collaboration, creativity, innovation, and project-based learning. 18

19 Use of Authentic Technology Tools to Extend Learning Capabilities GOAL 4: Provide students with access to authentic and appropriate tools to gain knowledge, develop skills, extend capabilities and create and disseminate artifacts that demonstrate their understandings. Objective 4.2: Provide technical and pedagogical support to ensure that students, teachers, and administrators can effectively access and use technology tools. Strategy Provide teachers and administrators with the necessary training in the selection and use of 21 st century tools that promote communication, collaboration, creativity, innovation, and project-based learning in real-world application founded on good curricular content. Strategy Provide students with the necessary training through authentic real-world application in the classroom embedded in good curricular content on the use and selection of appropriate technology tools. Strategy Provide a technical support structure that ensures that timely support is received so that students and teachers have access to the tools and infrastructure when needed. 19

20 Use of Authentic Technology Tools to Extend Learning Capabilities GOAL 4: Provide students with access to authentic and appropriate tools to gain knowledge, develop skills, extend capabilities and create and disseminate artifacts that demonstrate their understandings. Objective 4.3: Identify and disseminate information and resources that assist educators in selecting authentic and appropriate tools for all grade levels and curricular areas. Strategy Provide a searchable database that includes curriculum, state standards, descriptions, appropriate technology tools, and assessments to promote effective and authentic instructional technologies across the county. Strategy Identify, evaluate, and disseminate information about new and emerging technologies. Strategy Provide opportunities for teachers to participate in a district-sponsored technology pilot grant program. 20

21 Authentic and Intelligent Assessments GOAL 5: Use technology to support a culture of data-driven decision making that relies upon data to evaluate and improve teaching and learning. Objective 5.1: Use data to inform and adjust technical, pedagogical, and financial support. Strategy Use data to inform strategic planning and technology purchases. Strategy Conduct online survey to assess the technical and instructional technology support for customer satisfaction. 21

22 Authentic and Intelligent Assessments GOAL 5: Use technology to support a culture of data-driven decision making that relies upon data to evaluate and improve teaching and learning. Objective 5.2: Provide support to help teacher disaggregate, interpret, and use data to plan, improve, and differentiate instruction. Strategy Provide timely formative and summative assessment results to teachers, administrators, coordinators, and leadership through a data warehouse. Strategy Provide training for teachers, administrators, coordinators, and leadership on how to disaggregate, interpret, and use assessment data. Strategy Provide a searchable database of resources for teachers with alternative lessons linked to assessment data to improve and differentiate instruction. Strategy Provide a data team of instructional and support staff that will be responsible for planning, training, support, and expertise to sustain the use of data-driven decision making. 22

23 Authentic and Intelligent Assessments GOAL 5: Use technology to support a culture of data-driven decision making that relies upon data to evaluate and improve teaching and learning. Objective 5.3: Promote the use of technology to inform the design and implementation of next-generation standardized assessments. Strategy Provide teachers with the ability to use technology tools (such as electronic voting devices, online assessment programs, personal computing device, interactive white boards) to implement formative assessments with real-time results provided. Strategy Expand the use of authentic and project-based assessments using electronic rubrics. Strategy Provide the technology needed to ensure that every student creates and maintains an electronic collection of artifacts that represent their growth and achievements throughout their K-12 education in Fauquier County Public Schools 23

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