Leominster Public Schools Instructional Technology Plan 2009 2012 Living Document
Table of Contents Table of Contents... i Chapter 1: Vision and Mission for Technology...3 District Profile...3 Methodology...5 District Mission, Vision, and Goals...5 Technology Mission, Vision, and Goals...6 Commitment to a Clear Vision and Mission Statement...7 Chapter 2: Technology Integration...8 Staff Assessment...8 Survey Design...8 Enhancing Education Though Technology...8 Goals for Technology Integration...9 Chapter 3: Professional Development...12 District Assessment (2005 2006)...12 Survey Design...12 Staffing...13 Goals for Professional Development...13 Chapter 4 - Accessibility of Technology...18 Background and Current Status...18 Goals for Accessibility of Technology...19 Current Status...20 Current Status...21 Current Status...22 Chapter 5: Infrastructure for Connectivity...24 History and Current Status...24 Goals for Infrastructure for Connectivity...24 Chapter 6 - Community Outreach: Access to the Internet Outside the School Day...28 History and Current Status...28 Goals for Community Outreach...28 Page - i -
Chapter 7 - Budget...31 Appendix A:...33 Technology Committee...33 Appendix B:...35 Supporting Documents...35 Appendix C:...37 Software List...37 Appendix D:...43 Technology Plan Updates 2001-2008...43 Appendix E:...52 CIPA Compliance...52 Page - ii -
Chapter 1: Vision and Mission for Technology Leominster Public Schools has been in the process of developing a comprehensive education technology plan to support the district s mission, vision, and goals and guide the district s technology and implementation through 2012. This plan represents the districts best thinking about the role of educational technology in transforming school improvement and meeting Massachusetts State Frameworks and standards. The plan is a work-in-progress and is a revision and expansion of the district s earlier technology plans. The Leominster 2009-2012 follows the Massachusetts guidelines for technology planning, including the six defined benchmarks, and uses the Massachusetts Star Chart to help to define the plan s Mission, Vision, and Goals. However, the plan is also driven by the district s commitment to using modern technology more effectively and efficiently, improving on its strong array of technology, technology support, and quality instruction. For ease of reading, the plan is organized according to the six Benchmarks of the State Educational Planning Guide: Chapter 1 (Benchmark 1) Vision and Mission for Technology Chapter 2 (Benchmark 2) Technology Integration Chapter 3 (Benchmark 3) Technology Professional Development Chapter 4 (Benchmark 4) Accessibility of Technology Chapter 5 (Benchmark 5) Infrastructure for Connectivity Chapter 6 (Benchmark 6) Access to the Internet Outside the School Day In addition, the plan is aligned to the broad educational goals of the district as identified in its School Improvement Plans. These goals are summarized later in this chapter. District Profile Leominster is a small city located in north-central Massachusetts. The city has a culturally diverse population of approximately 42,000. Leominster has a history of a strong industrial economy with recognized trends towards a shift from manufacturing to a more diverse job market. The school community includes approximately 6,200 students in a tiered structure of Kindergarten Centers, elementary, middle, and high school system. Leominster is one of the 15 comprehensive high schools in the state with an academic school and a Center for Technical Education housed in one facility. The high school is presently organized into three small schools with the Center for Technical Education as one school. Each building has a school Council, which includes parents, community members, and staff. The Center for Technical Education (CTE) has an active advisory council consisting of local tradesmen, community members, parents, students, and business owners reflective of the vocational options available at CTE. Page - 3 -
Leominster Public Schools is considered an urban district by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and has a number of students in the English Language Learner, Free and Reduced Lunch Program and Special Education sub groups. Leominster Public Schools takes pride in providing students with a 21 st Century education that enriches their lives and prepares them for their future, whether it be a job, family, the military, a technical college, community college, or university. Technology advances have required Leominster Public Schools to constantly reassess the tools that students will need to compete in a global economy and become effective citizens, workers, and leaders in the 21st century. Leominster Public Schools is making the integration of 21st century skills in our classrooms a top priority. and developing recommendations that build on our existing high standards through the integration of 21st century skills and knowledge into our core educational program. The continued dramatic changes in technology have created dramatic changes in the workplace. While the number of jobs open to unskilled workers dwindles, the number of jobs available for people who possess knowledge and proficiencies continues to expand. Future job opportunities for today s kindergartners will be vastly different from those found in today s society. Thus, the need for well-prepared students is greater now than ever before; employers want future leaders who can think creatively, work collaboratively, take initiative and are globally aware. In addition to a solid background in traditional academics, today s students must feel competent in using a range of technology in a variety of settings. Today, even entry-level jobs require the use of computers and other technologies. In short, students must be as comfortable using a computer as they would be using a pencil and paper. The technologically complex global environment requires our students to be comfortable and knowledgeable within an everchanging world. Of the skills identified by the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills, employers highlighted in a recent national study 1 of more than 400 employers across the United States cited the most important skills as professionalism, oral and written communications, teamwork, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving. Teachers are the key to developing technology literacy in our students. Therefore, they must have access to up-to-date technology and appropriate training and technical support to take advantage of it as well as technological competence and an ability to help students use technology effectively. Technology is a tool to assist teachers in many ways from presenting lessons in new, dynamic ways, collaboration with peers or experts, to assessing individual students needs and monitoring student progress, to providing students with the means to become better problem solvers and independent learners. Technology is also important to the administrative side of the district. In these times of increasing demands on financial resources, it is essential that all staff have access to technology and the skills to use it effectively. With this, staff at all levels can be more effective and productive. To meet these needs, Leominster Public Schools implemented previous technology plans that guided the district to its current level of technology. To continue this advancement of technology in the district and bring it to the next level, this updated plan is needed. The Leominster Technology Committee; comprised of School Committee Members, district and school level administrators, teachers, academic support staff, the information technology 1 Are They Really Ready to Work? Employers Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21 st Century U.S. Workforce, conducted by the Conference Board, Partnership for 21 st Century Skills, Corporate Voices for Working Families and the Society for Human Resource Management, 2008 Page - 4 -
department and parents developed this comprehensive technology plan to guide Leominster Public Schools into the 21st century. The Technology Plan for Leominster Public Schools has continued to focus on expanding access by developing the underlying support infrastructure and necessary hardware that will support instructional technology throughout our pre-k through 12 school system. The Leominster Technology Plan 2009 2012 is intended to continue initiatives for infrastructure improvements that are already in progress and the curriculum goals outlined in our previous plans as well as building success with new plans for curriculum integration of technology. Methodology Under the direction of Deputy Superintendent Maryann Perry and Technology Director Geraldine Ashe, a committee of educators, administrators, school committee members, and parents met to develop the foundation for this project. The Technology Committee worked together to further define the vision and mission and to coordinate the final review of this plan. The methods used to collect data included surveys, inventories, a network audit report, and focus groups with the technology committee, teachers, and library media personnel. This extensive collection of data offered valuable information from a wide sampling of both individuals and groups of individuals who have a stake in the district s technology decision making. Although the quantitative data obtained from audit reports and other sources uncover patterns that initiate the formulation of recommendations, the extensive qualitative data provide a critical perspective for ensuring that forthcoming recommendations and implementation approaches are both applicable and useful to all. Based on the data that was collected, the committee discussed the current status of the district s technology profile in terms of the benchmarks defined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. For each, sets of goals were identified for the 2009 2012 period of this plan, and action plans were developed. District Mission, Vision, and Goals Leominster Public Schools has adopted district-wide mission and vision statements that are the guiding principles of all strategic decisions and plans. LPS Mission Statement: The Leominster Public School System is committed to challenging all students to achieve academic excellence. The intellectual, ethical, and social development of students is the cornerstone of our academic program. In a student-centered, respectful, and safe environment, we prepare students to be responsible and productive decision-making members of the local and global community. LPS Vision Statement: All schools will have the appropriate technology for students and staff to achieve in our technologically dominated society. Leominster Public Schools seeks to use educational technology as an integral part of the teaching and learning process for all students. Technology enhances the delivery of curricula, increases teacher and student productivity, and supports the attainment of high student achievement. By infusing appropriate technologies into the instructional program, students will be better prepared to be skilled and productive contributors to and users of information in a global society. Page - 5 -
The district has adopted a set of goals to implement this mission and vision. Goal 1. Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment: Continue to align the curriculum with the most recently adopted Massachusetts Frameworks, implement effective instructional practices and administer and analyze assessment data, all with the expected outcome of improving student performance. Goal 2. Communication: Foster a climate of communication and collaboration with parents and the community. Goal 3. Safety: Provide the infrastructure and adopt appropriate programs to create a safe and secure learning environment for all students. Goal 4. Facilities: Provide a safe and attractive environment and appropriate facilities for students and staff in order to maximize performance. Goal 5. Programs and Staffing: Provide program and staffing resources needed to implement and achieve the goals of the district s Mission Statement and the NCLB and AYP mandates. Goal 6. Technology: Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional and resource needs of all students and allows the district to maintain a current student and staff database. Goal 7. Professional Development and Accountability: Maintain high quality professional development for all employees that promotes individual accountability and improved student outcomes. Goal 8. Funding/Resources: Advocate for and seek all funding opportunities at the local, state and federal levels in order to offer a quality and cost-effective education to the students of the Leominster Public Schools. Technology Mission, Vision, and Goals To support the district s mission, vision, and goals, the technology committee has developed a technology mission, technology vision, and technology goals. LPS Technology Mission: The Leominster Public Schools is committed to challenging all students to achieve academic excellence in a technologically dominated society. LPS Technology Vision: All schools will have the appropriate technology for students and staff to achieve in our technologically dominated society. LPS Technology Goals Curriculum Ensure that curricular design, instructional strategies, and learning environments integrate appropriate technologies into instruction. Communication Apply technology to enhance community, professional, and academic practices. Safety Understand social, legal, and ethical issues as they relate to technology, modeling responsible decision-making. Facilities Monitor and upgrade facilities as technology evolves. Page - 6 -
Programs and Staff Ensure that technology concerns are addressed in all programming and staffing decisions. Technology Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional, and resource needs of all students and staff. Professional Development Maintain high quality professional development for all employees that foster a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology. Accountability Use technology to facilitate accountability to all parties. Funding/Resources Advocate for and seek all public and private funding opportunities to offer a quality and cost-effective education to the students of the Leominster Public Schools. Commitment to a Clear Vision and Mission Statement Through a series of strategic planning meetings, use of on-line tools and an on-going review the district technology plan, the district has demonstrated a commitment to achieving its mission, vision, and goals. This technology plan includes timelines for each goal that show the anticipated completion of each step. The technology goals and implementation strategies for the Leominster Public Schools are described in the following chapters. Each implementation plan includes a set of action steps, timeline, budget, staffing, and evaluation strategies. Page - 7 -
Chapter 2: Technology Integration Staff Assessment During the FY 2008-2009, administrators, teaching staff participated in an online survey conducted by our data specialist. It was designed to answer the following basic questions: 1. Administrators basic technology skill, leadership skills regarding technology and ability to address social, legal and ethical issues regarding technology; 2. Teachers basic technology skill level, perceived needs for professional development to broaden or expand their present skill levels. 3. Assessment of technology staff located in each of the schools to determine strengths and weaknesses of instructional technology. Survey Design SurveyMonkey was used to conduct Survey(s) on various topics related to content workshops and the use of Technology. Dr. Amburgey, the district s Data Specialist and content presenters conducted these surveys. Teachers were asked about the frequency of their use of technology for non-instructional and administrative use as well as instructional use, their familiarity with technology competencies for students and assessment of the students in their schools, their participation in technology professional development, and their participation in online courses. The survey(s) assessed 230 elementary, 268 middle, and high school teachers from our 11 schools. The teachers had a response rate of 75% (367 respondents). The data was analyzed and provided to the technology committee by Dr. Amburgey. The outcomes of the survey showed the following: Table 1. Teacher Technology Use Every Day Every Week Every Month Not Apply Use technology outside the classroom? Use technology with students? Familiar with technology competencies? Taken Tech skills Workshops? 90% 5% 3% 2% 60% 23% 9% 8% Yes No 68% 32% 65% 35% Page - 8 -
Technology professional development? Technology workshop outside district? Every Day Every Week Every Month Not Apply 95% 5% 38% 62% Taken online class? 68% 32% Online book study? 62% 38% Taught online class? 2% 98% Enhancing Education Though Technology The Leominster Public School District has identified a team of stakeholders responsible for developing and implementing a consolidated No Child Left Behind District Improvement plan. The Director of Technology is an integral member of this team. The federal entitlement grants for the district, including the Enhancing Education through Technology (EETT) grant, are one of the funding sources used by this team to carry out this plan. EETT funds are focused on professional development to integrate technology into the classroom setting and providing supplemental and intervention software to support English Language Arts and Mathematics instruction for students grades K-12. The district also implemented a Technology Curriculum Committee to review current curriculum strands taught at the various school levels as well as writing a curriculum that can be used to guide the Leominster Public Schools Pre-K to 12. This committee consisted of Library Media Specialists, classroom teachers, the District Integration Specialist and Curriculum Facilitator. Goals for Technology Integration The district strives to integrate technology into the curriculum to meet the objectives defined as part of the district s curriculum goal. Curriculum Goal: Ensure that curricular design, instructional strategies, and learning environments integrate appropriate technologies into instruction. Objective 1: Students will increasingly score higher on tests assessing math skills. Objective 2: Students will increasingly score higher on tests assessing reading and writing skills. Objective 3: Students will produce reports and give presentations that teachers judge to be of higher quality. To support this goal and attempt to meet these objectives, the district as developed the following implementation strategies, which are defined on the following pages. CURR-1: Integration Strategies to support Academic Achievement Page - 9 -
Develop and implement technology integrations strategies to assist students in meeting or exceeding AYP. CURR-2: Technology and Information Literacy Skills Ensure that students attain technology and information literacy skills by the end of 8 th grade. Benchmark 2 Technology Integration Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: Leadership Responsibility: District Goal: Curriculum: Ensure that curricular design, instructional strategies, and learning environments integrate appropriate technologies into instruction. CURR-1: Integration Strategies to support Academic Achievement Develop and implement technology integrations strategies to assist students in meeting or exceeding AYP. Technology Department Administrator K-12 Math Science Curriculum Facilitators Data Specialist Library/Media Specialists Professional Development/Assessment Committee Implementation Steps/Activities Success Indicators: Cost and Funding Sources: 1. Increased student test scores in Math. 2. Increased student test scores in reading and English Language Arts. 3. Number of teachers integrating technology increases annually. 4. All workshops include a 20% technology focus. Chapter 7 Budget PD: Software: EETT funds, Academic support Timeline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Share 2009 Technology Grade Level Curriculum Guide Research best practices in identifying successful lesson plans to share with others. Connect teachers to MassONE to participate in online professional development activities. Explore options such as United Streaming, gaming, and simulation tools as resources for technology integration. Develop the use of on-line training such as Atomic Learning, and PD available through Discovery United Streaming accounts. Develop and deliver teacher-training workshops to meet Technology Curriculum Guide Expectations Develop and deliver teacher-training workshops to share best practices. Mandate that technology be a part of all workshops. Use the MCAS practice tests and other district measures to track student progress and provide input to a formative evaluation. Page - 10 -
Benchmark 2 Technology Integration Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: Leadership Responsibility: District Goal: Curriculum: Ensure that curricular design, instructional strategies, and learning environments integrate appropriate technologies into instruction. CURR-2: Technology and Information Literacy Skills Ensure that students attain technology and information literacy skills by the end of 8 th grade. Technology Department Administrator K-12 Math Science Curriculum Facilitators Library/Media Specialists Professional Development Committee Data Specialist Implementation Steps/Activities Success Indicators: Cost and Funding Sources: Map technology and information literacy skills by content, grade; identify project activities to support these. 1. The district develops or adopts a scope and sequence for technology and information literacy standards. 2. Teachers are aware of technology literacy standards and include these in lesson goals. 3. Students demonstrate increasing mastery each year with proficiency at the end of the 8 th grade. Chapter 7 Budget PD: EETT funds Timeline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Implement and continue revision of the Technology Curriculum developed in 2009 Ensure that all feeder schools have identified proficiencies and curriculum mapping. Identify weaker student groups and assign student mentors to support them. Develop teacher competencies and provide professional development activities to address gaps. Identify a skills assessment instrument for 8 th grade students to demonstrate competencies. Pilot on-line assessment for Grades 4-9 Use diagnostic/progress monitoring for formative evaluation. Page - 11 -
Chapter 3: Professional Development District Assessment (2008 2009) During the FY 2008-2009, administrators, teaching staff participated in an online survey conducted by our data specialist. It was designed to answer the following basic questions: 1. Administrators basic technology skill, leadership skills regarding technology and ability to address social, legal and ethical issues regarding technology; 2. Teachers basic technology skill level, perceived needs for professional development to broaden or expand their present skill levels. 3. Assessment of technology staff located in each of the schools to determine strengths and weaknesses of instructional technology. Survey Design Dr. Amburgey, the district s Data Specialist, using a survey modified from the Massachusetts Technology Self-Assessment Tool (TSAT) for Administrators and selected standards from the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Project, which is an ongoing initiative of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), conducted an online study. Teachers received a similar survey based upon the teacher version of these standards for basic operations, productivity tools, electronic mail, and Internet use. A section was provided for looking at social, legal, and ethical issues. The survey assessed 192 elementary, 291 middle, and high school teachers from our 11 schools and collected data about their interest in specific professional development topics and had a response rate of 78% (383 respondents.) The data was analyzed and cross-tabulated using SPSS and provided to the technology committee by Dr. Amburgey. The outcomes of the survey are shown in the following table. The data, along with actual Technology assessment provided in the appendix can be partitioned by both school and grade cluster analysis for future planning. Administrators (40) were also surveyed with a response rate of 100%. Page - 12 -
Not Interested Prefer just-intime Already skilled but would like updates Interested in some PD on this topic This is a necessity for me Basic operations 22% 11% 25% 36% 7% Productivity tools (word processing, spread sheets, database, PowerPoint) 15% 7% 23% 45% 9% Electronic mail 36% 13% 25% 20% 6% Internet 28% 9% 23% 34% 6% Professional Practice (distance learning, data analysis) Social, Legal, and Ethics Issues 25% 13% 19% 35% 9% 33% 17% 15% 30% 5% Staffing The district has a full-time equivalent (FTE) district-level technology director and three computer and network technicians who provide technical support and network support for the district s infrastructure. The district also has a Webmaster and a district integration specialist position. The district Integration Specialist as well as the library media specialists at each school deliver daily instructional technology lessons providing curriculum and technology support for the district s 475 teachers who are spread throughout 11 schools. The district has a full time data and assessment manager who, in addition to managing the accountability and testing data, specializes in data and also coordinates frequent surveys to inform the direction of district initiatives. Goals for Professional Development The district strives to integrate technology into the curriculum to meet the objectives defined as part of the district s curriculum goal. Professional Development: Maintain high quality professional development for all employees that fosters a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology. Objective 1: Professional development will be provided whenever new hardware and software applications are introduced. Page - 13 -
Objective 2: Staff will receive professional development in designing technologysupported instruction that serves ALL students and provides for differentiated instruction. Objective 3: Administrators will be trained in using the Data Warehouse ESE Application that will support data driven instruction. Objective 4: Administration will be encouraged to model technology uses. Objective 5: Professional Development will model technology use in the presentation and content/process. To support this goal and attempt to meet these objectives, the district has developed the following implementation strategies, which are defined on the following pages. PD-1: Technology Integration Professional Development Develop and implement professional development programs to address technology skills and integration strategies for all teachers. PD-2: Technology Skills Training for Teachers Provide technology skills training for all teachers to ensure that they reach the proficient level. PD-3: Technology Leadership Training Provide technology training for the district s leadership on effectively using technology for administrative purposes and understanding and supporting the district s technology mission and vision. Page - 14 -
Benchmark 3 Professional Development: Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: Leadership Responsibility: District Goal: Professional Development: Maintain high quality professional development for all employees that fosters a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology. PD-1: Technology Integration Professional Development Develop and implement professional development programs to address technology skills and integration strategies for all teachers. Technology Department Administrator K-12 Math Science Content Trainers/Curriculum Coaches Instructional Technology Specialist Professional Development Committee Mentoring Coaches Library/Media Specialist Implementation Steps/Activities Success Indicators: Cost and Funding Sources: 1. Mentoring program is available. 2. Increase in number of teachers integrating technology into the curriculum. 3. Increased attendance at voluntary workshops. Chapter 7 Budget PD Staff 1 position EETT funds, General fund Timeline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Develop and implement a mentoring program for new teachers. Ensure that professional development is provided whenever new hardware and software applications are introduced. Increase the number of Technology Integration Specialist to conduct professional develop, model effective integration practices, and work with teachers on integrating technology into the curriculum Continue the training of content coaches and curriculum staff on technology integration skills and best practices so that they will model technology integration in the context of their content training. Identify and develop technology teacher leaders within each school to serve as mentors within each school. Page - 15 -
Benchmark 3 Professional Development: Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: District Goal: Professional Development: Maintain high quality professional development for all employees that fosters a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology. PD-2: Technology Skills Training for Teachers Provide technology skills training for all teachers to ensure that they reach the proficient level. Success Indicators: 1. Increase in number of teachers at proficient level on technology skills assessment. 2. Targeted training opportunities are available. Leadership Responsibility: Technology Department Administrator K-12 Math Science Data Specialist Curriculum Coordinators Professional Development Committee Cost and Funding Sources: Chapter 7 Budget PD EETT funds Timeline Implementation Steps/Activities Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Conduct technology skills assessment to assist in identifying skills training needs. Identify targeted training to address gaps in skills for specific schools and grade levels as identified by the technology skills assessment. Develop and deliver professional development in designing technology-supported instruction that serves ALL students. Provide opportunities for training using alternate delivery methods, including small or large group instruction, CD-ROM tutorials, online (just-in-time) instruction (Atomic Learning) use of MassONE, and mentoring. Repeat technology skills assessment on an annual basis to provide formative evaluation data about the effectiveness of the targeted training strategies. Page - 16 -
Benchmark 3 Professional Development: Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: District Goal: Professional Development: Maintain high quality professional development for all employees that fosters a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology. PD-3: Technology Leadership Training Provide technology training for the district s leadership on effectively using technology for administrative purposes and understanding and supporting the district s technology mission and vision. Success Indicators: 1. School and district administrators log into the DOE security portal to access data. 2. School and district administrators have attended a training about Leadership Responsibility: Technology Department Administrator K-12 Math Science Curriculum Coordinators Superintendent Data Specialist School, District Administrators Professional Development Committee Cost and Funding Sources: Chapter 7 Budget PD General Fund Curriculum Funding Timeline Implementation Steps/Activities Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Conduct technology skills assessment for administrators to assist in identifying skills training needs. Identify targeted training to address gaps in skills for specific schools and grade levels as identified by the technology skills assessment. Conduct user-level training and responsibility for the use of the ESE security portal to access district data, and other information. Ensure the confidentiality of student data and the rights of the district. Train administrators in using the student administrative system to support SIMS goals. Train district staff administrators and teachers to utilize the ESE Data Warehouse Conduct a retreat about the technology mission, vision, and goals and their importance to the district. Encourage administrators to model technology uses. Page - 17 -
Chapter 4 - Accessibility of Technology Background and Current Status Throughout the 80 s the Leominster Public Schools had predominately standardized with Apple products, schools were outfitted with Apple IIe labs and/or Mac labs in the K 6 schools, a Macintosh lab in the middle and high schools, and keyboarding labs in the high school. Most schools also had several stand-alone computers. During the 90 s, school redistricting occurred and the district changed from a K 6 school structure to a K 8-school system but continued to utilize Apple systems. The schools were not networked and did not have access to the Internet. Initially, support staff consisted of two district wide positions and a high school Media Technology Aide located at that school. The next step was to give each K-8 school a Media Technology Aide. The Media Technology Aide position was the first step towards increased on-site technology support. Our community went through another redistricting change in the late 90 s. This time the district was subdivided into northern, central and southern tiers with each having an elementary building (grades 1 4) and a middle school building (grades 5 8) with one comprehensive high school for grades 9 12. The district also designated two buildings for district-wide Pre- School and Kindergarten Centers. The district was again reorganized in 2007. The school district is now comprised of a Pre- School Center located in one of the Middle Schools, Pre-School/Kindergarten building, a full Kindergarten building, 4 elementary buildings (grades K 5), two middle schools (grades 6 8) and a comprehensive high school (grades 9 12). During this same time frame the WAN moved from T1 lines to a Fiber network to provide increased and improved performance. From 2000-2003 the beginnings of our current infrastructure began to take shape and the Superintendent allocated monies for the purchase of technology for all staff. This technology was Windows NT network-based and was a dramatic shift from the Apple platform that had been in use. Due to this technology investment staff now had equal access and the ability to more effectively use computers to support professional use. From 2003 to the present, continued upgrades and replacements of desktop computers have taken place. The majority of our school district now utilizes multi-media Pentium IV systems that meet or exceed the state standard. Each elementary school in the district has at least one highend multimedia lab with some wireless laptop carts. Three of the four elementary buildings have a minimum of at least one wireless access point. Middle Schools have two or more high-end multimedia labs with some wireless laptop carts. The high school has one multimedia lab for open use with 6 wireless laptop carts and built-in wireless access points to enable their use throughout the building. The high school also has 3 labs for computer instruction that are available for technology courses as well as computers located in classroom settings for student use. The high school has a hard-wired fiber network as well as a wireless environment. Page - 18 -
The Center for Technical Education has two Computer Aided Design (CAD) labs used for Leominster Public Schools Intel supported Project Lead the Way Curriculum. Two additional labs have been used for Electronics Instruction as part of Project Lead the Way. CTE also has one up-to-date Apple lab used for the Graphic Arts Program. Other vocational school courses also are utilizing current technology to support the curriculum. Goals for Accessibility of Technology Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional, and resource needs of all students and staff. District Goal for Technology: Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional and resource needs of all students and allows the district to maintain a current student and staff database. Objective 1. Review and amend the district s technology plan as a living document that will meet the state s technology standards. Objective 2. Contract with an outside organization or individual to evaluate the technology infrastructure (needs and use) in prek grade 12 and implement appropriate recommendations. Objective 3. Achieve technology infrastructure equity throughout all tiers of the Leominster Public Schools. Objective 4. Integrate technology into the curricula to enhance curricular goals and advance student learning. To support this goal and attempt to meet these objectives, the district has developed the following implementation strategies, which are defined on the following pages. TECH-1: Technology Refresh Cycle Maintain and lower the student to instructional computer ratio within a six year or less computer replacement cycle. TECH-2: Equitable Access to Peripheral and Handheld Devices Increase students' access to portable and/or handheld electronic devices appropriate to their grade level. TECH-3: Instructional Software to Support Content Areas Provide appropriate instructional software, strategies and support for use in the content areas. TECH-4: Technical Support Recommend and budget for additional staff that support network functionality and reduce the current ratio from one technician to 936.00 units as calculated in the last ESE Technology Plan update to the recommended ratio of one technician to 200 units. Page - 19 -
Benchmark 4 Accessibility of Technology Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: Leadership Responsibility: District Goal: Technology: Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional, and resource needs of all students and staff. TECH-1: Technology Refresh Cycle Maintain and lower the student to instructional computer ratio within a six year or less computer replacement cycle. Technology Department Purchasing/Finance School Administrators Success Indicators: Cost and Funding Sources: 1. Ratio of students to modern computers is 6:1 or better. Chapter 7 Budget General fund, grants, donations Implementation Steps/Activities Continuation of the replacement cycle so that 100% of our district continues to meet or surpass the goal of a ratio of 5 Type A/B instructional computers to 1 student. Explore options for awarding an increased computer ratio or enhanced classroom materials in as an incentive for teachers demonstrating increased skills and integration. Local Funding of the technology budget line items at each of the district schools for continued replacement of computer systems Continued use of Grant Funding when appropriate to acquire additional computer resources Timeline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Current Status It has been the intent of Leominster Public Schools to meet or surpass the state s recommendation of a district having an average ratio of fewer than five students per highcapacity, Internet-connected computer. The Massachusetts Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) recommends that the ultimate goal is to have a one-to-one, high-capacity, Internet-connected computer ratio this is also a long-range aspiration of Leominster. The Technology Updates in Appendix D show the average student-computer ratio from 2001 to 2008 with the computer standard for that year of Internet-connected instructional computers and student ratios by school and the district ratio. The reports also show district totals for all systems instructional and non-instructional. The information was gathered from the annual ESE Tech Plan reports submitted each fall. The ESE Smart Forms automatically calculated all information. Ratios are calculated from information from that year s October 1 Student Counts and our current inventory as of June 30th of that year. These reports demonstrate our starting point as well as the progress that the district has made. Utilizing this information the Leominster Public School has established and followed a computer replacement cycle as recommended by the ESE of six years or less. The tables show a strong commitment to this policy. When we first began measuring the ratio Leominster Public Schools was at a ratio of 8.33 to 1 student of Type A and B computers (FY01). During our second reporting year our ratio raised to 9.51 to 1 student of Type A and B computers (FY02). At this time the district committed to upgrading and expanding the district inventory, which has met and surpassed the ESE recommendation. In each subsequent reporting our district has continued to Page - 20 -
maintain a ratio below that of the state recommendation - the ratio from the 9.51 (FY02) to 7.94 (FY03), 4.70 (FY04), 4.13 (FY05), 3.88 (FY06), 3.41(FY07) and 4.26 (FY08) Benchmark 4 Accessibility of Technology Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: Leadership Responsibility: District Goal: Technology: Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional, and resource needs of all students and staff. TECH-2: Equitable Access to Peripheral and Handheld Devices Increase students' access to portable and/or handheld electronic devices appropriate to their grade level Technology Department Administrator K-12 Math Science Curriculum Coordinators Purchasing/Finance School Administrators Success Indicators: Cost and Funding Sources: 1. Handheld devices are equitable among grade levels. 2. Peripheral devices are equitable among grade levels..3. Projection devices are equitable among grade levels. Chapter 7 Budget General fund, grants, donations Implementation Steps/Activities Timeline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Match curriculum need for portable and/or handheld electronic devices by grade level Research options for tax benefits for teacher acquisition of portable devices. Develop a standard goal per grade level for handheld, peripheral, and projection devices. Local Funding in the technology budget line items at each of the district schools for continued acquisition of technology tools that support the curriculum. Continued use of Grant Funding when appropriate to acquire additional technology resources Continued use of E Rate funds to supplement Technology purchases. Current Status The administration and teachers at the elementary, middle and high school have begun a transition from traditional desktop technology to laptops with docking stations that are connected to the Internet. This transition is approximately two-fifths to two-thirds completed depending on the number of staff members in each location. The district has also started an initiative to expand flexible technology for students at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Each school with the exception of the Preschool and Kindergarten Centers has multiple interactive white boards with ceiling mounted projectors and also available are sets of Classroom Performance Systems (CPS) available for classroom use. This technology tool allows a teacher to provide electronic interaction with her and 30 students. With this tool, the Classroom Performance System (CPS), a teacher can ask objective and subjective questions. Each student responds with his or her individual, wireless response pad giving teachers the ability to assess comprehension as they are presenting curriculum content. Texas instruments graphing calculators are in all middle and high school buildings, which are available to students in math classes. Page - 21 -
All schools have available video projectors, and digital cameras to support instructional practices. Classrooms in our two middle schools are equipped with TV/Monitors that also are used for large group display of curriculum-matched activities. Benchmark 4 Accessibility of Technology Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: Leadership Responsibility: District Goal: Technology: Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional, and resource needs of all students and staff. TECH-3: Instructional Software to Support Content Areas Provide appropriate instructional software, strategies and support for use in the content areas. Technology Department Administrator K-12 Math Science Language Acquisition & Cultural Integration Specialist Curriculum Coordinators Purchasing/Finance School Administrators Success Indicators: Cost and Funding Sources: 1. Instructional software is equitable among grade levels for all content areas levels. Chapter 7 Budget General fund, grants, donations Implementation Steps/Activities Assessment of instructional software needs for curriculum by grade level through a survey. Create a complete district software inventory. Use Help Desk Inventory feature to allow for management and documentation Timeline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Review Current Software Inventory as to purpose and appropriateness. Recommend software alignment to curriculum areas. Develop a standard goal for instructional technology per grade level per content area. Create a District Standard Software Policy for each grade level. Circulate list of inventory via library software (InfoCenter by InfoCentre). Recommend additional software, upgrades and/or replacements where needed. Create links to appropriate software titles via the LPS Curriculum Guides. Create tutorials and provide expanded training for 2 software that promotes the use of additional modules within the Student Software System: Grade Book, Family Portal and Assessment. Current Status The current software titles available and in use in the district are listed in Appendix C. Page - 22 -
Benchmark 4 Accessibility of Technology District Goal: Technology: Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional, and resource needs of all students and staff. Recommendations addressed by this Implementation Plan: TECH-4: Technical Support Recommend and budget for additional staff that support network functionality and reduce the current ratio from one technician to 654.67 units as calculated in the last DOE Technology Plan update to the recommended ratio. Success Indicators: 1. The ratio of technical support help per computer is less than 200:1. Leadership Responsibility: Technology Department Purchasing/Finance School Administrators Cost and Funding Sources: Chapter 7 Budget General fund, grants, E Rate funds, donations Implementation Steps/Activities Timeline Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Recommend and budget for additional staff housed at the high school to support Leominster High and Center for Technical Education Create a centralized area available to assist staff with FAQ s, staff procedures, support documents, policies. Provide users with clear information on how to access the support. Develop and implement a strategy to reduce from a 2-day turn around to within 1 day for timely in-classroom support. Assessment of current Help Desk application with recommendations as to problem areas and/or additional functionality that would enhance support. Research and evaluate the use of open source, free or low cost software tools available through resources such as Tech Soup, Microsoft, Dell, HP, etc. Review, revise, and create support documents, procedures and policies as needed. Training on use of available resources. Continued use of E Rate funds to supplement Technology with improved software and network management and deployment tools. Continued use of Grant Funding when appropriate to acquire additional computer resources. Writing How To support procedures that will help end users; create a self-help section within the Leominster Public Schools Intranet to access FAQ s and other procedural documents for staff use. Page - 23 -
Chapter 5: Infrastructure for Connectivity History and Current Status In the early 90 s Net Days were held to begin the groundwork for our local area network (LAN). From 1998 to 2000 the district began to finalize the infrastructure of CAT5 wiring in all elementary and middle school buildings and the high school. Also during this time the school district recognized the importance of connecting each local area network (LAN) to a wide area network (WAN) to provide access to the Internet and other resources, with connectivity as the first step toward improving the use of computers in the district. A frame relay network was deployed supported by Merrimack Education Center. A Point-to-Point Verizon-supported network that provided redundancy and school-to-school accessibility to student information systems and business applications later followed the Frame Relay. Currently a fiber network is in place across the district, which was implemented in FY 2007. From 2002 to the present, continued improvements were made to the infrastructure, expanding wiring to the pre-school and kindergarten centers as well as upgrading network switches and adding additional servers to provide adequate storage and resources. Two District-Wide Technology Specialists were hired to help develop and support the network and increasing desktops. Leominster Public Schools is has upgraded the wide area network from copper to fiber and streamlined the topology. This dramatic change from a Frame Relay/Point-to-Point network to a fiber optic network took place spring/summer of FY06. The fiber network was fully functional by mid-summer of 2006. This provided increased bandwidth, more stability, and reliability to the Leominster Public Schools and has allowed LPS to centralized services and provides additional network storages with appropriate backup procedures Goals for Infrastructure for Connectivity Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional, and resource needs of all students and staff. District Goal for Technology: Acquire and maintain technology resources that meet the communication, instructional and resource needs of all students and allows the district to maintain a current student and staff database. Objective 1. Review and amend the district s technology plan to meet the state s technology standards. Objective 2. Contract with an outside organization or individual to evaluate the technology infrastructure (needs and use) in Pre K grade 12 and implement appropriate recommendations. Page - 24 -