Pennsylvania Department of Education COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 333 MARKET STREET HARRISBURG, PA 17126-0333 Educational Technology Report Thursday, August 21, 28 Entity: Spring-Ford Area SD Address: 199 Bechtel Rd Collegeville, PA 19426-2852 Phone: (610) 705-60 Contact Name: Marsha Hurda
Core Purpose Mission The Spring-Ford Area School District, in cooperation with home and community, is committed to promoting academic excellence in a safe learning environment, recognizing the diverse needs of all students and empowering them to become lifelong learners and contributing citizens. Vision Spring-Ford Area School District students will be lifelong learners, able to succeed in a global society and become productive citizens through challenging, relevant research-based practices. Students will achieve personal excellence by taking part in expanded opportunities in order to maximize their individual talents and potential. Shared Values Spring-Ford Area School District is guided by the following values: Educating with dedication and passion Challenging each student to their fullest potential Educational opportunities beyond academics Respect and integrity Diversity Health, wellness, and safety Global citizenship Collaboration and teamwork Personal and social responsibility Needs Assessment The previous Technology Plan and its amendments covered the years from 22 until present. Most of the goals of that plan (and more) have been achieved in the intervening years. That which was not achieved was due to changing technology or changing district focus. Technology budgeting and expenditures achieved a level adequate to serve the technology needs of the district. While the dollars spent on technology have remained flat, the acquisition of technology has continued to increase due to the improvements in the technology itself and reduced costs for individual items. During the past six years, the district added a Technology Integration Specialist who has directed staff development in technology through the expansion and organization of the peer training program. Each year during the school year and throughout the summer, the staff participates in a variety of locally designed and taught courses focused on increasing the skills of our teachers in using available hardware and software to the fullest extent during instruction. This increased instructional capability translates into new and varied learning experiences for students.
The district has continued to refresh computer hardware on a regular basis. As a result, it has been possible to update software in a timely manner as advances are made. Continually refreshing the hardware and software has allowed the district do more with fewer people and provides greater up-time service. Changes have occurred since the inception of the last plan that need to be considered into the future: The growth of reliance on the Internet for information Browser-based software both Internet-based and locally-based Development and proliferation of the electronic white board Expansion of videoconferencing Conversion of television signals from analog to digital Availability of more television channels through CATV including a Spring-Ford channel Movement towards data-driven decision-making Movement towards one-to-one computing Goals and Strategies Goal: CAREER AND COLLEGE SUCCESS : Students will graduate from Spring-Ford Area High School prepared for career and college success. Strategy: Consistency/compliance with laws and practices in technology : Maintain consistency and compliance with current practices in technology and local/state/federal laws governing technology. Activities: Annually review, modify, and reapprove the Acceptable Use Policy. Annually review, modify, and reapprove Policy #815 to ensure that it reflects current terminology, supports statutes, permits technologies that support quality instruction, and prohibits practices that are contrary to laws and/or local norms. Ongoing $0. Archive electronic documents as required by policy and law. Person Responsible Continue to implement and develop an archival system for electronic documents that includes e-mail, voice mail, and other documents generated electronically in a manner that indexes and makes those documents searchable and retrieveable by non-technical persons. Applicable hardware and software must perform based on parameters determined by policy and law. Timeline for Implementation Finish: 7/1/2010 Resources $4,0.
Update technology policies annually Ongoing $0. Strategy: Create an environment where students and staff have seamless access to technology. : Create an environment where students and staff have seamless access to technology that enhances learning. Activities: Continue moving towards a 1-1 computing environment. Person Responsible Timeline for Implementation Resources $3,0. Develop a custom Internet portal for community, student, and teacher access. Person Responsible Timeline for Implementation Start:7/1/2011 Resources $5,0. Develop and deliver a curriculum that addresses Develop a curriculum so that a consistent message is delivered across grade levels throughout a child's schooling which will provide technology ethics and use. age-appropriate information regarding digital ethics, etiquette, and safety. Finish: 7/1/2010 $50,0. Ensure that all students have access to a computer inside and outside the classroom. Currently surveys show that 96% of students have access to a computer outside of school. The goal is to increase this to 1%. This would include finding low cost computers which can be provided to low income families, possibly offset by grants or community donations.
$1,0. Increase student awareness of current affairs. Place TVs in public areas with CNN or other appropriate content to raise awareness of world activities. Use existing televisions removed from classroom service for this purpose. Finish: 7/1/2010 $6,0. Investigate curriculum delivery methods like Blackboard and Moodle. Investigate the use of online environments (such as Moodle or Blackboard) to post assignments, provide class resources, and communicate with students. Finish: 7/1/2010 $5,0. Provide greater access to technology for the community outside of school hours. Open media centers and/or computer labs after school and during evenings to increase opportunities for access to technical resources by students and residents. Staff the facilities with technical resource people. Ongoing $15,0. Strategy: Ensure staff skills to integrate technology into the educational process. : Ensure that staff attains the skills and is provided the means to integrate technology as part of the educational process. Activities: Assess individual staff skills with respect to technology integration. Skill competencies are assessed and training is provided at appropriate levels to maintain all staff at expected proficiency levels. Training will be required of all staff that fall below proficiency expectations. Training skills are assessed/measured through administrative observation/evaluation to ensure that the desired skill has been implemented. Person Responsible Timeline for Implementation Resources Ongoing $0.
Establish hiring practices that ensure all incoming staff possesses technology skills. All prospective candidates must demonstrate that they possess the District's required skills for technology proficiency. Such skills might be assessed through pre-determined interview questions, on-site observations, personal portfolios, or skill assessment testing. Investigate and purchase skill assessment software. Ongoing $0. Expand technology peer training within professional Maintain and expand the technology peer trainers at all levels. Establish peer trainers within the non-professional groupsand non-professional groups. Instructional Assistants, Secretaries, Custodial, Cafeteria, etc. Ongoing $0. Hire additional Technology Integration Specialists. Hire two additional Technology Integration Specialists (TIS) in order to provide support for the various educational/vocational levels as follows: K-4; 5-8; 9-12. $120,0. List staff skills required for technology integration. Administration will determine technology skill level expectations and enforcement practices to ensure that technology is integrated to expected levels throughout the curriculum. Finish: 7/1/2010 $0. To increase perceived importance of Provide technology training as part of in-service days technology, require technology training to obtain a flex day. during the school year and require that technology training occur to obtain flex day.
$0. Strategy: Update Hardware and Software : Maintain up-to-date hardware and software for teacher and student use so that they can teach and learn in a safe environment. Activities: Continue to evaluate technology to ensure a safe learning environment. Ensure secure access to all buildings for authorized personnel only through card access and increased video surveillence to capture and document improper activities. Start:7/1/28 $1,0. Expand programming via Ram Country Television Person Responsible Timeline for Implementation Resources $70,0. Increase Internet bandwidth to accommodate the latest technologies. Increase bandwidth to accommodate the latest technologies as they become progressively more online. $30,0. Increase network infrastructure to accommodate the latest technologies as they Increase network infrastructure to accommodate the latest technologies as they become progressively more online. Increase number of wireless locations in all buildings to create an anytime/anywhere environment. emerge. $150,0.
Investigate new hardware and software for applicability in the teaching/learning environment. Upgrade desktops, laptops, servers and network infrastructure to maintain up-to-date hardware platforms that provide the best possible access to technology for students and staff. Lease equipment where practical and appropriate to maintain level annual budgets while ensuring current hardware. $50,0. Investigate Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tracking. Consider Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tracking of equipment, visitors, and students throughout district facilities. Finish: 7/1/2010 $0. Replace analog TV sets and VCRs with mounted projectors and digital recorders. Continue to replace analog televisions and VCRs with mounted projectors and digital recorders until all classroom equipment reflects these standards. $912,0. Update software on an ongoing basis. Through software maintainance contracts, continue to update and upgrade existing software packages to keep them current. These packages include but are not limited to: Microsoft Operating Systems, Microsoft Office, Follett Destiny, Compass Odyssey, and a variety of curricula-related programs. Person Responsible Timeline for Implementation Resources Ongoing $1,375,0. Upgrade computers and network to maintain up-to-date platforms. Upgrade desktops, laptops, servers and network infrastructure to maintain up-to-date hardware platforms that provide the best possible access to technology for students and staff. Lease equipment where practical and appropriate to maintain level annual budgets while ensuring current hardware.
$4,5,0. Staff Development Staff Development has been a district priority in both technology and non-technology areas for many years. Since the late 1990s, the district has taken the train-the-trainers approach to training staff with new hardware and software. Early in the process training was set up as needed, but with the inception of the Technology Integration Specialist postion during the previous technology plan, training has been organized and prescriptive to meet the needs of the staff. Technology staff development works in conjunction with the district's Office of Staff Development and with the Curriculum Supervisor to plan efficient and effective training programs. When a new item of hardware or software arrives, the Technology Integration Specialist assesses the complexity of the training required. Resulting training provided to teachers can be anything from a self-training document placed in a shared folder for the simplest procedures to a formal course or series of classes with hands-on experience. With the more complex training processes, a group trainers is selected to train the topic. Sometimes our existing group of peer trainers is used; sometimes a special new group of trainers is selected. A training schedule is developed to train the staff-at-large on in-service days or through compensated time beyond regular hours. Technology staff development goes beyond those specific training situations. The entire staff is surveyed at least once annually to determine their needs and interests for future new training and refreshers. For example, teachers will often request software training for web development or for electronic survey systems or for electronic white boards. Information compiled from these surveys is used to develop courses and course schedules for both after school during the school year and for summer courses. Budget Summary: Potential Funding Distribution Funding Source 29-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 Total $2,211,0. $2,6,0. $1,463,0. $5,680,0. TOTAL $2,211,0. $2,6,0. $1,463,0. $5,680,0. Goal: CAREER AND COLLEGE SUCCESS Students will graduate from Spring-Ford Area High School prepared for career and college success. Consistency/complian ce with laws and practices in technology Archive electronic documents as required by policy and law. 29-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 Total Funding Source $2,0. $2,0. $0. $4,0. Create an environment where students and staff 29-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 Total Funding Source
have seamless access to technology. Continue moving towards a 1-1 computing environment. Develop a custom Internet portal for community, student, and teacher access. Develop and deliver a curriculum that addresses technology ethics and use. Ensure that all students have access to a computer inside and outside the classroom. Increase student awareness of current affairs. Investigate curriculum delivery methods like Blackboard and Moodle. Provide greater access to technology for the community outside of school hours. $1,0. $1,0. $1,0. $3,0. $0. $0. $5,0. $5,0. $50,0. $0. $0. $50,0. $20,0. $20,0. $20,0. $60,0. $6,0. $0. $0. $6,0. $5,0. $0. $0. $5,0. $3,0. $3,0. $3,0. $9,0. Ensure staff skills to integrate technology into the educational process. Hire additional Technology Integration Specialists. 29-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 Total Funding Source $60,0. $0. $60,0. $120,0. Update Hardware and Software Continue to evaluate technology to ensure a safe learning environment. Expand programming via Ram Country Television Increase Internet bandwidth to accommodate the latest technologies. 29-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 Total Funding Source $20,0. $20,0. $20,0. $60,0. $10,0. $12,0. $14,0. $36,0. $2,0. $4,0. $6,0. $12,0.
Increase network infrastructure to accommodate the latest technologies as they emerge. Investigate new hardware and software for applicability in the teaching/learning environment. Replace analog TV sets and VCRs with mounted projectors and digital recorders. Update software on an ongoing basis. Upgrade computers and network to maintain up-to-date platforms. $50,0. $50,0. $50,0. $150,0. $10,0. $10,0. $10,0. $30,0. $5,0. $412,0. $0. $912,0. $275,0. $275,0. $275,0. $825,0. $9,0. $9,0. $9,0. $2,7,0. TOTAL $2,211,0.0 0 $2,6,0. $1,463,0. $5,680,0. GRAND TOTAL $2,211,0.0 0 $2,6,0. $1,463,0. $5,680,0. Monitoring The Director of Technology is responsible for the overall implementation and monitoring of the Technology Plan. Certain aspects of the plan, such as those areas involving curriculum and training, will be jointly implemented and/or monitored by the Assistant Superintendent, Supervisor of Staff Development, and Supervisor of Curriculum. Activities in the plan will be monitored on an ongoing basis through the School Board's Curriculum and Technology Committee that meets monthly. In addition, the Director of Technology will maintain a spreadsheet containing the strategies and activities along with notes regarding their implementation, dates of implementation, and any modifications. The Technology Integration Specialist will maintain records regarding all aspects of training and staff development. The Technology Integration Specialist will also monitor the use of technology throughout the district through observation and records regarding the use of technology. Evaluation Ongoing staff surveys of the effectiveness of technology staff development and evaluations received following technology courses will determine the success in meeting the goals of staff development and training. The Director of Technology will maintain records with respect to each strategy and activity regarding implemention dates, levels, modifications, and successes.
Benfits of the plan will be observed in the successes of student learning as reported through standardized testing and teacher observation. The School Board's Curriculum and Technology committee will monitor progress on an ongoing basis to determine alternatives when plan goals and strategies cannot be met or need to be modified based on changes to technologies, practices, and laws. The committee will also provide direction if any goals or strategies are no longer relevant.