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Resources and Reflections

Sunday, August 29, 2010

We are a wireless district!

Goal – We will create digitally functional students
Objectives:
Create a vision for technology learning and use as it relates to the district's vision

Teach students skills for functional 21st century digital citizenship
Create a professional development program that ensures staff competency for teaching and learning

Summer 2010 Update on technology developments as of July 9,2010:

District
Google for educators and students to share docs, communicate and collaborate, etc..... We are a Google District.....
Networkmaine project - fiber optics = higher bandwidth speed for all buildings...due in July?
Filemaker Pro 11 hardware and software installed- the start of a database and a step to SIS.
New website - but incomplete - how will it serve as an information portal for community?
'New' servers and new server rooms - moved just servers to rooms for windows and AC reasons...racks, switches, and wires still need to be moved....Spring 2011
Staff have Remote Desktop and Terminal Servers services - any time, anywhere access to do grades, etc...
LMS and LHS have one video conferencing station , a grant has been completed for LHS
Teachers going to Castine (MMA) to develop internet safety program and work with MLTI /Apple education consultants for curriculum and assessment development for LF district
Developing at LMS student/parent night - laptop orientation in early Sept.! Need to get parents involved and increase safety and functional use
Creating PLE's for students and PLC's for staff and students (in FC)
Erate consultant to assist us acquire funds.
All students will have gmail acct.'s (grds 6 - 8 interdistrict) and 9 -12 will have FC accts.
Developing photocopier/print management plan to assess use



LES
25 LES teacher laptops - new this year....welcome to MLTI!
LES is wireless

LES teacher laptops - new this year....Welcome to MLTI!

Newer refurbished PC's for LES computer lab, LES Multimedia Center (not a library exclusively), and Math and Science Lab.

Server rooms re-located but incomplete

Mobile Apple Mac laptop carts for LES with 40 g3/4's - older, but functional as a way to introduce laptops and the 1:1 idea for Sept.'sh
Outdoor surveillance for LES being pursued

LHS
150 laptops for students and computer lab access
New servers, ts, file server, apps servers, database server
FC for students 9 - 12 (one yr license) to create PLE and PLC's with staff and communication and collaboration
Video conferencing coming - Tanberg (at LES and LMS)

Prof Dev every Wed. from Jim Burke from the Western Maine Consortium (this may be a district thing as well) - to be done at HS
SIG to transform - how to piggy back tech and develop PD for school and district


LMS
Plan macbook orientation and internet safety night
Will become a veritable Mac 1:1 school
Classroom management with technology and distraction free technology (Personal Learning Environments - PLE's)
Reallocate all PC's(including lab) since it will be a Mac school
6th grade laptops will reduce to 33 (not 1:1) and be in 'carts' and have to be shared. This is due to old, machines without funding for repair depot (before me)
Digital signage is set up for daily news and announcements and a place to showcase student and staff work
Internet safety curriculum to begin fall 2010
Scope and sequence curriculum - what we want them to know and be able to do when exiting 8th grade
Consultative Model with Jim Wells from Apple
What to do:
Tech guys to go from reactive (fireman) to proactive and to increase support from all staff and community members (see tech architecture)
Develop LF District Technology Committee - with focus on vision for PD, tech use, tech safety, community involvement, etc...
Develop and sustain Professional Development - We have been chosen for the MLTI Consultative Model for research!!!! This is a big deal, it's new and will instill a professional development model....we are on the MLTI Map!

Tech needs to be involved in potential consolidation. Meet with Jay July 12.
Increase video conference use
Create communication with board via FC and create PLC's (learning and communication communities)
Decide how to build and use Website

Increase PD opportunities and create a PD model - atomic learning, tutorials, peer coaching, off-site trainers, just-in-time training, integration/integrator - even when staff learn tech skills, they flounder integrating it (create growth model)

We are a Google School - and that means access to free and very functional tools....exploit this
Revise district technology plan -update scope and sequence and a growth model for staff and students supported with accountability; align with local, state, and national standards; introduce ICT and how to embrace new and emerging technologies; create functinally literate digital citizens and prevent them becoming digital refugees.......
Revise AUP –
to reflect use of emerging technologies,electronic devices like ipod touches, cell/smart phones, student's personal laptops
· to create and implement a professional development plan and model for staff
· to include a scope and sequence plan for students to include ICT and digital citizenship
Revisit electronic use for staff and students -email,cell phones, smart phones, ipod touches will be registered, and ipods, or laptops brought to school - or student, mobile electronic devices - to ensure safety and adequate communication