Lincoln School Department

Technology Office

Mark M. Gadbois

Information Technology Specialist

Lincoln School Department Technology Plan Update (2009-2010)

Lincoln School Department
Technology Plan

http://www.lincolnps.org
“The mission of technology integration is to enhance teaching and learning throughout the Lincoln schools and to better prepare Lincoln students to be productive members of a technology oriented society.”
Revised 3/98, 2/00, 9/02, 12/06, 03/08(update)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pg 3                 Introduction
Pg 4                 The Vision for Technology in Lincoln Public Schools
Pg 6                 Technology Goals
Pg 7                 Professional Development Strategy
Pg 9                 Technology Assessment
Pg 12              Evaluation Process
Pg 13               Our Needs and Findings
Pg 14               Long Term Capital Projects in Technology (Five Year Plan)
Pg 15               Technology Policies
Pg 17               E-Rate Funded Technology Activities

Introduction
Lincoln’s Educational System Must Produce Technology Capable Students
To live, learn, and work successfully in an increasingly complex and information-rich society, students must use technology effectively. Within a sound educational setting, technology can enable students to become:
• Capable information technology users
• Information seekers, analyzers, and evaluators
• Problem solvers and decision-makers
• Creative and effective users of productivity tools
• Communicators, collaborators, publishers, and producers
• Informed, responsible, and contributing citizens
The Lincoln School Department is in the sixth revision (2009-2010) of its technology integration plan. With constantly evolving technology, new research on learning, curriculum modifications, changes in annual funding and implementation causing the plan to change and modify from its original form; it is necessary to constantly re-evaluate the goals established for technology. Technology committee members have provided insight in developing a framework to help plan and structure the design and implementation of technology in Lincoln.
We are experiencing a scientific and technological revolution of unprecedented proportions. Everywhere we look, technology is changing the way we work and live. In a global economy, employers must have well-educated employees who make skillful use of information technologies to continuously improve their productivity and increase their knowledge. The potential for creating a new generation of interactive learning environments grows out of advances in technology and telecommunications that have given us dramatic new ways to communicate complex ideas. We learn more when we are actively solving challenging problems and testing our skills in meaningful contexts, rather than through passive listening or watching in the abstract. In these new learning environments, the teacher becomes a leader in a community of active learners that includes students, parents, other educators, and a broad spectrum of information resources. It is possible for learners of all ages to connect with these new learning communities in their schools, homes, or workplaces at any hour of the day. In these virtual learning communities, the extent of learning and the effectiveness of teaching need no longer be limited by the amount of time in the classroom or the resources of a particular school.

VISION FOR TECHNOLOGY IN THE LINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A combination of essential conditions is required to create learning environments conducive to powerful uses of technology, including:

• Vision with support and proactive leadership from the education system
• Educators skilled in the use of the technology for learning
• Content standards and curriculum resources
• Student-centered approaches to learning
• Assessment of the effectiveness of technology for learning
• Access to contemporary technologies, software, and telecommunications networks
• Technical assistance for maintaining and using technology resources
• Community partners who provide expertise, support, and real-life interactions
• Ongoing financial support for sustained technology use
• Policies and standards supporting new learning environments

The resulting learning environments provide opportunities for students to use technology to find and apply current information and resources, and to apply their academic skills for solving real-world problems. These environments engage students in activities that have educational technology skills and relevant curricular content interwoven.
Traditional educational practices no longer provide students with all the necessary skills for economic survival in today’s workplace. Students must apply strategies for solving problems and use appropriate tools for learning, collaborating, and communicating. Today’s learning environments must incorporate strategies and tools that prepare students for their futures.
The most effective learning environments meld traditional approaches and new approaches to facilitate learning of relevant content while addressing individual needs. The resulting learning environments should prepare students to:

• Communicate using a variety of media and formats
• Access and exchange information in a variety of ways
• Compile, organize, analyze, and synthesize information
• Draw conclusions and make generalizations based on information gathered
• Use information and select appropriate tools to solve problems
• Know content and be able to locate additional information as needed
• Become self-directed learners
• Collaborate and cooperate in team efforts
• Interact with others in ethical and appropriate ways

We see before us the vision of the future of our school. We envision every child and teacher in our school system with access to up-to-date educational technology. We are striving for total participation by students, teachers, and administrators, school support staff and the community as a whole in the use of computers and technology as a tool for learning, communication and educational management. We will constantly expand our utilization of technology by virtually tearing down the walls in our schools and creating global communication through networks and satellite transmissions offering access to and the sharing of information no matter where one is located.
The need for developing and improving the network infrastructure for communication and interaction is at the heart of Lincoln’s Technology Plan. A managed network with support personnel will provide the foundation for utilizing further advances in technology. VoIP, Video Conferencing, streaming media, and the constantly evolving Internet strain the limits of the existing network, forcing choices to be made between competing bandwidth program needs. Fiscal prudence dictates that we balance the need for bandwidth with the appropriate use of technologies to make good choices to support teaching and learning.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The success of implementing and sustaining innovation depends upon community support. As requests for technology are presented, the community will need to balance its value for the opportunity afforded by technology with the traditional views of a textbook dominated instruction. By engaging the community in the process of planning for technology, the community can gain a better understanding of why high performance expectations for all students require multiple resources. The community can be engaged through school-based planning teams that develop the action plans leading to educational reform.
Ultimately, it is the community that must decide on what skills are necessary for success and what resources must be available to achieve those goals.

Goals
Short Term Goals

Provide ongoing support to the school department and the surrounding community in home-to-school communications (I-Parent, email, phones, websites)
Provide ongoing support to school department staff to properly utilize technology assets within their classrooms and buildings
Implement SPAM filtration and email archive solution
Encourage participation in RINET for all members. (Ongoing)
Develop meaningful inventory documents to assist in maintenance and replacement
Develop programs that will co-exist with energy plan, to allow updates and maintenance to computers without impact on classroom operations
Continued migration of forms, records, and information management to templates, and digitally based strategies. (Ongoing)
Standardization of software at grade levels and throughout disciplines between schools. (Ongoing)
Development of Disaster Recovery Plan

Long Term Goals

Integration of district-wide grading and student management systems. (January 2011)
Individual student accounts with server space for data storage and email. (Ongoing)
Support staff sufficient to maintain accounts for those students. (Data staff position added to 2007-2008 budget)
Individual building level technical support staff.
Mobile wireless labs in each school
Secure Wireless infrastructure district wide
Automated emergency notification via email and/or phone
Offsite storage of archives and data

Professional Development Strategy
Most in-service computer training for teachers has emphasized skill building, the mechanical operation of hardware, and familiarity with specific software products. Three areas of technology competence will be stressed in the professional development of Lincoln teachers. Technology training will be school based. Teachers will determine what training is needed and establish training programs to meet these needs. Training programs will be scrutinized by the IT Specialist prior to implementation.
1. Basic Knowledge of Computer Technology, including

A general understanding of how computers work and the ability to use basic computer technology, and simple trouble shooting
The ability to perform standard computer procedures (running programs, saving files, backups, file management, and printing documents)
The use of a variety of input and output devices as well as the use of projection devices, TV connections, digital cameras and camcorders
use of the Internet, email and Local Area Networks (LAN)

2. Instructional Application Skills, including the ability to:

Evaluate and utilize different types of software
Integrate and develop appropriate applications of the computer in a variety of curriculum areas
Match computer applications to the learning abilities of students

3. Classroom Management Application Skills, including:

Incorporating small group instruction, cooperative learning and teacher demonstrations using video display technologies
Use of computers to manage and complete routine tasks
SchoolMax use (Attendance, Grading, and individual student management)

Teacher evaluations should identify evidence of technology applications as observed practice to promote student achievement.

Professional Development Process

Short Term

Weekly “Tech Blast” emails to staff members providing websites and resources to allow the staff members to train themselves on topics ranging from programs (MS Word, Excel, etc.) to grant opportunities (Ongoing)
Providing training and resources to Library Media staff
Provide Web-based training programs on local intranet (Public folders) and on website (Ongoing)

Medium Term

Quarterly updates to secretarial staff in program operation (SchoolMax)
Regular “staff-swap” to equalize training requirements between Elementary, Middle and High Schools

Long Term

Develop school-local resource persons for tech-assistance
Full time IT Department personnel in each building for local support, PD, and integration training.

Technology Assessment

A summary of current needs includes the following:
1. Greater participation by the staff for professional development offerings.
2. Inadequate building level technology support.
3. Equipment that cannot respond to emerging needs.
4. School offices lack adequate work areas for placement and use of computers and printers.
5. Inadequate electrical support in many areas.
Recommendations for correcting the problems identified include:
1. Offer varied schedule of school based technology courses.
2. Implement a regular program for the replacement, upgrade and maintenance of computers and printers.
3. Promote the use of a building technology contact for minor troubleshooting and for further referral of technology issues to IT Department.
4. Purchase ergonomically designed computer furniture as needed to prevent repetitive injuries and improve workspaces.
5. Work with district facilities manager to improve electrical access and expand capabilities for support of electronic equipment

FINDINGS

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY: CONCERNS and RECOMMENDATIONS
1. PROBLEM AREA: STAFF PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Lack of interest and participation in district based professional development.
· Low interest in signing up for technology professional development offerings.
· Poor attendance or no shows from those who sign up for classes.
RECOMMENDATION: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Develop school based professional development initiatives.
· Schools will develop technology professional development offerings for their staffs. (Training offerings by MOUS certified personnel are circulated district wide for faculty and staff)
· District staff will review and provide approval for class syllabus.

2. PROBLEM AREA: FIRST LEVEL BUILDING SUPPORT
The present support system does not adequately provide enough time for first level support at the building level.
· There is not an adequate amount of time for building level technology resource personnel to provide for the solving everyday technology problems.
RECOMMENDATION: SUPPORT
Create a continuous support system that assists all staff in exploring and utilizing technology.
· Provide for a sufficient amount of time for technology resource personnel in each building to troubleshoot and solve everyday problems. (Centralized resources and maintenance capabilities preclude most of this work. Same day replacement of hardware to minimize lost instructional time should be implemented.)
· Establish a clear procedure for maintenance, security and inventory of hardware and software. (Complete)

3. PROBLEM AREA: EQUIPMENT
The amount and type of technological equipment is not meeting staff and student needs.
· Antiquated equipment does not meet the needs of staff and students for varied curriculum applications. Presently 21% of our computers are older than 5 years or are based on other than a Windows platform. They lack sufficient capabilities to install software.
· Current software applications do not run on the older computers due to a variety of configuration limitations, including: CPU, RAM, Hard disk space, Operating Systems, and network configuration..
RECOMMENDATION: EQUIPMENT
Establish a clearly defined plan for purchasing appropriate state-of-the-art equipment and software to facilitate student learning and staff productivity.
· Develop a plan and spending guidelines for hardware purchase and utilization which is coordinated within the grade level structures. (Complete)
· Develop and follow a systematic time-line for centralized hardware and software acquisitions. (Complete)
· Upgrade appropriate networking systems to facilitate data transfer. (Complete)
· Purchase hardware and software to support the philosophy and recommendations of the District Technology Plan and School-based Improvement Plan. (Ongoing)
· Provide an annual source of funding for hardware and software. (Ongoing)
· Ensure that every classroom has equitable access to appropriate technology. (Ongoing)

4. PROBLEM AREA: SCHOOL OFFICE WORKSPACE
Offices lack adequate work areas for placement and use of computers and printers.
· Computers and printers are not placed as to provide for efficient use.
· Work areas are too small. Tables and desk are to high and/or to low which can lead to repetitive stress injuries.
RECOMMENDATION: SCHOOL OFFICE WORKSPACE
· Purchase ergonomically designed computer furniture as needed to prevent repetitive injuries and improve workspace efficiency. (Ongoing)

Establish Standards
Minimum Standards: Building

1 Mb Bandwidth
Independent server for local authentication and applications
Hard wire (Cat V) to all rooms
Individual computer in each room used for teaching and learning

Networked
MS Office Suite capable
Connected to a printer

Access to VoIP phone system

Minimum Standards: Office

Individual networked desktop or laptop computer
Laser printer
Access to color printer
VoIP phone

Tech Department Requirements

All assets tagged and inventoried
All supplies and repairs parts in stock (or available 3-5 days)
Capital plan alignment and improvement
Continued removal of obsolete or un-repairable equipment through recycling company

Evaluation Process

As part of the annual budget process, building based needs (department based at the HS) are compared to the Lincoln School Department Long Term Capital Improvement Plan to develop each year’s budget goals.
Capital acquisitions are evaluated annually based upon the following criteria:

Age and condition of existing equipment
Availability of funds
Program of Studies changes through the Curriculum Advisory Council
Adherence to equity issues between schools housing identical grades
Administration and staff input

High School Department heads are encouraged to build a five-year plan for each department as it relates to technology. Each year of acquisition is then built into the five year Capital Acquisition Plan for budgeting and planning purposes. An example of an acquisition that worked is the second revival of the HS Library – initial deployment of new computers in 2002, latest deployment (2007) included redesign of HS Library layout (requiring wireless network connectivity) and addition of a 30 station laptop cart (for Virtual High School).

THE BENEFITS TO THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY
The full integration of technology into all aspects of Lincoln’s educational system holds far-reaching potential for students, staff and community. Technology will lead to improved student performance by preparing them for the world’s rapidly expanding use of technology. It will also improve access to information by increasing efficiency and accuracy of instruction and by nurturing community collaboration.
IMPROVED STUDENT PERFORMANCE
• Personalized Learning - An additional benefit of computer-aided instruction is that students are eager to learn
• Active Learning - Electronic learning can provide active leaning opportunities.
• Interdisciplinary Learning - Learning also becomes more meaningful when bridges are built between content areas.
• Service Learning - Lincoln is seeking to incorporate community service into its educational program.
• Lifelong Learning - Lincoln must prepare students for a lifetime of learning.
INCREASED EFFICIENCY AND ACCURACY OF INSTRUCTION
• Improve Quality of Classroom Instruction - Technology can shift the focus from data gathering to data analysis, thereby, reinforcing thinking and problem solving skills.
• Improve Opportunities for Student-Centered Learning - With the aid of technology, more frequent teacher-student interactions, small group instruction, peer tutoring, and cooperative learning models are encouraged.
• Improve Information Management - Technology more easily performs many low-level functions while offering the teacher more time to assist student learning.
NURTURED COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
· Create School-Business Partnerships - Students trained in word processing, electronic accounting, and computer programming can productively contribute in a business setting while developing skills common to the workplace.
· Create Community Outreach Programs - Lincoln schools need to serve a broader spectrum of community members. With the increased need for technological skills caused by workplace demands, employees must learn new skills and upgrade others to remain competitive.
Technologically - equipped schools can meet this growing demand through evening educational programs and through electronic access to employment information.
· The Lincoln Technology Committee envisions the investment in technology to not only benefit students but also aid the residents of the community.

Long Term Capital Projects
Note: Capital Projects that are crossed out have been completed. Yellow highlights indicate areas of interest or ongoing projects.
Servers and Hubs
2005 - 2006	Northern Server		2008 - 2009			Admin Spam / Intrusion Server
2006 -2007	MS Student Server		2008 - 2009			Fiber patch in Northern
2007 - 2008	none		2009-2010
Computer Replacement

2006-2007	School			Grade				Number
	Londale			3				8
	Central			3				16
	Saylesville			3				16
	Northern			3				16
	High School			Tech Lab				20
	Fairlawn ELC			Pre-K				21
	Northern ELC			Pre-K				21	Total
	Admin			Central Staff				4	148

2007-2008	School				Grade			Number
	Londale				Art, Music, Phys Ed, Special Education, Resource, Reading, Admin			10
	Central							12
	Saylesville							14
	Northern							16
	High School				SS/Eng			12
					Math			10
					Classrooms			20
	Fairlawn ELC				Staff			10
	Northern ELC				Staff			10	Total
	Admin				Student Services			6	120

2008-2009	School			Grade				Number
	Londale			2				9
	Central			2				4
	Saylesville			2				6
	Northern			2				5
	High School			Various				95
	Admin			-				10	Total
	Middle School			10				10	139

2009-2010	School	Grade					Number
Lonsdale		5					8
Central		5					8
Saylesville		5					8
Northern		5					12
Middle School		0					0
High School		Various (210, Music, Guidance, SpEd)					60
Admin		Various					8
							Total = 104

Technology Policies
Inventory Maintenance

The IT Department is responsible for the annual inventory of all computer equipment within the Lincoln School Department.

All computer equipment is to be labeled with an appropriate inventory tag
IT Department equipment will be tagged by 1 May for all equipment due to be used as surplus through the normal maintenance cycle.

These tags shall be displayed in a prominent area on each piece of equipment so designated.
Acceptable Usage

All CPU’s (desktop, server, laptop) hardware will have the Lincoln School Department Acceptable Usage Policy notification screen displayed prior to login.

Fiscal Responsibility

The IT Department will forward semi-annual inventory data sheets to building administrators for dissemination to staff so as to assist in monitoring daily inventory of high dollar value items (projectors, monitors, printers, computers, etc.). Loss or damage to room assigned equipment should be reported upon discovery.
Portable equipment (laptops, projectors, document cameras, etc.) will be tagged, engraved, and assigned to an individual for use. Those individuals will be responsible for the care and security of assigned equipment and will report missing or damaged items to the IT Department upon discovery.
The IT Department will assist in the search for missing equipment and provide the assigned user with the necessary information so that the user may file a police report for any missing equipment. A copy of the report will be forwarded to the IT Department and the Business Manager.

E-RATE FUNDING
The continued use of E-Rate funding recovered through filing with the SLD (Schools and Libraries Division) ensures that the Lincoln School Department maintains the highest level of availability of technology resources. Over $150,000.00 has been recovered since 2001. These funds have been applied either through discounts on services (such as Internet Access costs), or through a rebate check issued to the Lincoln School Department. Any funds rebated directly to the district are applied towards projects either cut during the local budget process or are applied toward new projects (interactive whiteboards, printers, servers, laptop labs, etc.).
2008-2009 targets are Email Archive solution, Spam filtration, and Virtual High School.
2009-2010 targets are Terminal server projects at the HS (room 218 – Portfolio lab) and the enhancement of COWS (Computers on Wheels) at the HS Language labs.