Rochester District
Technology Plan
2010-2013 |
Rochester Public School Technology Plan
2010-2013
Technology Plan Summary
The Rochester Public School District consists of Rochester Memorial School,
a K-6 elementary school. |
Rochester Public School District Technology Plan
2010-2013
Technology Plan Summary
The Rochester Public School is a K-6 Elementary School District, made up of one elementary school-Rochester Memorial School.
Benchmark 1: Commitment to a Clear Vision and Implementation Strategies
Technology Vision
The issues facing society are becoming more global in nature than ever before. Advanced telecommunication systems, computers, tablets, mobile devices, and other technological advances have literally put the world at our fingertips. As a result of the rapidly changing environment, our educators are faced with enormous challenges as they prepare students to live and work efficiently and effectively.
In this age of information, it has become essential for all students to be able to access, analyze, synthesize, and communicate information. They must develop the thinking and analytical skills needed to understand and solve the problems of tomorrow. The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 school districts are committed to meet these challenges by providing an environment that enables all of our students to learn the skills necessary to function in the world. We envision a community empowered with the knowledge, tools, and technological skills to become lifelong learners and skilled, independent problem solvers.
In envisioning the future we are committed to the following principles:
Providing Equity of Technology Access
Opportunities will be provided in all buildings, at all grade levels, across all student population, and through all subject areas to access current relevant technology throughout and beyond the school day.
Integrating Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
Technological resources will be an integral component of classroom instruction assisting educators with the delivery of high quality instruction aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum frameworks.
Improving Learning Tools for Students
Education technology environments support interdisciplinary learning within classrooms and beyond. Distance learning and computer networking enhance access to resources and support educational choice. Technology provides more opportunities for active learning, interdisciplinary projects, individualization, group activities, cooperative activities and varied learning techniques. Due to their daily use of technology, students will be prepared for opportunities and problems they will meet as they enter the workplace. Technology allows students to assume greater responsibility for their learning and empowers them to learn by widening access to information that defines their world.
Providing Professional Development to Enhance Teaching and Learning
An ongoing professional development plan will ensure opportunities for professional growth and for improved teaching practices. Professional staff will use technology to access information, to share knowledge with colleagues and to communicate with the community.
Improving Administrative Efficiency and Accountability
Technology improves the administration of schools by providing administrators access to the information they require to make complex instructional and administrative decisions. Information management facilitates the coordination of district-wide planning while allowing school-based decision-making.
Technology opens up a new environment where students, teachers, and administration can do what humans do best – experiment, explore, and expand the realm of the human mind.
A. Goals
1. The students and staff will have access to technology and technological support.
a. Each district will have at least one full-time technology integration coordinator
b. Each district will have at least one full-time technology support specialist
2. Establish a technology professional development program to allow all staff the training appropriate to their roles and responsibilities within the school district.
a. Each district will offer a minimum of 20 hours of technology professional development per year to faculty and staff.
3. To integrate technology into the curriculum to enhance all student learning.
4. Using technology to increase parent and community involvement, as well as increase our involvement with the surrounding school communities.
a. Parents, guardians, and students will have timely access to measures of student progress in meeting the curriculum standards Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
b. The district website will provide access to up to date information across the district.
5. To maintain a safe environment that fosters respect and dignity for all. Through studying various topics such as online safety, netiquette, appropriate use of computers and computer issues such as copyright, privacy and censorship, it is hoped that an improved understanding of the ethical and safe use of computers and the Internet will be achieved.
B. Technology Team
The district has a technology team, which consists of the principals, the building technology coordinators, teacher representatives, and a parent representative.
C. Budget
The following figures include funds budgeted for technology including salaries, services, hardware and software, supplies, technology professional development and maintenance |
2009-2011 is a purposed budget |
D. Evaluation
The Technology Team will meet in August to evaluate the effectiveness of the Technology Plan and its goals.
Benchmark 2: Technology Integration
A. Teacher and Student Use of Technology
The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 plans to offer a variety of professional development courses for teachers and staff that will instruct them in the integration of technology for student learning, achievement, and assessment as well as PowerSchool for monitoring and reporting student achievement.
Professional development will emphasize universal design for learning, web-based assessment, efficiency and proficiency in student information systems (SIS), and web-based tools for alternative methods of presentation and engagement.
21st Century skills, including Web 2.0, video conferencing, pod and webcasts, social networking, instant messaging, and other communication tools. Online text resources, including Mp3 and Mp4 files for accessing text resources will also be considered.
Our goal is to attain the following standards outlined in the Local Technology Plan Guidelines, which are
1. (a) Outside of the Classroom - 100% of teachers do use technology everyday in the areas of lesson planning, administrative tasks, communication and collaboration. Teachers share information about technology uses with their colleagues.
(b) Within the Classroom – 100% of the teachers use technology appropriately every week with students including some of the following areas: research, multimedia, simulations, data interpretation, communications and collaboration.
2. At least 85% of students from grades 5-8 show proficiency in all Massachusetts Recommended PreK-12 Instruction Technology Standards for Grades 5 to 8.
3. 80% of teachers will have reached the proficiency level as defined by the Massachusetts Technology Self-Assessment Tool.
4. The district has a CIPA-compliant Acceptable Use Policy (AUP ) regarding Internet use.
B. Staffing
1. The district has .07 (FTE) district-level technology/director/coordinator.
2. The district provides 1.0 FTE instructional support personnel per 67.5 instructional staff.
3. The district has .27 person dedicated to data management and assessment.
Benchmark 3: Technology Professional Development
Due to budgetary constraints professional development is offered on a “drop in” basis one afternoon per week. No systemic professional development is planned on being offered in the 2009-2011 school years.
Our technology staff is available for one-on-one or small group professional development on an as needed or requested basis.
Assessment of district and teacher’s needs will be based on the competencies listed in the Massachusetts Technology Self-Assessment Tool. Surveys will be taken on a yearly basis to assess what professional development activities need to be designed to best meet the needs of the district.
Benchmark 4: Accessibility of Technology
A. Students per instructional computer 1:3.15
The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 has an average ratio of 3.15 students per Internet-connected computers. It should be noted that the vast majority of these computers no longer meet the minimum requirements of the MA DESE for “A or B” level computers.
While efforts have been made to establish a computer replacement cycle of six years district budgetary constraints will make meeting this replacement cycle difficult through 2011.
B. Technical Support
The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 provides timely in-classroom technical support and all building staff is aware of how to access the support. Technical problems are addressed in a timely manner so that a major disruption to curriculum delivery does not occur. It is the hope of the Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 that a FTE Network Administrator will be hired to support all the schools within the district and supervisory union. We will continue to outsource such jobs to companies and individuals that provide necessary service to our school. We have one FTE person that currently supports 200+ computers. Technical support is provided by staff or contracted services.
Benchmark 5: Infrastructure for Connectivity
A. Internet Access
The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 provides connectivity to the Internet in all classrooms as and has wireless connectivity where needed. A bandwidth of 10/100 MB is everywhere in the school.
B. Networking (LAN/WAN)
The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 provides a 10/100 MB Cat 5 switched network as well as a wireless network. Secure file sharing, backups, scheduling, e-mail, and web publishing are handled internally.
C. E-Learning Environments
The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 provides and encourages the development of innovative strategies for delivering special courses through the use of technology. Classroom teachers and specialists use an online curriculum-mapping program that was purchased by the district.
Benchmark 6: Access to the Internet outside the School Day
A. The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 maintains an up-to-date web site that includes information for parents.
B. The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 works with the School Council, and the Technology Coordinator to plan how to make school computers available to student outside of the school day.
C. The Old Rochester School District and Supervisory Union #55 will work with the School Council, VASE, and the Technology Coordinator to develop an up-to-date list of places where students and staff can access the Internet after school hours.
Appendix
These are the services and materials that we will procure through the E-rate discount program.
A. Telephony: Wired and wireless phones
1. Local access
2. Long distance access
3. Wireless access
B. Internet connectivity
C. CIPA compliance, including Internet filtering. |
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