Minutes+from+April+28,+2009

A meeting of the Technology Committee was held at 6:00 p.m. on April 28th, 2009, in the high school library. Hugh Torbert, Technology Coordinator, chaired the meeting. Those in attendance were: Angie McWilliams, Hugh Torbert, Chris Cobb, Dominic Papa, Dana Baker, Jeff Fenstermacher, Phil Herman, Sue Kanigsberg, Christopher Cobb, Malinda Diehl, Kari Miller, John Marc Murphy, Judy McIlvaine, Deb Wirth toc = Meeting Minutes from March 24, 2009 = = [|Mission Statement] = = [|Professional Development] =
 * [|http:// dasdtechnologycommittee.wikispaces.com]
 * All minutes and documents will be posted on wiki
 * Individuals who join the wiki will received notices when updates are made
 * Required by State
 * Original from last technology plan revised to incorporate digital literacy and integration into curriculum
 * Need to fill in “blanks” on the form (i.e. Angie McWilliams’s title is //Instructional Technology Coordinator//
 * Need to add things to last blank, for example:
 * Evaluate conversion from Excel to another product for progress reports
 * Mapping for curriculum: TechPaths (migrating to new platform, Curriculum Connector), Assessment Builder we have not been using (Sue will work with Dr. Baker on this), Performance Tracker/Pathways
 * Edline: do we stay with Edline?
 * Comments on web portion
 * Not too flexible
 * Do we look at other companies? If so, will cost more money
 * Edline was cost savings of $9,500 to district
 * The layout of the web site needs to be re-evaluated
 * MMS offers a platform that supports posting of grades
 * Document on hold
 * Changes to be made
 * Will be re-posted
 * No decision made on 4/28

**to top** = [|Evaluation Document for Technology Education] = = Initial Technology Plan =
 * How will we support our work
 * This was proposed by Sue Kanigsberg earlier in year
 * A plan for each of the three years (specific items discussed are highlighted below)
 * Page 1
 * #2--30 computers per cart
 * Weigelstown is included as part of the construction
 * Kralltown is year 2 (Deb Wirth discussed why they are later in the process)—Hugh said to move it to year one
 * #3--MMS SQL to be completed by 2010
 * Page 2
 * Dr. Baker questioned where we are on new phone system
 * What about intercom integrated into every phone in room?
 * #6—social networking/bookmarking
 * Remove examples
 * Interacting with new technology
 * Dr. Baker: new teacher induction—speakers done through webinars
 * #5—Distance Learning (DL) equipment for each building
 * Field trips—blendedschools
 * Phil Herman: inner city students may need the “live” field trip
 * JMurphy: would like the DL field trip as an option
 * #11--Net-Op
 * Security program and can view what is on student computer
 * Can put computers up as a mosaic
 * Can use it as content—put together a slide show/movie, save it, play it on computers
 * Has used it at Intermediate School for several years
 * Can lock/shut down stations
 * First year at High School and 2nd year at North Salem—not necessary at this time for K-4
 * #7--Virtual Manipulatives such as online virtual math--D. Baker explained virtual manipulatives
 * ActivSlates ($350)
 * Handheld Interactive Whiteboard
 * Whatever is done on that appears on screen
 * Wireless
 * ActivExpressions
 * Student response systems
 * Received 2 sets on a 30-day trial
 * Will purchase the two (about ½ price)
 * Being purchased for Title I classes through stimulus money

 **to top** = Technology Curriculum Report—Dr. Baker =

Student survey for grades 7-12 (results will be posted to the wiki)

 * Out of 600 students, 405 took the survey
 * Survey was hard skills (not soft skills—can’t ask about ethical issues)

Technology curriculum, years 1-3

 * 09-10 is planning year for district
 * Will take three years to get it completed--start in K-4 and work up through grades over 3 years
 * In-service teachers on curriculum standards for technology
 * PA standards last revised in 2001
 * Dover will use ISTE’s revised in 2007
 * Keyboarding
 * Needs to be integrated in elementary writing curriculum
 * Can be done in a lab
 * Can be integrated in writing workshop activities—discussion on keyboarding
 * MDiehl: is a business degree needed to teach keyboarding? According to Dr. Baker, no.
 * JMurphy: Are we assessing their keyboarding __and__ their writing? SKanigsberg—push writing into language arts time and do keyboarding separately
 * PHerman: agrees elementary teachers are too busy; in past labs were outdated and teachers became frustrated
 * DBaker: Get reinforcement
 * DWirth: Unless a program is purchased that tells if using right fingers, teacher can’t do the keyboarding
 * DBaker: kids are learning wrong way to keyboard and it’s harder to reverse the hunt and peck; where do we start keyboarding?
 * When do students become capable of keyboarding developmentally?

**to top**

Update on blendedschools

 * 4/28 board received email and attachment about Dover CyberAcademy
 * DASD 07-08: $684,000 for cyberschools, received $129,888 back, $554,000 expended from district
 * 06-07: $435,000 was district expenditure—we jumped $100,000 in one year; trend doesn’t look like it will stop
 * Discussion on blendedschools
 * School board heard representative from blended schools
 * Asked board to look at a cyber summer school for grades 7-12
 * Credit recovery for a high school student (take a failed course through cyber)
 * Course student may want to take that Dover doesn’t offer
 * Supplement to PRIDE program as remediation
 * Blendedschools by-laws state that district member cannot use cyber instruction to lay off teachers
 * Use with expelled students
 * To stop flow of students into for-profit
 * For homebound students with extenuating circumstances
 * Relies on Blackboard
 * Teachers can use it for in-class instructional lessons to be on line for students
 * Lot of our teachers have materials created on Compass—blackboard can do the same thing; if teacher creates a Blackboard lesson to use each year, it’s one license and not one for each student
 * Membership: $10,000 = 100 licenses
 * 14 students planning to go cyber for profit next year, 09-10
 * Professional development component
 * Teacher training in Blackboard will be provided to learn how to use as instructional platform in class
 * Training for teachers who wish to work within consortium to be teacher of record for virtual courses
 * Several scenarios
 * If we can address their needs--high speed connection, laptop, printer and teacher to supervise, saving $14,000
 * Brand new laptops, 3-year warranty
 * Three hours per student for tech support plus mileage for tech people
 * DPapa: Do we have to supply high speed connection? DBaker—we have to provide better than for-profits (they can come here and take a course; can play sports, . . .)
 * Q&A
 * JFenstermacher: Will this be a choice for every student to take these courses? DBAKER: Doesn’t have to be. Administration has to retain rights to not put students on virtual
 * CCobb: Do teachers receive a stipend? DBaker: a teacher is with blendedschools. Payroll process works through blendedschools. Our teachers can be trained in the future.
 * MDiehl: Do we get state subsidy? DBaker: Students counted as a full ADM.
 * MDiehl: Do cyber students have to take PSSA? DBaker: Approved March 18th that said beginning next year, if parent of a cyber for-profit student wants their child to take the PSSA, we must accommodate. Our own students enrolled, yes.

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Sue Kanigsberg—[|IWB plan]

 * Presented [|IWB Skills Checklist] and[| Activclassroom Proficiency Goals and Indicators] for DASD
 * Wants to add proper care and cleaning, safety and security
 * May 14th training--Inspire needs to be added to computers used that day
 * Need a school board presentation—to be discussed on May 14th
 * Need to evaluate success of the year
 * Original cohort will support future cohorts
 * Mindmapping software (i.e. Kidspiration)
 * JMurphy: Will there be alternative training? Yes, we can do something
 * CCobb: Sue should send out an email indicating that the May 14th training is only for Cohort 1 and not all teachers

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Next meeting is May 26, 2009 Adjournment: 8:15