Minutes+from+January+21,+2009

A meeting of the Technology Committee was held at 6:20 p.m. on January 21st, 2009, in the high school library. Hugh Torbert, Technology Coordinator, chaired the meeting. Those in attendance were:

Documents you may be interested in reading: [|What do we mean by technology integration.doc] [|Tiers of Technology Integration into the Classroom Indicators_without examples.doc] [|Technology Integration Matrix.pdf]

= Introductions = (Hugh Torbert) toc

In attendance: Sandy Barnes, Chuck Benton, Wanda Elicker, Stacie Gross, Phil Herman, Tammy Houser, Matthew Jacobs, Sue Kanigsberg, Judy McIlvaine, Angie McWilliams, Kari Miller, Shane Miller, John Marc Murphy, David Nelson, Dominic Papa, Bryan Rehm, Davonna Rickard, Hugh Torbert, Pam VanKirk, Troy Wiestling, John Williams The technology plan is due to the State in September of 2009. This plan will cover the years 2010-2013. Dominic Papa was congratulated on his new position in the technology department as the network administrator. = Proposed Technology-Related Goals = = Review of 2008-2009 = Hugh Torbert
 * 1) Use technology linked to district and school initiatives to support learning in the content areas.
 * 2) Integrate technology into the curriculum, rather than making technology a separate subject area.
 * 3) Use technology to assist with data-driven decision making.
 * 4) Use technology to support different learning styles and to meet the needs of all learners, including those with disabilities.
 * 5) Use technology as a vehicle for professional development.
 * 6) Move from teacher centered to student centered use of technology.

CFF Grant
High School Classrooms for the Future (CFF) Grant
 * DASD received grant monies in the third year of the program. The original grant submission was for $450,000. The district received $158,000. To date, the district has spent $20,000 of district funds for mounts, electric, etc.
 * Thirty-three classrooms were supplied with Interactive White Boards (IWB), projectors, laptops, several speakers, and one printer.

PA-ACT Grant

 * Library grant for K-8
 * $191,000 will be spent for technology
 * Software for libraries
 * Five laptop carts: 3 for the Intermediate School; 2 for North Salem Elementary
 * 186 laptops
 * Six buildings will receive a laptop and updated media cart for each of the libraries

Infrastructure Upgrade

 * Replaced every switch in district
 * VLans
 * Wireless Lans
 * $29,000 RAM upgrades for Office 2007
 * High density wireless LANS—3: High School, Intermediate School (IS), North Salem (NS) Elementary
 * NS lab replaced
 * IS tech lab replaced
 * Graphics arts and GIS laptops upgraded at the high school

Dom Papa thanked school board for allowing us to do the above.

** North Salem Elementary **

 * (NSE) Lab Replacement **

** New Computers **

 * for Intermediate School Tech Ed **

** 100 Computers Replaced **

 * (Windows 98) **

= Review of Technology Plan Development = Hugh Torbert = Technology Integration = The Ten Pillars of Successful Technology Integration in K-12 Schools— Dr. Sue Kanigsberg Promethean Boards (IWBs)
 *  Phones Phase II
 *  Remaining Computers (NSE Pods)
 *  New Servers
 *  Document Retention Application-- Emails must be saved from 1-3 years;could cost from $10-30,000
 *  Two Additional Carts for CFF (one per major curriculums)
 * State has updated plan; core has not changed
 * Part of strategic plan
 * What we need to do:
 * Define plan
 * Building level development
 * Two parts of plan
 * Infrastructure—what’s it take to make network work
 * Technology integration (curriculum and what you want to use with curriculum)
 * Professional development
 * Exposing everybody to technology integration
 * Teacher centered to student centered
 * What we are looking at in next plan
 * Increasing high density wire so we can use wireless carts
 * Projectors in classroom
 * Increasing internet connection speed
 * Activote (clicker systems)
 * Activslate
 * Additional wireless phones for building
 * Will revolutionize the classroom
 * See handout on tiered approach

a. Central office uses technology b. Central office trickles down use of technology
 * 1) Leadership provides active and committed support—financial, logistical, and moral
 * 1) Selling is better than telling
 * 2) Invest in and train a core team of teacher-computerists
 * 3) Recognize that technological change is fast and that keeping up to date is challenging and essential
 * 4) All teachers receive ongoing training
 * 5) All teachers receive technical support
 * 6) Use it or lose it
 * 7) Parents and students are actively involved in the evolutionary process
 * 8) There must be planned and systematic financial investment in technology-integrated teaching and learning
 * 9) Technology is for all and involves all in the process of lifelong learning

Discussion and question/answer period . ..
. . . occurred on various aspects of technology: past, present, future. A synopsis of the discussions follows: § “something” is needed to replace Compass § As of December 2008, Compass is no longer supported § Compass has been used more as “practice” and not for its intended purpose = User Competencies = (Dr. Kanigsberg) Dr. Kanigsberg who was representing Dr. Baker indicated a need for technology competencies for every district employee. A determination needs to be made as to what competencies are expected for “various groups” of employees. Concerns raised are manageability and accountability. =Where Do We See Technology in DASD in the Future=
 * In the past there tended to be conflicts with the hardware and software (i.e. EDUPLACE (with Houghton Mifflin)
 * Training for new hires
 * Future of Compass?
 * EVERYDAY MATH was purchased this year and the technology provides accessibility from home
 * Study Island is more of a practice program
 * Bryan Rehm
 * Paperless
 * Instructional perspective: each grade level determine what’s important
 * Is working with Bryan Bahn in collaborating through CFF
 * Technology is only a tool
 * CFF: student-centered authentic assessment—i.e. do the real science; create own projects
 * Chuck Benton
 * GIS—Washington College in MD— $1.5 million grant —we are one of 9 schools involved with this
 * STEMS initiative
 * Trying to tie GIS into the science field
 * Work with science teachers, i.e. environmental class—take stream samples, take data and produce maps of results
 * Grant provides training for three science teachers
 * W Connect—talk back and forth with other schools
 * Will know by September 2009 if we got the grant
 * Edline
 * Ability to upload files larger than 15m
 * Suggestions made: Moodle, wiki, shared district drive
 * John Marc Murphy
 * Students need to be more competent with computer use and keyboarding
 * Access to more computers at Leib (Hugh Torbert: Need increase in wireless LAN and laptop carts)
 * We can’t do all technology required in 25 minutes every six days
 * SKanigsberg (for Dr. Baker)
 * Blended Schools—Dr. Baker
 * Credit recovery
 * Writing labs
 * Tumble Books (librarians)
 * Promethean Boards (IWBs)—would like to see Activote, ActivExpressions, and Activslate 
 * Stacie Gross (business ed)
 * Limited lab availability—need for more computers
 * Sandy Barnes
 * Has a poll ever been done of students as to whether they have computers at home?
 * Staff need to be informed of shortcuts when using software (Chuck Benton mentioned responsibility also falls on the learner to learn new things)
 * Kari Miller
 * We need to revisit technology curriculum
 * Wanda Elicker
 * Lack of computers
 * Students being able to work home to school
 * Harsher punishment for students abusing system
 * Have students help staff with technology
 * Distance learning not used to its fullest
 * Judy McIlvaine
 * Comments in “My 2 Cents” inquiring about why elementary web pages are not updated
 * Dr. Kanigsberg indicated that Dr. Baker is preparing a document to be dispersed to parents informing them of district expectations relative to web pages at various grade levels

Discussions on Various Topics
(answers not necessarily provided) = Summary = There appears to be three relevant topics:
 * Mike Parks will investigate as to why “pulled computers” were not replaced for aides at Weigelstown
 * IWBs (interactive white boards)
 * Staff can obtain a certificate from Promethean after completing on-line tutorials
 * Discussion as to when staff can complete the tutorials
 * In-service?
 * Act 48 provided?
 * Will Promethean do on-site training? Not until all staff have completed on-line tutorials and obtained the certificate
 * Emails
 * Is email being opened up for students?
 * Is an area that needs to be explored
 * Jump/Thumb Drives
 * Is district permitting them
 * Every station does have virus scanning software
 * No decision made
 * Locked Desktops
 * Question raised as to why desktops are locked
 * Can a student’s privileges be limited if they are in violation of the acceptable use policy?
 * At this time, no
 * Can a program be made available on a stand-alone computer
 * 1) Curriculum software
 * 2) Technology integration
 * 3) Professional development

Dominic Papa expressed gratitude for how far the district has come with technology in his nine years with Dover. He believes we have laid a very good foundation for continued growth. Hugh indicated the district has spent $1.7 million since 2007.

= Next Meeting Date = Sometime in March

Adjournment: 8:12 pm