TABLE OF CONTENTS
BENCHMARK 1: Commitment to a Clear
Vision and Implementation Strategies
CENTRAL BERKSHIRE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MISSION
This
Educational Technology Plan looks broadly at the role of technology in
learning, teaching and administration and sets parameters for how we gather
information, make decisions, support growth, evaluate successes and challenges
and support those efforts.
Intentionally, the plan starts with the broader District Mission and Goals
and moves toward how technology can be integrated within those broader
statements. Technology is utilized as a vehicle to accomplish learning goals
rather than conceived of as a discrete and disconnected area or in even simpler
terms, pieces of equipment.
DISTRICT MISSION
The
Mission of the Central Berkshire
Regional School District is to educate every student to achieve the highest
possible educational standards so that he or she will become a responsible
citizen, able to meet the demands of a diverse and ever-changing society.
The
District’s Vision for 2015:
·
All
students are motivated to learn at a high level to meet or exceed their
potential
·
All
students are provided with educational opportunities to meet their unique needs
·
All
students are provided with the tools required to educate them with rigor and
relevance for the 21st century
·
Central
Berkshire has the schools of choice for both District and other students
·
Central
Berkshire has highly motivated, supportive, well trained and professional
teachers, administrators and support staff dedicated to student achievement
·
Central
Berkshire has modern, well-maintained and energy efficient physical plants
Our Vision will be achieved by pursuing
these six Strategic Goals:
1. To provide rigorous, relevant and data-driven curriculum and instruction
as well as comprehensive extra-curricular opportunities in a secure
environment;
2. To stabilize and increase revenue while maintaining efficient use of
resources;
3. To have a student enrollment greater than the number of school age
students in the district by retaining in-district students and attracting
out-of-district students;
4. To attract and retain qualified and dedicated teachers, administrators
and support staff through applied professional development and by maintaining
an exciting collegial atmosphere;
5. To maintain modern and energy efficient schools and offices;
6. To increase community involvement and support through communications and
educational and social opportunities.
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY VISION
The
District Mission and the Educational Technology Vision are inextricably
linked. The Educational Technology
Vision is for the district to provide students opportunities and tools “to
achieve the highest possible educational standards so that he or she will become
a responsible citizen, able to meet the demands of a diverse and ever-changing
society.”
The
Educational Technology Vision: CBRSD delivers digital learning
opportunities that foster academic excellence leading to global collaboration,
digital citizenship, and a love for learning.
Technology
supports learning and student growth as well as teaching and administrative
services through tools, applications and devices. Technology affords opportunities for
engagement, differentiated instruction and innovation. Through technology, access to data,
information and communication is enhanced.
Learning and technology are ever-evolving, so this plan, as well as the
practical approach must be fluid.
There
are three basic categories of technology in the District’s PreK-12 educational
environments: Educational Technology,
Administrative Technology and Building Technology. This plan focuses on educational technology
and administrative technology as the most important categories for realizing
our vision.
- Educational Technology includes
the intersection of learning, work, devices and related tools that provide
teachers and students with the ability to improve learning and
teaching. “Technology” in this
sense is not a stand-alone concept, but rather one that should be thought
of in relation to, and integrated with, all other learning and teaching
strategies. Technology is one of
many tools to accomplish our educational goals. Educational technologies are the main
focus of this technology plan.
- Administrative Technology refers
to enterprise-wide systems This
includes student and teacher information management systems such as
Edline, Rediker/AdminPlus and SNAP, accounting tools, internet access and
wireless connections, and administrative support technologies that enable
scanning, copying and printing of documents - including hardware and
software. These tools collectively support various functions that then
support learning and teaching.
- Building Technology is the smart
technology that controls lighting, heating, cooling and security. While this technology affects the
educational environment it will not be discussed in this document.
The
CBRSD Strategic Technology Plan is guided by a set of core values and
non-negotiables that will help maintain our focus over the life of the
plan.
Core
Values
- All
students and educators can learn and should have access to current and
relevant technology and support resources.
- Provide
technology learning resources and tools to empower staff and students to
participate in global collaborative environments.
- Provide
quality support and maintenance of technology services.
- Research
current technology best practices and provide on-going professional
development.
- Encourage
and promote digital learning skills and digital citizenship.
Non-Negotiables
- All students can achieve technology proficiency
using computers on a regular scheduled basis.
- There will be a staff technology core level
proficiency framework. It is expected that all staff fill out the EdTech
Profile provided by the State of California. The technology department
will facilitate professional development on core level competencies.
- All students and staff will adhere to high
standards of digital citizenship.
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY GOALS
The Central Berkshire Regional School
District is committed to achieving goals in the area of educational technology
during the 2012 - 2016 school years.
These goals represent a district vision that strives to provide teachers
with the best training and tools available along with providing students with
the skills required to succeed in our schools, in college, and the work place.
- Provide effective technology training and support for teachers and
administrators such that they can model effective technology integration
and literacy
- Provide excellent hardware and applications for instruction,
learning, and management
- Provide a safe online learning environment for activities on our
school network
- Provide collaborative opportunities for staff and students to share
ideas and creations
- Ensure that all students meet grade level expectations as described
in the Massachusetts Technology Literacy Standards and Expectations http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards/itstand.pdf
- Improve district technology integration, district websites, and
access to online district resources
- Maximization of the REDIKER/GradeQuick/Edline software
- Robust use of Internet and cloud based applications
TECHNOLOGY PLANNING COMMITTEE
The Technology Planning Committee
is comprised of representatives from each school, school committee members, and
administrators. The committee includes:
·
Leslie Blake-Davis, Becket Washington Principal
·
Melinda Finnerty, Grade 4 Teacher and Technology Integrator for Kittredge
School
·
Andrew Garcia, 6-8 Music Teacher and Nessacus Middle School and
Web 2:0 instructor
·
Dave Lennon, 6-8 Technology Teacher and Technology Integrator for
Nessacus Middle School
·
Kaitlyn Manns, Craneville Grade 3 Teacher
·
Kelly Markland, Wahconah High School Librarian, Wahconah VHS Site Coordinator,
and Technology Integrator
·
Sean Nyhan, School Committee
·
Robert Putnam, Assistant Superintendent
·
Jared Shannon, Wahconah High School History Teacher
·
Gary Stergis, School Committee
·
Hal Westwood, Grade 5 teacher and Technology Integrator for
Berkshire Trail School
·
Rick White, CBRSD Technology Coordinator
NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
The District is engaged in an on-going cycle of
reflection to assess ways to improve learning and teaching supported through technology
products and services. The assessments
include a range of measures such as focus groups, surveys, inventory
management, analysis of user data and an evaluation of the services and
products currently being used as well as those that the District plans to
acquire.
Critical to the successful implementation of any plan is
an ongoing evaluation of actions taken in accordance with the plan that
determine whether or not the District is meeting its goals. Collecting the following data is important in
how and when it influences decision making and action. Sharing it widely will support conversations
and additional growth. If necessary,
adjustments will be made to ensure the successful implementation of the
plan. To that end, the District is
committed to the following:
- During
the fall of 2012, a staff survey will be conducted to ascertain the
student, parent, and teacher use of services and products currently owned
by the district. The survey for
teachers staff and students will focus on technology integration and
technology literacy. The survey
will provide benchmark data on utilization of existing resources that can
be used to assess this technology plan.
- The
Building Technology Integrators will conduct focus group meetings to
determine products and services that will be needed to improve teaching
and learning. These data will be
used by the technology committee to make budget recommendations to
administrators.
- Students
in grades 3, 5, 8 will be evaluated based on Massachusetts Technology
Standards http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards/itstand.pdf. The evaluation will be conducted using
observation of student’s use of technology during his/her regular assigned
work as well as through questionnaires provided to staff.
- The
Massachusetts Technology Self-Assessment Tool (TSAT) will be administered
in the spring of 2013 and bi-annually thereafter.
- Annually
Technology Committee will complete a survey to assess the impact of the goals
of this plan on teaching methodologies and student learning.
- Regular
review of Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs ) for appropriate information.
- Regular
review of all policies relating to technology use and updates as
necessary.
- Yearly
review of support through the analysis of the information recorded in the
Help Desk system.
- Yearly
review of funding sources.
- Yearly
evaluation of infrastructure goals.
BUDGET
The Central Berkshire Regional School District
recognizes the critical role that technology plays in achieving the district’s
strategic goals. In accordance with that
recognition the district is committed to ensuring a budget that supports the
long-range technology plan. The budget line items include staffing,
infrastructure, hardware, software applications, professional development,
support and contracted services. The district is also committed to seeking and
securing outside funding to support technology.
BENCHMARK 2: Technology
Integration and Literacy
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
The
Central Berkshire Regional School District is committed to increasing
technology integration by teachers and administrators. The district has provided software to
facilitate research, lesson planning, assessment, analysis of student
assessment data, organization, administrative tasks, communications, and
collaboration. The district is also committed to increasing the use of
technology for teaching and learning.
Over the past several years the district has invested in hardware and
software designed to support research, multimedia, simulations, data analysis,
communications, and collaboration. The needs assessment will enable the
Technology Team to identify teachers currently using technologies to enhance
student interest, inquiry, analysis, collaboration, and creativity and
determine ways to extend those practices to a greater number of classrooms.
TECHNOLOGY LITERACY
While
a formal technology curriculum is in place in grades 6-8, there is not
currently a technology curriculum in grades K-5. In order to ensure that 90% of eighth grade
students show proficiency in all the Massachusetts Technology Literacy
Standards and Expectations for grade eight, a curriculum will have to be
developed and implemented in the elementary grades. The Technology Committee will ensure the
development of a curriculum and materials that can be distributed to classroom
teachers.
Technology
literacy for CBRSD teachers and administrators is an on-going process. The district is committed to increasing the
number of staff who have mastered 90% of the skills in the Massachusetts
Technology Self-Assessment Tool (TSAT).
The district will continue to offer professional development activities
that enable staff to increase their technology skills.
STAFFING
While
the Central Berkshire Regional School District has employed a District
Technology Coordinator for many years and has recently added 1.4 FTE of support
personnel, it is understood that this staffing pattern is insufficient to the
task of realizing the vision and goals.
The district recognizes the need for additional personnel including one
FTE instructional technology specialist per 60-120 instructional staff to coach
and model and a data management specialist.
The district technology integrator would model lessons, do professional
development and assist teachers in integrating technology into their
classrooms. A data management specialist would manage the various databases
located within the district and the integration of those databases with state
mandated data upload requirements as well as various data flows that are
required throughout the district.
BENCHMARK 3: Technology
Professional Development
In
June of 2012 the Technology Committee conducted a survey of professional
development needs as they relate to technology. The results of the survey
clearly showed that there was a need for training for software packages
currently owned by the district including Edline (parent communication),
GradeQuick (grading), TestWiz (assessment), Rubicon Atlas (curriculum mapping),
and EXCEL. The survey also showed a need
for training in the use of hardware currently owned by the district including
document cameras, interactive whiteboards, and iPads.
The
survey also brought to light some more general needs including:
- Creating technology-enhanced
lessons that address content standards and student technology literacy
standards, while addressing a variety of learning styles.
- Using multimedia presentations,
Web Quests, and other technology-rich lessons in the classroom.
- Using electronic communication
tools (e.g., message boards, email, virtual classrooms) to enhance
teaching and learning.
- Using the Internet to network
with other teachers and learn about effective use of technology in
teaching your subject(s).
- Using online tools (e.g., blogs, wikis,
message boards) to gather and share information collaboratively.
- Access to laptops or iPad carts
&/or BYOD enabled wireless network availability.
The
district is committed to providing high-quality, ongoing professional
development that includes emerging technology issues, technology skills,
universal design, and research-based models of technology integration. The
current model is two-pronged; a) providing after-school professional
development opportunities and; b) Building Technology Integrators who model
best practices. This plan will provide a phased-in plan for increasing
professional development to ensure that an increasing number of district staff
will have participated in high-quality, ongoing professional development that
includes emerging technology issues, technology skills, universal design, and
research-based models of technology integration.
BENCHMARK 4: Accessibility of
Technology
The
Central Berkshire Regional School District is committed to providing students
and staff with access to technology. The
geography and lack of broadband access in several of our member towns poses
challenges both to the school access and to student and parent access to the
internet. Broadband access will be
coming to all of our communities within the next four years and this plan is
designed to prepare the district to take advantage of that eventuality. The district is working to establish a solid
technology infrastructure built on a foundation of excellent network and
wireless capability in all schools that will one day be scaled up to take
advantage of the broadband internet access that will be available. This foundation will allow the continuous
growth of accessible technology to our students and staff.
Hardware
Accessibility
Each
of the district’s teachers and administrators are assigned a computer. In addition, the district currently has approximately
750 computers available for student use.
Given the student population of 1,780, the district has a 2.4:1 student
to computer ratio. The student-to-computer
ratio at the secondary level is slightly below 2:1. Successive years of level funded budgets have
slowed realization of 1:1 ratio. This
plan includes the piloting of a BYOD initiative as a way of approaching the
state goal of 1:1.
The
CBRSD has invested in interactive whiteboards, LCD projectors, audio systems,
and iPads and distributed them across the district. While not present in every classroom the
district will continue to work to make emerging technology available to all
students. Teachers will be supported with the use of all technology and be
encouraged to seek ways to engage students with new applications. CBRSD Educational Technology will continue to
provide necessary licensed software and online subscriptions but will seek the implementation
of more web-based applications such as
Google Docs, Dropbox, and Evernote. It
is important to note that web-based applications change and new applications
often serve as a more productive replacement for older ones. This constant evolution requires that CBRSD
teachers continue to seek the best way to engage students and look for the best
tool for the project or lesson being taught.
The
CBRSD currently has an 8 year replacement cycle. The district will work within
the fiscal constraints to bring the time frame in line with the goal of a 5
year replacement cycle recommended by the state.
Internet
Access
The
district provides connectivity to the Internet for all computers in all
classrooms in all schools, including wireless connectivity. The district currently
provides an external Internet connection to the Internet Service Provider (ISP)
of 17 Mbps per 1,000 students/staff. The figure below illustrates the internet
access to each of the seven buildings in the district. All internet access is
channeled through Nessacus school to enable centralized content filters and a
unified firewall. Access to the internet
will be increased from 30 to 50Mbps during the 2012-13 school year with
incremental increases in the following years.
These increases will be in anticipation of the extension of broadband
access to our outlying towns. With the
advent of broadband access the target access levels for 2016 will be 100Mbps at
Wahconah, Nessacus, and Craneville, 50Mbps at Kittredge, and 30Mbps at Becket
Washington and Berkshire Trail.
The
district currently provides bandwidth of 10/100/1 Gb to each classroom. The
bandwidth at each computer is at least 100 Mbps. The network card for each computer
is at least 10/100/1 Gb. The district currently
provides internal wide area network (WAN) connections from the district to each
school between schools of at least 1 Gbps per 1,000 students/staff. In
addition, the district provides access to servers for secure file sharing,
backups, scheduling, email, and web publishing, either internally or through
contracted services. The district also provides access to its computer labs
before and after school to ensure that students and staff have adequate access
to the Internet outside of the school day.
The
CBRSD will continue to employ a Technology Coordinator who ensures network functionality.
The district also uses a Helpdesk system to resolve technical problems within
24 hours, so that they do not cause major disruptions to curriculum delivery.
The district provides clear information about how to access technical support,
which can be provided in person or remotely.
The
district employs 1.8 FTE for 950 computers. The district needs to add a 1.0 FTE
by 2016.
BENCHMARK 5: Virtual Learning and
Communications
A.
The district encourages the development and use of innovative strategies for delivering high-quality courses through the use of technology. THE DISTRICT USES VHS
The district encourages the development and use of innovative strategies for delivering high-quality courses through the use of technology. THE DISTRICT USES VHS
B. The district deploys IP-based connections for access
to web-based and/or interactive video learning on the local, state, regional,
national, and international level. THE DISTRICT USES YOUTUBE, KAHN ACADEMY.
C. Classroom applications of virtual learning include
courses, collaborative projects, field trips, and discussions.
D. The district maintains an up-to-date website that
includes information for parents and community members.
BENCHMARK 6: Safety, Security, and Data Retention
- The district has a CIPA-compliant Acceptable Use
Policy (AUP) regarding Internet and network use. The policy is updated as
needed to help ensure safe and ethical use of resources by teachers and
students. THE DISTRICT HAS A CIPA COMPLIANT FIRWALL AND CONTENT FILTER.
- The district educates teachers and students about
appropriate online behavior. Topics include cyberbullying, potential risks
related to social networking sites and chat rooms, and strategies for
dealing with these issues. YES
- The district has a plan to protect the security
and confidentiality of personal information of its students and staff. YES
- The district complies with federal and state law,
and local policies for archiving electronic communications produced by its
staff and students. The district informs staff and students that any
information distributed over the district or school network may be a
public record. YES
CBRSD Technology Plan 2012-2016
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Benchmark 1
Vision
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Benchmark 2
Integration and Literacy
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Benchmark 3
Professional Development
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Benchmark 4
Accessibility
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Benchmark 5
Virtual Learning
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Benchmark 6
Safety
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2012-13
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Increase
district bandwidth from 30 to 50Mbps
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2013-14
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Increase
district bandwidth from 50 to 100Mbps
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2014-15
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Increase
district bandwidth from 100 to 150 Mbps
Increase
WAN links to elementary schools increasing bandwidth
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2015-16
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Increase
district bandwidth from 150 to 200 Mbps
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