Home

Student Links

Swift River Current

Lunch Menu

School Calendar

Nurse's Note

Enchanted Forest

Library

Celebrate Diversity

Archived Events

Quabbin History Project

Immigrants to America, Gr. 3-6

Technology Activities

Acceptable Use Policy

Parent Guide

Technology Plan 2007-10

Grant Awards

"Write" Path Lesson Plans

School Choice Information & Application

Curriculum Alignment Documents

NCLB Report Card

Who We Are

School Union #28 Central Office

Erving Elementary

Leverett Elementary

Shutesbury Elementary

Swift River School
Technology Plan
2004-2007

District: New Salem/Wendell
School: Swift River
Address: 201 Wendell Rd., New Salem, MA 01355
Phone: 978.544.6926 (voice); 978.544.2253 (fax)

Principal: Sheila Hunter (shuntersrs@yahoo.com)
Technology Coordinator: Carol S. Holzberg, PhD (carolh@anthro.umass.edu)
Date: January 2005

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary
Introduction: Historical Background
Early Instructional Technology
Early Administrative Technology
First Technology Plan

Benchmark 1: Vision and Mission Statement
B1.A. Mission, Vision, and General Technology Goals
School Mission
School Vision
Technology Achievements in 2003-2004
Technology Goals for 2004-2007
Instructional Technology Goals for 2004-2007
B1.B. Technology Team
B1.C. Budget-Technology Expenditures (July 1, 2004-June 30, 2007)
Materials and Services Procured through the E-rate Discount Program
Compliance with Chapter 30B
B1.D. Evaluation

Benchmark 2: Teacher and Student Use of Technology
B2.A Teacher and Student Use of Technology
Overview of CIPA Compliance
Acceptable Use Policy Regarding Internet Use
Illustrations of Student Technology Use
Technology Curriculum Specifics
B2.B. Staffing

Benchmark 3: Technology Training and
Professional Development
B3.A. Technology Professional Development provided by our District
B3.B. Topics Covered in Technology Training and
Professional Development
B3.C. Technology Professional Development Plan and Activities
Technology Self-Assessment
Professional Development Training Evaluation Form

Benchmark 4: Accessibility of Technology
B4.A. Students per Instructional Computer
Replacement Cycle
B4.B. Technical Support

Benchmark 5: Infrastructure for Connectivity
B5.A. Internet Access
B5.B. Networking (LAN/WAN)
B5. C. E-Learning Environments

Benchmark 6: Access to the Internet Outside the School Day
References

return to top

Executive Summary
Swift River School (SR) serves preschool and elementary age children in New Salem (pop: c. 1000) and Wendell (pop: c. 1000). As the only public elementary school in both towns, it has 8 classrooms, accommodating 157 children from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6. A complete profile of the school can be found at the Massachusetts Department of Education School Profiles Web site (http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/home.asp?mode=so&view=
all&mcasyear=&ot=5&o=2234&so=2235-6).

This 2004-2007 technology plan addresses the standards and benchmarks referenced in three Massachusetts Department of Education publications:

1) Massachusetts Recommended Pre-K-12 Instructional Technology Standards (http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards/itstand.pdf) describing the skills PreK-12 students should know when using technology;

2) Local Technology Plan Benchmark Standards for the Year 2003 (http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards/benchmrk.pdf) a publication that helps districts set realistic goals for their Local Technology Plans, and

3) Massachusetts STaR (School Technology and Readiness) Chart (http://www.doe.mass.edu/boe/sac/edtech/star.html) a table that summarize in list form technology integration benchmarks (reference points) Massachusetts school districts should achieve by 2006-2007.

Swift River technology goals for 2004-2007 seek to:

• Expand the use of computers as cognitive tools that enhance, extend, amplify and restructure the way students think
• Ensure that we have sufficient assistive technology tools to meet the needs of our learning challenged students
• Explore new ways in which technology can help make learning more accessible for all students
• Identify new ways to make more effective use of the Internet for teaching and learning
• Replace aging Macintosh workstations with computers that meet the DOE's specifications of Type "A" computers
• Upgrade and convert lab and classroom computers running the older Macintosh OS 9.x Operating System to the new OS X Operating System
• Upgrade and convert the school file server from OS 9.x and AppleShare 6.3.3 to OS X and OS X server
• Install a second hard drive in the server for increased storage capabilities and easier backups
• Upgrade our network infrastructure to optimize speed and data handling by replacing older 10BASE T hubs capable of transferring data at speeds up to 10 Mbps (megabits or millions of bits per second) to "smart" 10Mbps-100Mbps switches capable of transferring data at speeds of 100 Mbps depending on the capabilities of the connecting device
• Assign every student in grades 3-6 an AlphaSmart keyboard to improve writing skills. The keyboard allows children to word process (and revise existing work) both in school and at home. It facilitates writing and editing and frees up the school's limited number of computers for other tasks.
• Train teachers, instructional aides, and paraprofessionals to use a variety of technology tools for high-quality teaching and learning
• Maintain and regularly update the school Web site with news and important information about the school
• Ensure the school Web site includes an up-to-date list of places where students and staff can access the Internet after school hours
• Continue to evaluate the school's technology resources in relation to district educational goals to ensure the technology line items in the budget include sufficient funding for staffing, hardware, software, professional development, technical support, annual maintenance contracts, and contracted services that meet the needs of students, teachers, and administrators at the school
• Draft a formal plan for Technology Hardware and Software Upgrade and Replacement

return to top

Introduction: Historical Background
Technology planning has always been an important component of the educational process at Swift River School (SR). During the 1980s, we obtained our first computers (the Apple IIe) purchasing 17 of these workstations for distribution in groups of one or two per classroom. We equipped two Apple IIes with speech synthesizers for our SPED (Special Education) small group rooms and also purchased an IBM 286 so that SPED staff could interpret test results.

return to top

Early Instructional Technology
Committed to improving student learning through the use of computer technology, we used funds from a 1995 technology grant to outfit a computer lab with 12 Macintosh LC575 workstations, each with 8MB of RAM, a 250MB hard drive and a CD-ROM reader. We networked lab computers to two printers (an HP LaserJet 4M and an HP DeskWriter 560c) through LocalTalk RJ11 cabling. We also purchased one PowerMac 6200CD workstation with a 28.8 kbps (kilobits or thousands of bits per second) modem for dial-up Internet access using PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol).

return to top

Early Administrative Technology
For administrative tasks, the school secretary worked with PowerMac 6200CD outfitted with 14.4 kbps modem. The principal used a Macintosh PowerBook 520C. Both computers connected to an office LocalTalk network to print to a Personal LaserWriter 320. The modem-equipped instructional and administrative computers shared a single telephone line with the office Sharp UX1-75 FAX machine.

return to top

First Technology Plan
Our first technology plan began with the formation of the Swift River Technology Committee in January 1996. The school principal, teachers, parents, local businessfolk, and community members joined in the planning process. Committee members conducted student and staff technology assessments in the spring of 1996 and completed a technology inventory. The Technology Committee also researched technological tools available for instruction. Work continued throughout the summer and fall to formulate a technology design and action plan.

In our first five-year technology plan (1996-2001), we set out to:

1. Establish local school/district priorities, a timeline for implementation, and a realistic fiscal plan
2. Provide a consistent system for ongoing evaluation and program improvement:
   1. Identify the current status of district technology
   2. Gather input from the school community as the plan is developed and implemented
3. Establish yearly review of new software, hardware, and networking needs
4. Use technology effectively to improve student learning
5. Improve district, school and classroom management

return to top

Early instructional technology goals focused on ways to:

1. Enable students to use technology as a tool for learning
2. Provide access to computers and other educational technology to all Swift River students at every grade level
3. Provide up-to-date technologies in sufficient quantities for all students and staff
4. Provide quality facilities and flexible access to technology necessary to accommodate student and staff needs
5. Provide staff with encouragement, training time, and resources to use technology effectively
6. Integrate technology into all areas of the curriculum
7. Increase each teacher's repertoire of instructional strategies through the application of technology
8. Increase staff and student productivity through the use of technology

We have met those goals and several others as we continue to strengthen the school's technology program to address the educational needs of our diverse student population, improve student achievement, provide compelling student-centered classroom experience, and help teachers, instructional aides, and paraprofessionals assimilate technology in their day-to-day instruction.

return to top

Benchmark 1: Vision and Mission Statement
B1.A. Mission, Vision, and General Technology Goals
School Mission
Swift River School strives to provide a learning environment in which each child has the opportunity to develop:

1. Knowledge and skills in all areas of the school curriculum
2. Generalized skills, including skills of questioning, problem solving, formulation of hypotheses, generalization and analysis
3. Basic communication and listening skills
4. Skills of personal expression through writing and the arts
5. The ability to apply knowledge effectively
6. Good work habits, high standards of performance, and a sense of personal responsibility towards choices and decisions within the school environment
7. Human relationships skills
8. A sense of community in which human diversity and individual differences can be respected, appreciated and nourished
9. The capacity and desire for lifelong learning

return to top

School Vision
Swift River School is committed to certain principles of learning:

1. We provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum and believe that children become ready to learn particular skills and concepts at different times and at different rates.
2. We provide high quality learning experiences and believe that children have the capacity to become independent, self-directed and self-disciplined learners.
3. We provide a multi-sensory differentiated curriculum and believe that children learn in many different ways: by mastering information presented orally by the teacher or in written form through books, articles and worksheets; and by doing, that is, by exploring, experimenting and engaging in a variety of hands-on experiences.

Guiding values at the school underscore the importance of developing the whole child. We strive to cultivate a lifelong love of learning, while nurturing intellectual curiosity, academic growth, and aesthetic sensibility. We want our children to become caring, respectful, and ethical citizens. We foster the development of critical thinking because our youngsters should become wise decision-makers capable of independent thought and rational problem solving. We frame instruction around student-centered teaching practices in a physically and emotionally safe environment to give all children the confidence they need to take on new challenges and responsibilities. We encourage quality work and meaningful achievement, so that everyone can experience the powerful sense of accomplishment that comes from caring deeply and working hard.

Charged with teaching our students to access, manipulate, and analyze information in greater depth than ever before, Swift River administrators, teachers, instructional aides, paraprofessionals, and parents strongly support the integration of technology with our core curricula to deepen and enrich learning. To equip our young learners with the technology skills they need to manage, store, and sort the information overload they confront on a daily basis, and to prepare them for challenges they are likely to face as young adults, we focus on digital tools that facilitate effective organization, exploration, and communication.

Technology makes learning more relevant in an electronic age. It enhances and extends classroom teaching, enabling students to access, apply, share and present information in very effective ways across a varied and extensive range of subject areas. It helps teachers customize instruction to meet diverse student needs.

return to top

All students at the school benefit from the increased availability of flexible technology supports for reading, writing, research, science, social studies and math. Integrating technology tools allows us to extend the pool of flexible instructional opportunities available for learning success. For example, evidence from teacher assessments indicates that the quality and quantity of student writing improves across the learning spectrum when students use computers for writing. AlphaSmart keyboards, word processors, text-to-speech screen readers, word predictors, and graphic organizers allow students to produce more and better work than possible with just paper and pencil. They spend less time handwriting multiple drafts and more time revising their work to elaborate, enrich, clarify, and organize ideas. They draft longer, neater text with fewer spelling and grammatical errors. Their work becomes easier to proofread and edit.

Visual learners who struggle with organizational issues benefit from brainstorming with concept mapping software. Learners, who experience difficulties with fine motor coordination, spelling, note-taking or handwriting, appreciate how technology tools give them more time to focus on ideas, express thoughts, and revise written work. Advanced students, quick to master the concepts and ideas presented in class can use the self-paced, semi-autonomous instructional design of subject-specific software to attain even higher levels of academic achievement.

At Swift River, technology tools support educational practice, motivate learning, improve attitudes toward learning, and facilitate assistive intervention. The emphasis we place on technological fluency has increased since we penned our first five-year technology plan (1996-2001) because scientifically-based research conducted as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 shows a positive relationship between effective technology integration and higher student achievement (Waddoups 2004).

We believe it is crucial that our students, teachers, instructional aides, and paraprofessionals have every opportunity to use computers and related equipment to enhance the learning environment, provide compelling classroom teaching and learning tools, and improve administrative efficiency. To provide a road map for continued technology integration at the school over the next three years, our Technology Plan (2004-2007): 1) identifies technology resources that support specific curriculum objectives, 2) proposes that we continue to align our technology resources with the Massachusetts Recommended Pre-K-12 Instructional Technology Standards (http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards/itstand.pdf), and 3) outlines the methods we intend to use to assess the extent to which we have successfully integrated appropriate technology supports throughout the curriculum.

This document summarizes our plan to:

• Phase in new technology
• Apply for E-rate reimbursement for Telecommunication Services, Internet Access and Internal Connections
• Provide technical support to maintain existing equipment
• Replace older equipment
• Facilitate Internet access and research
• Manage library holdings through a centralized electronic database
• Handle record keeping (tracking several types of student data, analyzing standardized test scores and reporting to the Massachusetts DOE (Department of Education))
• Train teachers in how to use our full complement of technology resources in order to equip them with skills they need to assimilate technology in classroom instruction
• Align our technology program with the MA DOE recommended technology instructional standards

return to top

Technology Achievements in 2003-2004
Our technology program continues to be a work in progress but each year adds new successes. In 2003-2004 we introduced schoolwide T-1 Internet access making it possible for several teachers and students to go online simultaneously. We also introduced one wireless access point to increase the flexibility of Internet and network access in the school library and technology lab. While wireless access is not a viable solution for all computers in the school (because of bandwidth slowdown and the fact that only newer computers have built-in wireless circuitry), wireless does allow suitably equipped computers to connect to the school network, print to network printers, and access the Internet without being hard-wired to a network access point (i.e., Cat5 drop). We also installed a more robust firewall that does double-duty as our Internet content filter.

Every classroom has at least two network connected, Internet-ready, multimedia computers. Our technology lab contains 3 scanners, two laser printers (one that prints in color and one that generates black and white copy in several sizes including 11-inches by 17-inches), an overhead LCD projector for group lessons, 22 workstations (consisting of five eMacs and 17 iMacs), and one G4 Macintosh server running OS 9.1 and AppleShare 6.3.3 server software. Our adjoining library has a Pentium III Dell XPS 1000 workstation running Windows ME to accommodate Windows-based special education software.

return to top

Funding for hardware, software, and technology professional development continues to impact classroom teaching practices in a positive way. Thanks to sustained technology mentoring and professional development efforts (facilitated in part by the integration of an LCD overhead presentation system) we've increased the technology comfort level of teachers and staff. Teachers have grown more positive toward hardware and software integration, recognizing the value of using technology supports to reinforce and enrich classroom curriculum and to promote the understanding of important concepts, facilitate research, and solve problems. Teachers increasingly encourage their students to use word processors, scanners, spreadsheets, electronic presentation software, concept mapping software, digital cameras, microscopes and image editors as tools for learning, research, data analysis, collaboration and critical thinking.

We align the technology program in the lab with the Recommended Instructional Technology Standards (http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards/itstand.pdf) elaborated by the MA DOE. Thus, we provide grade-appropriate instruction in keyboarding, scanning, image editing, digital photography, word processing, spreadsheet operations, information management, desktop publishing, electronic presentations, and Internet research. Our goal is to provide opportunities for meaningful learning. We teach students to work with computers and related technology rather than concentrating our efforts on teaching them about the technology. We use the technology to complement, reinforce and extend the standards-based curriculum in place in each classroom. Activities in the lab are designed to engage and facilitate higher-order thinking, reinforce inquiry-based learning, and provide a strong foundation for the wide range of academic skills students must know. We also model and teach legal and ethical practices related to technology use, promote safe and healthy use of technology resources, and require our students to honor resource copyrights and cite the Internet sources they use for homework assignments and research reports.

return to top

Technology Goals for 2004-2007

To develop a vision and policy for integrating technology across the grade levels Rationale: An important step in helping students achieve high academic standards is to provide them with the tools and support they need for learning. Technology can reinforce, enhance and extend classroom curriculum and help students master the skills and knowledge they need for living and working in a technology-rich world. It is important to provide students, teachers, staff and administrators with adequate hands-on technology training to improve learning, increase learning options, and facilitate alternative assessment.

Goal 7, Swift River School Improvement Plan, 2004-05

Swift River is a school where standards-based content and project-based learning form the heart of children's educational experiences. We are also committed to improving student scores on MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) and other standardized tests. Computers and related technology tools support this high-quality instruction. We integrate technology neither as an end in itself nor for rote learning, but to engage and facilitate cognitive processing, reorganize and restructure how students think, construct new experiences and interpretations, and motivate higher achievement for all students (from mainstream to the challenged and gifted) across the learning spectrum. In 2004-2007, we will continue to foster a technology-enriched constructivist (Jonassen 2000) learning environment and school culture, teaching children to use computers to represent, manipulate and reflect on what they know, take responsibility for structuring their own knowledge, and provide outlets for alternative ways of thinking.

To this end the school remains committed to funding local technology initiatives, supporting efforts that maintain and grow our technology infrastructure, safeguard current technology investment, replace aging and ineffective equipment, and ensure the inclusion of technology supports, procedures, and policies at the instructional and administrative levels.

return to top

Specifically, our technology goals for 2004-2007 are to:

• Expand the use of computers as cognitive tools that enhance, extend, amplify and restructure the way students think
• Ensure that we have sufficient assistive technology tools to meet the needs of our learning challenged students
• Explore new ways in which technology can help make learning more accessible for all students
• Identify new ways to make more effective use of the Internet for teaching and learning
• Replace aging Macintosh workstations with computers that meet the DOE's specifications of Type "A" computers
• Upgrade and convert lab and classroom computers running the older Macintosh OS 9.x Operating System to the new OS X Operating System
• Upgrade and convert the school file server from OS 9.x and AppleShare 6.3.3 to OS X and OS X server
• Install a second hard drive in the server for increased storage capabilities and easier backups
• Upgrade our network infrastructure to optimize speed and data handling by replacing older 10BASE T hubs capable of transferring data at speeds up to 10 Mbps (megabits or millions of bits per second) to "smart" 10Mbps-100Mbps switches capable of transferring data at speeds of 100 Mbps depending on the capabilities of the connecting device
• Assign every student in grades 3-6 an AlphaSmart keyboard to improve writing skills. The keyboard allows children to word process (and revise existing work) both in school and at home. It facilitates writing and editing and frees up the school's limited number of computers for other tasks.
• Train teachers, instructional aides, and paraprofessionals to use a variety of technology tools for high-quality teaching and learning
• Maintain and regularly update the school Web site with news and important information about the school
• Ensure the school Web site includes an up-to-date list of places where students and staff can access the Internet after school hours
• Continue to evaluate the school's technology resources in relation to district educational goals to ensure the technology line items in the budget include sufficient funding for staffing, hardware, software, professional development, technical support, annual maintenance contracts, and contracted services that meet the needs of students, teachers, and administrators at the school
• Draft a formal plan for Technology Hardware and Software Upgrade and Replacement

return to top

Instructional Technology Goals for 2004-2007
Technology-based learning activities integrated with classroom curriculum can transform learning, helping students do their work more efficiently and quickly. Technology also has the power to motivate interest and deliver instructional supports. In our efforts to foster higher-order thinking, reinforce inquiry-based learning, and synchronize lab activities with instruction in the K-6 classrooms, we will continue to strengthen and develop our technology curriculum to align with content standards set by the state for all subject areas across all grade levels.

With the Massachusetts Recommended Pre-K-12 Instructional Technology Standards (2001) as our guide for the technology program at the school, we teach students the skills they need to:

1. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of computers and applications as well as an understanding of concepts underlying hardware software and connectivity (Standard 1)
2. Demonstrate responsible use of technology and an understanding of ethics and safety issues in using electronic media (Standard 2)
3. Demonstrate ability to use technology for research, problem-solving, and communication (Standard 3)

We provide instruction in word processing, spreadsheet operations, electronic presentations, scanning, image editing, file management, keyboarding, and Internet research. Students learn to operate and take care of the equipment. They also learn about the social, ethical, and legal issues surrounding the use of technology (including copyright, plagiarism, and personal safety in cyberspace).

In 2001-2002 Swift River applied for and received a Technology Literacy Challenge Grant for Writes of Passage: Integrating AlphaSmart Keyboards in Language Arts, Fund Code 612: Adopting Best Technology Practices/Programs (Massachusetts Department of Education). This project enabled the school to purchase 30 AlphaSmart keyboards to support English Language Arts learning standards and improve the quality and quantity of student writing. We also used grant monies to provide technology professional development training classroom teachers in how to integrate these keyboards in lessons involving process writing. Children noted how the keyboards make it easier for them to write and revise their work. Teachers observed how Swift River students who use AlphaSmart keyboards demonstrate increased enthusiasm for writing, spending substantially more out-of-class time on writing homework. All fourth graders at the school and several fifth and sixth graders continue to use AlphaSmart keyboards for process writing. Our goal in 2004-2007 is to increase the school's keyboard inventory so that we can assign keyboard to every third-sixth grader.

With increased emphasis placed on using the Internet for research and communication, our fast T-1 broadband telecommunications infrastructure should stand us in good stead. We teach students how to search for information, question its reliability, check multiple sources to ensure accuracy, and communicate with professional experts through email. We also provide teachers with Internet tools and resources they can use to supplement, enhance, reinforce and assess the content they teach in their classrooms.

We will continue to harness Internet resources for teaching and learning, taking advantage of the interactive learning activities at Web sites like Edheads: Activate Your Mind (http://www.edheads.org/) to enhance a grade 6 unit on Simple Machines and Memorial Hall Museum's Online American Centuries: View from New England (http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/home.html) to explore themes in the history of New England by viewing virtual representations of artifacts and documents in the museum's collection. We enrich classroom lessons by incorporating digital video offerings downloaded from Discovery Education's United Streaming (http://unitedstreaming.com/). We teach about online safety by having students explore Disney Online's Surf Swell Island - Adventures in Internet Safety (http://www.disney.go.com/surfswell) and CyberNetiquette Comix (http://www.disney.com/cybernetiquette/). First and second graders learn about monarch butterflies by following insect sightings and migrations at Journey North: A Global Study of Wildlife Migration and Seasonal Change (http://www.learner.org/jnorth/). Fourth graders learn more about anadromous fish of the Connecticut with help from Kids Web: Salmon Challenge (http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/salmonch.htm). Other sites support classroom instruction in math, cultural diversity, reading, and process writing.

return to top

B1.B. Technology Team
It takes a community to "grow" a technology plan. Our current plan represents the collaborative efforts of many, including the school's technology coordinator and tech staff, the school principal, classroom teachers, SPED teachers, paraprofessionals, the District superintendent, plus local Town officials, families and members of the community. Charged with the task of accommodating an increasingly diverse student population, we are united in the common goals of integrating technology more effectively to improve teaching and learning and providing more educational opportunities for all students.

return to top

B1.C. Budget-Technology Expenditures (July 1, 2004-June 30, 2007)
1) Technology lines in the budget pay for items such as the one-day/week FTE contracted services of a technology coordinator and a full-time technology instructional aide. We also allocate funds for hardware, software, supplies, maintenance, telecommunications, and networking.

2) In 2003-2004, we spent the following amounts on technology integration (not including telecommunications):

3) We will continue to include line items for technology staffing, hardware, software, professional development, support and contracted services in the school/district operational budget whenever funds permit, leveraging the use of federal, state, and private resources to supplement our technology budget needs whenever possible.

return to top

Materials and Services Procured through the E-rate Discount Program
With the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted an Order in May 1997 creating the E-rate program to ensure that eligible schools and libraries have affordable access to Telecommunication Services (local and long-distance telephone costs), Internet Access and Internal Connections (networking infra-structure and equipment). Under the program, schools receive discounts ranging from 20% to 90%. Based on calculations that take into account rural/urban status, total number of students at the school, and the total number of students eligible for the National School Lunch Program, Swift River's discount rate to date stands at 60%. Only schools at the 90% discount rate secure rebates and discounts on Internal Connections.

return to top

Compliance with Chapter 30B of the MA General Laws with Respect to Technology Purchases (http://www.mass.gov/ig/igch30b.htm)
In general, Chapter 30B applies to bids and contracts for supplies and services, establishing uniform procedures for schools, school districts, and other public entities that wish to contract for supplies, equipment, and services for contracts under $5,000. Chapter 30B also specifies solicitation procedures for contracts in amounts less than $25,000 (we must obtain three quotes) and competitive sealed bids or proposals for contracts of $25,000 or more. Swift River is aware of Chapter 30B procedures and also of the role OSD (Operational Services Division) plays in overseeing the purchase of IT (Information Technology) Equipment, Supplies and Services for Hardware and Network Integration Services, Software and Telecommunications equipment (http://www.mass.gov/portal/index.jsp?pageID=agcc&agid
=osd&agca=about&agcc=ao_whatwedo). We have also complied with the requirement to acquire an FCC (Federal Communications Commission) Registration Number (FRN) required for any person or entity conducting business with the FCC or applying for E-rate (see below) discounts. We understand that this number will be used as our unique identifier in all transactions with the FCC.

For the last 7 years (1998-2005), Swift River has received thousands of dollars in E-rate rebates and discounts. We will continue to apply for E-rate reimbursements and discounts for Telecommunication Services (local and long-distance telephone costs), Internet Access, Web hosting, and Internal Connections (networking infra-structure and related equipment) where applicable. Line items in the school's local budget pay for the non-discounted portion of previously listed items.

return to top

B1.D. Evaluation
Technology is a dynamic environment rapidly changing with the introduction of new tools to access and manage the ever-expanding world of information. The specifics of school and district technology goals for 2004-2007 will certainly change as we perceive new needs and refine our views of technological literacy. This plan is subject to annual review, revision and updating in response to benchmark achievements in areas such as infrastructure, broadband Internet access, and instructional delivery and also in response to the development of new tools for teaching and learning.

Each year, Swift River tech staff, principal and superintendent evaluate the progress the school has made in implementing its technology plan in an effort to learn from past lessons, review our progress in meeting state and local technology benchmarks, and consider revisions in relation to changes in local curriculum, technology, policy (local, state, and national level), financial circumstances and any other relevant developments. To plan for next steps, we distribute an annual parent survey inviting comments about the technology curriculum and present our technology plan to the School Committee. In addition, we consult with classroom teachers to determine both curriculum and instruction technology needs and technology professional training needs. Ongoing discussions take place throughout the year at staff meetings where teachers are invited to express their technology needs, air concerns about the program, and make contributions to our Technology Plan.

The technology coordinator keeps an updated inventory of school hardware and software, ensures that all maintenance agreements with technology vendors are renewed and/or updated and stays alert to infrastructure needs. Finally, Swift River tech staff regularly evaluates students' progress with respect to particular technology skills. Our measures include tests, projects, and informal observations of student behavior.

return to top

Benchmark 2: Teacher and Student Use of Technology
B2.A Teacher and Student Use of Technology
Our current level of technology integration is moderate but increasing. All students and teachers have access to computers in their classrooms and the computer lab. We estimate that:

1. a. Outside the Classroom: 60% of staff uses technology nearly every day for professional activities, lesson planning, administrative tasks, communications and collaboration. By the end of the 2006-2007 school year, we hope to increase this percentage to 85% or more.
1. b. Within the Classroom: 65% of Swift River staff uses instructional technology with students for activities such as research, multimedia tutorials, data interpretation, image editing, and communications. By the end of the 2006-2007 school year, we hope to increase this percentage to 85% or more.
2. 80% of students in grades 5 to 8 have mastered the skills listed in the Massachusetts Recommended PreK-12 Instructional Technology Standards for Grades 5 to 8. By the end of the 2006-2007 school year, we hope to increase this percentage to 85% or more.
3. 67% of educators who took the TSAT ranked at the Early Technology level of progress; 33% ranked at the Advanced level. Our goal is to have at least 90% of our educators reach the Proficient Tech level of progress by the end of the 2006-2007 school year.
4. CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act). To be eligible for E-Rate discounts along with federal and state technology funding, every school district is required to have a long-range, strategic technology plan approved by the Department of Education. The plan (a copy of which must be on file locally) must include a full description of the district's technology implementation strategies. To comply with this regulation, New Salem/Wendell school district files an electronic report with the Massachusetts DOE summarizing the school's progress in implementing its technology plan and certifying compliance with the requirements of CIPA.

return to top

Overview of CIPA Compliance
" ...CIPA was signed into law on December 21, 2000. Under CIPA, no school or library may receive discounts unless it certifies that it is enforcing a policy of Internet safety that includes the use of filtering or blocking technology (see below). This Internet Safety Policy must protect against access, through computers with Internet access, to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or (in the case of use by minors) harmful to minors. The school or library must also certify that it is enforcing the operation of such filtering or blocking technology during any use of such computers by minors. The law is effective for Funding Year 2001 (07/01/2001 to 06/30/2002) and for all future years" (http://www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/CIPA.asp).

We have purchased a SonicWall firewall to protect our network. This Internet appliance is outfitted with a content filter that blocks inappropriate sites. SonicWall maintains and regularly updates its content filtering database. It automatically passes those updates through to our firewall device. Each year, to remain compliant with CIPA regulations, we renew our content filtering subscription and block access to inappropriate sites. In addition we have posted a copy of our Internet Use Policy on our school Web site (http://www.swiftriver.k14.mass.edu/acceptableuse/acceptable_use.html). This policy is included below for reference.

return to top

Acceptable Use Policy Regarding Internet Use

Protecting Swift River Students
From Inappropriate Internet Material

Bringing the Internet into the classroom motivates learning, while opening new educational possibilities. Connecting students to the "Net" encourages them to consult online references, obtain timely news updates, and take advantage of information available for research and other assignments. Thanks to electronic mail, youngsters can collaborate and share ideas, asking questions of peers, scientists, authors, and professional "experts" all over the world.

The benefits obtained from going online are many and varied. To ensure a happy, healthy, and productive Internet experience for Swift River students, while blocking access to inappropriate online information and preventing children from becoming the victims of predatory Internet users, Swift River recognizes the importance of online supervision and common sense advice.

To this end, we have set certain guidelines for Internet use. Students at Swift River are not permitted to:

• Go online without adult supervision
• Give out identifying information (such as home address, school name or telephone numbers) in public message areas, chat rooms, or bulletin boards
• Arrange face-to-face meetings with other computer users; or
• Respond to messages that are suggestive, threatening, and otherwise inappropriate.

Currently, students access the Internet from all Swift River computers. Students use sites recommended by their teachers or the technology staff, and are closely supervised as they research topics specified by their classroom teachers.

Smooth operation of the network depends upon proper conduct of users. Students must adhere to strict Internet Use guidelines if the service is to continue at the school. These guidelines are outlined below so there will be no misunderstanding of the responsibilities associated with proper Internet behavior. Any student who violates these responsibilities will no longer be given permission to go online and future access to the Internet might also be denied.

return to top

Internet -- Terms and Conditions of Use

Acceptable Use:

The purpose of the school Internet program is to support research and education by providing access to unique resources and the opportunity for collaborative work. Your Internet behavior must be consistent with these educational objectives.

Privileges:
Internet access is a privilege, not a right. Inappropriate use will result in cancellation of those privileges. The system administrator may close an account at any time. The administration, faculty, and staff of SWIFT RIVER may request the system administrator to deny, revoke, or suspend specific user accounts.

Network Etiquette:
You are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Be polite.
• Use appropriate language.
• Do not reveal your personal address or phone number, or the addresses and phone numbers of friends and other students.
• Do not use the network in such a way as to disrupt its use for others.

Security:
Security on any computer system is a high priority, especially when the system involves many users. If you feel you can identify a security problem on the Internet, you must notify a teacher or the SWIFT RIVER Technology Coordinator. Do not demonstrate the problem to other users. Attempting to log on to the Internet as a system administrator will result in cancellation of Internet privileges. Any user identified as a security risk or having a history of problems with school computers may be denied Internet access.

Vandalism:
Any attempt to harm or destroy another user's Internet files or computer data will result in cancellation of Internet access privileges.

SWIFT RIVER makes no warranties of any kind for the Internet service it provides. The school will not be responsible for any damages you suffer as a result of Internet access. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, or service interruptions. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at your own risk.

SWIFT RIVER specifically disclaims any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through Internet access.

* * *

return to top

Swift River teachers see a positive value in weaving technology into instructional delivery. Several of their technology integration projects have received both state and national recognition:

• The Massachusetts Department of Education selected Fly Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee (our project-based first grade insect curriculum) as its featured Life Science Integrated Learning Scenario: Technology-Enriched Insect Studies for Grades One and Two and showcased this model technology project in the Recommended PreK-12 Instructional Technology Standards (October, 2001, pp. 18-19).
• Adobe Corporation's Educational Division selected Linda Ruel Flynn's Georgia O'Keeffe art project (grades 1 and 2) for showcasing on the Adobe Education Web site (http://www.adobe.com/education/gallery/swiftriver/main.html). In Linda's class, students used Adobe Photoshop to create new digital artworks from their own hand-painted flower images inspired by their classroom science curriculum on plants and Georgia O'Keeffe extravagantly beautiful flower paintings.

Two of the 19 model projects showcased by the Massachusetts Department of Education in Using Technology to Improve Student Learning: A Toolkit for School Leaders, Fall 2004 (http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/toolkit/) were created by Swift River teachers:

• History and Social Science: Uncovering the Quabbin (http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/toolkit/practices/nsq/intro.htm). As part of the Massachusetts History Unit, Pat Convery's third grade class conducted an in-depth study of the Quabbin. Students developed historical research skills using primary source materials and artifacts and technology skills to help make sense of the data. They also created a Web site (http://www.swiftriver.k14.mass.edu/quabbin/index.html) presenting four areas of study: a) the Swift River towns before the flood, b) the controversy of Boston taking the land for a water supply, c) the area after the Quabbin was formed, and d) wildlife of the area as it is today.
• Arts-Georgia O'Keeffe Inspired Art (http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/toolkit/practices/salem/intro.htm). Linda Ruel Flynn's first and second grade project using Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings as inspiration. As noted above, students create their own artwork, then scan and manipulate their drawings in Adobe Photoshop.

Quabbin and O'Keeffe projects met rigorous criteria for inclusion in the Promising Practices in Massachusetts Schools section of the Using Technology to Improve Student Learning Toolkit:

return to top

Illustrations of Student Technology Use
The technology guidelines set forth in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks recommend developing basic technology skills that students can apply to real-life situations. Swift River School has made progress in this area. We are well on the way to engaging students in challenging and stimulating applications through our use of the computers for history, geography, scientific research, and communicating with professional experts through e-mail.

Each Swift River class (grades 1-6) has 2 weekly lab times ranging from 45-60 min. Kindergarten has a single class time of 60 minutes, but we split the class so each student gets a 30 minute session. During these class periods, we provide formal instruction in basic technology skills.

For example, Kindergarten students learn basic computer skills by working with multimedia software designed to teach early math, reading, and writing skills. They also learn to keyboard, how to turn the computer on and off, use the mouse, and create artwork to illustrate the numerous content-based projects they work on in their classrooms. Older students receive formal instruction in keyboarding, word processing, scanning, image editing, electronic presentations, spreadsheets, graphing, desktop publishing, and Internet research. They also visit the lab to work on homework assignments.

In 2004-2005 Swift River School teamed with Shutesbury Elementary to work on a joint project called: On the "Write" Path to Literacy: Field Guides by Kids for Kids. The schools jointly applied for and received a Massachusetts Educational Technology Fund Code 165 Model Technology Integration Grant.

This standards-driven English Language Arts (ELA) project engages 4th graders at both schools in authentic tech-rich instruction to help them become better writers. Students research, write, and produce beautifully crafted illustrated field guides to local geology and ecology. Their work involves substantial reading, research, writing, constructive group critique, revising, and sharing. Technology tools such as word processors, AlphaSmart keyboards, digital cameras, scanners, Internet research, text-to-speech screen readers, word predictors, graphic organizers, and laser printers enhance curriculum instruction by providing effective tools to support and strengthen writing achievement. The technology also makes it easier for teachers to customize instruction to meet diverse student needs.

return to top

Technology Curriculum Specifics
Kindergartners and first graders complete several activities designed to help them learn the names of common computer components such as monitor, mouse and keyboard. They also learn their way around the keyboard, practicing with Type to Learn Jr., a fun game with entertaining animated characters. As student progress through program lessons, typing demands remain constant; but activities reinforcing letter recognition require the use of some reading skills.

Other applications reinforce basic geometric shapes (circles, ovals, rectangles, squares and triangles), counting, sorting, matching, sequencing, pattern recognition, concentration, memory building, and traditional number operations. Students use computer tools to practice letter recognition (shapes and sounds), upper and lower case letters, words, and sentence formation. For example, they may work with Scholastic's I Spy: School Day to search for hidden items within a picture or Daisy Quest to reinforce rhyming skills, and beginning, middle and ending sounds. Both programs serve as valuable literacy tools and support the development of hand-eye coordination skills. We assess skill development by their progression through a program or project.

Students work with Kid Pix to draw symmetrical images and lines of symmetry. We also use this program to introduce more complex processing functions such as insertion of text boxes, keyboarding and layout and design. The use of Kid Pix in kindergarten gives students the opportunity to prepare for the extensive use of the program in first and second grade as a support for literacy, math, critical thinking, visual art and organization. First and second graders, for example, might use Kid Pix to create an anatomically correct insect complete with text labels that identify body parts.

Second graders work with computers to reinforce and extend classroom content. For example, when they study balance and motion in their FOSS science, we have them use Kid Pix to create a circle-shaped label for a spinner/top. They print, cut and glue their design to the label side of a discarded CD, then insert a 3-inch wooden dowel through the CD hole to complete the spinner. The activity not only teaches them to use the Kid Pix drawing tools (e.g., stamps, lines, color) but also strengthens visual art and critical thinking skills. Second graders might also use Kid Pix to draw a picture for word webs and story writing.

return to top

Third and fourth grade students continue to practice keyboarding, working with a program called Type to Learn to build typing speed and accuracy. We introduce them to Microsoft Word, teach them what toolbars are and how they work and explore basic word processing features. They learn to type within the program, make font, type size and type style changes, and work with headers, footers, page numbers and margins. To be successful users of Microsoft Word, students must remember many multi-step word processing functions, become proficient keyboarders, and learn to work comfortably with several printers. Students become familiar with basic electronic file management as they learn to access the school's network file server, save their work to their personal folder on the server, and retrieve their work at a later date. We teach them how to use the Internet as a learning tool by having them do research related to classroom content. We also teach them how to use Microsoft PowerPoint to share and showcase their work electronically.

In fourth through six grades, students continue with keyboarding, word processing and Internet research. They learn to use the scanner and digital camera, work with digital images in Adobe Photoshop and develop formatting, text box and picture insertion skills so they can use their digital scans or photos in reports and other documents. They strengthen electronic file management skills, learn how to present their work electronically, and become adept at citing Internet and other research sources. They may also use a mapping program to accommodate and display history and geography information introduced in the classroom.

Fifth and sixth graders are well on their way to using computers as tools. For example, fifth graders recently completed a very exciting activity focusing on data analysis, statistics, and probability mapped to state content standards. The Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Framework requires these youngsters to engage in problem solving, communicating, reasoning, connecting, and representing. So in a unit on pie charts, Damon Douglas (the classroom teacher) had some students investigate vehicles in the school parking lot (model types, colors, and exterior cleanliness). Others students worked with computers to analyze the results of Democratic Presidential primaries held in local towns (Wendell, Amherst, Gardner, Holyoke, Greenfield, Leverett and Warwick). Both groups applied state-mandated curriculum standards to real-world problem solving. Students who worked with computers used Microsoft Excel to generate and group data, record the data in frequency tables, interpret the tables, and create very professional-looking and accurate graphs.

return to top

B2.B. Staffing
Staffing for the technology program at Swift River consists of a one-day/week FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) Technology Coordinator and a full-time technology aide.

The technology aide works with students and teachers in the technology lab to implement the technology curriculum, find Internet resources suitable for meaningful learning, and assist with equipment operation. She queries teachers, instructional aides and paraprofessionals about their plans for classroom projects and in consultation with the technology coordinator frames lab-based instructional activities to support classroom instruction. In addition, she logs hardware and software issues and troubleshoots minor operating problems.

The Technology Coordinator wears many hats. Her job responsibilities require her to:

• Maintain the school-wide network
• Perform regular backups of mission critical data stored on various servers
• Install Operating System updates, patches, and fixes
• Install applications, software maintenance updates, patches, upgrades, and fixes
• Annually write, update, and file (online) the school Technology Plan
• Develop and teach technology projects aligned with classroom curriculum and Massachusetts learning standards
• Provide software and hardware training to teachers, instructional aides, paraprofessionals, administrators, and students
• Purchase, set up and install new computers (and other hardware) and ensure all works well and connects to the school network
• Set up all workstations for Internet
• Maintain a firewall to keep out malicious intruders and safeguard network security
• Implement Internet filtering in compliance with CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act)
• Help teachers, instructional aides, paraprofessionals and staff with software and hardware problems and questions
• Troubleshoot equipment problems and software glitches and obtain technical support if necessary
• Ensure malfunctioning equipment is either repaired or replaced
• Apply for e-Rate funding from the Schools and Libraries Division for Internet access, telecommunications, and internal connections
• Maintain an inventory of school computers with serial numbers and warranty expiration dates
• Write technology grant applications
• Create, maintain and update the school Web site
• Attend professional and MA DOE workshops and meetings to represent the school and keep up with important new developments in educational technology
• Participate in hiring searches for technology staff
• Be available to answer technology-related questions and troubleshoot problems when off-site

return to top

Benchmark 3: Technology Training and Professional Development

return to top

B3.A. Technology Professional Development provided by our District
In keeping with the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) and Performance Indicators for teachers, specialists and paraprofessionals (http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/t_stands.html), SR believes that educators at the school should be prepared to meet the following technology standards and performance indicators:

• Demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts
• Plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology.
• Implement curriculum plans that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning.
• Apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies
• Use technology to enhance productivity and professional practice
• Understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-6 schools and apply that understanding in practice.

The technology team at SR provides teachers, instructional aides, paraprofessionals, and administrators with regular, sustained, and ongoing technology professional development. Our Swift River teachers and professional staff continue to make great strides with technology integration activities designed to reinforce and enhance their classroom teaching.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to provide students with technology-based learning opportunities or teach them the technology skills they need to know to use computers as tools for learning, without supporting teachers, instructional aides, and paraprofessionals with high-quality professional development consisting of coaching, modeling best practices, and mentoring. To facilitate technology integration across the curriculum, we provide technology training, drawing on concepts of universal design and research-derived models to help teachers and staff:

1. Plan, design, and implement effective technology-rich learning environments and instructional strategies
2. Create lessons and implement instructional activities comprising methods and strategies for utilizing technology to maximize student learning
3. Use computers to communicate, locate, and manage information and foster the learning of core educational content
4. Utilize technology strategies in assessment and evaluation, and
5. Harness technology to improve personal productivity and optimize professional practice.

By June 2007, at least 85% of teachers, instructional aides and paraprofessionals at Swift River will have participated in 45 hours of high-quality technology professional development covering technology skills and technology integration in instruction. Our professional development planning includes an assessment of school and teacher needs. It is based on competencies listed in the Massachusetts Technology Self-Assessment Tool (http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards/sa_tool.html). Limited funding in 2003-04 allowed for only one formal technology workshop. But nearly 25% of our staff attended to learn how to use Microsoft PowerPoint to create an electronic quick response word test. Swift River's technology staff regularly offered professional development training in the form of mentoring and one-on-one instruction. About 90% of our staff took advantage of this type of professional assistance, expressing appreciation for receiving personalized support and instruction to meet their technology needs.

We design our technology mentoring to help teachers: 1) become more proficient with the applications and equipment that they use, 2) solve problems, 3) learn to be more technology self-sufficient, and 4) take more advantage of applications they use on a daily basis. They may learn how to set tab stops in Word, scan documents, add text to a digital photo, burn CD backups, and more. We have also taught our SPED teachers to use screen readers (i.e., applications that read aloud the text that displays on screen), graphic organizers, and word predictors.

return to top

Thanks to professional development resources available through Uncovering the Quabbin (Massachusetts Educational Technology Fund Code 165 Model Technology Integration Grant), we could support Pat Convery in developing additional content for her Quabbin History unit. Ms. Convery learned to locate appropriate online teaching materials to support the project. Her students developed both technology and historical research skills. Youngsters learn the history of both the Quabbin Reservoir and their local towns by conducting Internet research and working with primary source materials such as government documents, maps, photographs, diaries, and oral histories. Mickey Cutting, curator of the Petersham and Pelham Historical Societies, visited Ms. Convery's class weekly as a professional expert on Quabbin historical artifacts.

We expect to continue providing regular, sustained and ongoing technology support and professional development training to staff following the one-on-one mentoring model that works so well at our school. We also intend to provide hands-on interactive workshops delivered on an as need basis. For example, in 2004-05 we will offer two full-day technology professional development workshops during the school year and three full-days of workshop training during the summer. We estimate that 30-40% of our staff will participate in one or more of these full-day trainings.

return to top

B3.B. Topics Covered in Technology Training and Professional Development
Our goal is to give teachers and staff experience with a variety of technology tools, operations and concepts so that they may draw on this toolkit as they plan their lessons, design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities, and enhance instructional effectiveness.

Workshops offered during the 2004-5 school year will focus on:

• Marco Polo-Internet Content for the Classroom
• Web-based teacher-created lesson plans organized by subject area and grade level
• Google's Gaggle of Online Goodies (including advanced search tools, images, news, built-in calculator and language translator)
• United Streaming K-12 video clips. Sample the site's library of more than 26,000 video clips and 2,600 full video titles, correlated to MA state standards. Learn to search by curriculum standard, keyword, subject area, grade, and video title.
• Rubistar (http://rubistar.4teachers.org/) to help teachers create rubrics that measure student performance in project-based learning activities.
• TSAT (technology self-assessment tool) to help teachers "determine their own levels of technology proficiency and identify personal technology professional development needs."
• Desktop Publishing with Microsoft Word
  • Tables and Columns
  • Page Setup (Margins, Headers and Footers)
  • Text Boxes
  • Templates
• Co: Writer: Building Better Sentences
  • Collected Words and Topic Dictionaries for Individualized Support
  • Importing Words from the Internet
  • Talk Mode
• Blogs (Personal Web Logs) for Literacy Improvement
  • What is "blogging" and why students should get involved?

We plan to offer three days of technology professional development in Summer 2005 on the following topics:

• Day 1-Digital cameras, scanners, Adobe Photoshop, and working with photos in Microsoft Word
• Day 2*-Universal Design, #1: Co: Writer 4000, Write:OutLoud and text-to-screen readers;
• Day 3*-Universal Design, #2: Inspiration, Kidspiration and DraftBuilder

*Specific topics for Summer Workshop Days 2 and 3 might change, but the theme will be Universal Design.

return to top

B3.C. Technology Professional Development Plan and Activities
We look to the Massachusetts School Technology and Readiness (STaR) Chart (http://www.doe.mass.edu/boe/sac/edtech/star.html) and the Assessment of Technology Integration in a Lesson rubric developed by NETS (National Educational Technology Standards) for Teachers (http://cnets.iste.org/teachers/web/t_rubric_assess-tech.html) to set technology professional development goals, measure the success of the technology professional development trainings we provide, and obtain suggestions for subsequent training initiatives.

return to top

Technology Self-Assessment
At the beginning of every formal technology training workshop, we administer the Massachusetts Department of Education TSAT (Technology Self-Assessment Tool) available as an interactive tool online at the Department's Virtual Education Space (VES) (http://ves.doe.mass.edu/). The tool is designed to gather information on the impact of technology on teacher roles, patterns of technology use among teachers, level of technology competency, design of instructional setting, curriculum areas impacted, plus integration of universal design and assistive technologies to promote access to the general curriculum. In online format, the interactive tool makes it possible for us to access aggregated data, assess educator levels of technology proficiency, and determine professional development needs.

At Swift River, 67% of educators who took the TSAT ranked at the Early Technology level of progress; 33% ranked at the Advanced level. Our goal is to increase technology competencies of all teachers, professionals, paraprofessionals and staff at the school by providing more training and support (as technology funding permits). We want the majority of our educators reach the Proficient Tech level of progress by the end of the 2007 academic year.

return to top

Professional Development Training Evaluation Form
To assess the effectiveness of our professional development activities and plan for future trainings, we administer the following Evaluation at the end of every workshop:

Please rate the following items with a number from 5 (strongly agree) to 1 (strongly disagree).

Please circle only one rating for each item. Please give an example under each item (feel fee to continue on back)

Do you have any suggestions for improving this type of session should it be offered again?

return to top

Benchmark 4: Accessibility of Technology
B4.A. Students per Instructional Computer
At SR, the ratio of students per "A" type computer (i.e., Macintosh G4 Internet-ready multimedia computers equipped with at least 256MB RAM and capable of running virtually all current software, including the latest high-end video and graphics programs) is 52.33. The ratio of students per Type A/B computers (where B computers are Macintosh G3 Internet-ready multimedia systems equipped with at least 128MB-256MB RAM and are capable of running most software except for the latest video and graphics programs) is 4.36. Our goal is to purchase more Type A computers for students as funding permits.

return to top

Replacement Cycle
Adequate availability of computer hardware and software is essential for successful implementation of Swift River's technology program. New system software and updated computer applications constantly add features that require more powerful computers with additional memory. Some of our older computers cannot run the latest software. Others must be adapted to work with new printers, scanners, storage devices and digital cameras. Older computers become outdated because of limited processing speed. They may also lack the circuitry to take advantage of new options like wireless networking or digital video output. Hard drives fail; monitors fade; video cards, keyboards and mice stop working; laptop batteries no longer hold a charge.

Computer repairs can be costly so whenever we purchase new equipment, we also buy an extended warranty on parts and labor (if available) to safeguard our technology investment. When warranties expire and equipment stops working, it's often more economical to retire the equipment than repair it. This is because components for older computers are usually in short supply and more expensive to buy than parts for newer computers. Whenever we can, we disassemble older non-working computers to remove working components and keep those items on hand to use for replacement purposes.

Rapid changes in computer hardware and software necessitate that we devise and implement a formal replacement policy regarding total cost of ownership, hardware upgrades and equipment purchases. Without such a policy we'll end up spending extra money on direct labor to keep older equipment working when maintenance costs far outweigh computing benefits.

During 2004-2007, we plan to draft a plan for Technology Equipment Upgrade and Replacement describing purchase, upgrade and replacement policies for workstations, laptops, servers, network infrastructure, printers, digital cameras, scanners, AlphaSmart keyboards, and software at the school. Our goal is to upgrade and/or replace from 15-20% of our computers each year.

return to top

B4.B. Technical Support
At Swift River, we make a commitment to provide timely in-class technical support with clear information on how to access this support so that technical problems to not cause major disruptions in curriculum delivery. As such, we offer application technical support on an as need basis whenever teachers, instructional aides, paraprofessionals and staff ask questions about or have problems with software installed on their computers. When equipment malfunctions, we alert our technology coordinator who troubleshoots the issue and tries to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

If a problem occurs when the technology coordinator is not on-site, she takes care of it the next time she's at the school. If the problem is one that cannot wait (e.g., the school network is down, the file sever won't restart, or there is no Internet access), the school technology aide or the office secretary contacts the technology coordinator and troubleshooting proceeds immediately. Whenever an issue cannot be resolved by in-house support (because of parts that need to be replaced or hardware warranty