Tiverton School Department

Technology Plan

2004-2007

( with updates annually)

http://www.tivertonschools.org

Tiverton School Department

Technology Plan Draft 2004-2005

Prepared 5/2004

Tiverton School Department Technology Committee

Committee Members:

Ann Askew

Edward Davis

Mr. Michael Demers

Edwin Fernandez

Kathleen Finnegan

Greg Godino

Rosemary Muller

Jean Souza

Jay Szaro

Linda Tarricone

George Trudell

The purpose of the Tiverton School Department Technology Plan is to build a common understanding of our goals for using technology within the educational sector. Technology use must facilitate the work of the students, the administration, and the staff and provide a venue for them to complete their responsibilities efficiently, effectively and creatively. Students should learn about effective research using the World Wide Web and be able to create exciting projects that are improved by the use of technology. Teachers should use the Internet and presentation software in their lessons. Electronic report cards should assist them in efficiently reporting grades. Communication amongst the staff and the community through the use of e-mail and WebPages must be a routine practice. Successfully planning for all of these endeavors requires essential components…. student and staff instruction and support, curriculum integration, policy development, hardware and software (instructional and administrative), purchasing and implementation and program evaluation.

Tiverton has a total school population of 2230 students supported by a professional staff of 192 teachers and 45 non-certified support staff. The district is comprised of three elementary schools grades K-4, one middle school grades 5-8 and one high school grades 9-12. The Technology Plan is constructed for the three-year period of 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007. Considering that it is virtually impossible to predict technological trends for a three-year period, we plan to use this document as a “works in progress” and revise it on an annual basis.

Recent Planning Activities: 2003/2005

The RI Dept of Education (RIDE) has provided us with the means for a state of the art network (ATM cloud). This serves two purposes. It will provide for use of the videoconferencing equipment (grant from state) installed at Pocasset Elementary School, Ranger Elementary School and Tiverton High School and permit us to work towards the completion of our Wide Area Network (WAN). Tiverton School Department has made creation of the WAN a priority (see attached schematic). This will serve to share and centralize resources and services. It will also permit our use of the video conferencing equipment. It will optimize our connection speed that was also provided through RIDE. All schools have a T1 connection on a T3 backbone at the high school. RIDE provided the videoconferencing sites with a new router and upgraded connection speeds. We purchased a new router installed it at Fort Barton Elementary School to upgrade their connectivity. Tiverton Middle School is already equipped with a T1 connection. In order to comply with the state’s requirements for the grant, we needed to replace an erroneously installed coax cable at the high school with a fiber cable to serve as the backbone. Title II money has been allocated this year to purchase and install the fiber, purchase and install a firewall, purchase and install a centralized server and backup system and to purchase specialized assistance from a network engineer in configuring the network. Purchasing, installing and configuring a firewall will secure our network. The head-end server will also administrate the nine district servers, provide for automatic distribution of the Anti-virus software, store and process student information system files throughout the WAN and have the ability to store hard drive images for immediate client cloning. We will require the expertise of a network engineer to help us to remap and rename our Wide Area Network.

The voters of Tiverton are going to vote on a school building bond in September 2004 to construct three new elementary schools. If approved, construction will commence in the 2005/2006 school year. The outcome of this vote will determine how we proceed with our technology planning for the elementary schools. If approved, technology equipment will be included in the cost of constructing the new schools and an opportunity for optimal technology implementation exists. If defeated, we will continue to piecemeal our existing infrastructure and upgrade our existing machines. Because of the immediate need for technology at Tiverton High School and the impending bond vote, concentration of resources will begin in 2004/2005 at the high school.

2004/2005

Tiverton School Technology Department is planning on upgrading our network hardware to be compatible with the state of the art internet/networking capabilities provided to us through being a recipient of the video conferencing grant from RIDE. We will need to purchase, install and configure high speed, reliable networking hardware in order for the system to run properly.

Because of the ATM network, we will need to purchase/replace essential networking equipment (hubs to switches) in most of the buildings. Upgrades of server memory and hard drives are also planned. This will provide us with the ultimate speeds for connectivity and transfer of information packets. Barring unforeseen circumstances, this purchase should allow us compatibility for the ATM cloud. We can anticipate further upgrading this network in approximately 3 years. We can also anticipate the implementation of wireless access in the buildings in year 2005/2006, should finances permit.

2004

Three network printers were purchased and installed at each elementary school. This cost effective solution provides for centralization of printing services in the elementary schools. The stand-alone printers will no longer be purchased or serviced by the Technology Department, as they are very troublesome and expensive to maintain.

2004

Replace client machines in the math lab (20) in Tiverton High School. Seven new computers at each of the elementary schools. Replace high school library computers (6) and high school guidance office computers (4).

2004/2005

Leaders at the Tiverton Middle School have applied for funding from the Champlin foundation with the hopes of purchasing four wireless laptop (20 each with a printer) carts for integration of technology into the classroom. We will know who the recipients are in December 2004. If we are fortunate enough to be a recipient, we will develop and implement training for teachers in individual or small groups. Additionally, we will train the students on the proper care and use of the laptops.

Student Information System (SIS)

The SIS is database software that will serve multiple purposes. It will streamline the administrative functions of the Tiverton School Department, allow us to meet the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements and provide a means to meet the accountability issues in our strategic plan. Enrollment, report cards, attendance, discipline, health, special education (IEP’s, PLP’s), scheduling and state reporting are among the administrative responsibilities that the SIS software will facilitate. Additionally, it will provide a means for collecting and analyzing data that is necessary for the NCLB legislation. With the implementation of NCLB, we expect requests for data analysis to be endless. For example, we can expect to report the specifics of tracking selected students with their teachers and analyzing whether or not standards were met. We also anticipate data analysis requests involving the number of students each teacher taught per year and analysis of students’ grades on a quarterly basis from selected teachers. The SIS will also serve to collect and analyze data for the accountability issue addressed in our strategic plan. We cannot afford NOT to invest in reliable SIS software. We currently use WinSchool to address our SIS needs. The process is as follows:

WinSchool is installed separately at each school building and each building is responsible for the management and back up of student information. (We have discovered that backups by the building representatives are not conducted on a routine basis.) The network technician is then responsible for collecting and compiling this information from each building (using zip disks) and reporting the data to the state. This method of data compilation and reporting is subject to errors. The more people and steps involved in data creation and submission, the potential for inaccuracy increases

2004/2005

With the completion of the Wide Area Network we will be in a position to centralize our SIS. This year, our current SIS software (WinSchool) license has been paid. With the implementation of our WAN, we are in a most favorable situation to centralize our database and seek software that will better meet our needs for the future.

2004/2005

Pocasset Elementary School and Tiverton Middle School are in need of cases to enclose the network hardware. This expensive equipment is out in the open and readily accessible to anyone who would like to damage it. The network equipment in Fort Barton Elementary School is located in the attic. In the summertime, temperatures in the attic can exceed 100 degrees and there is an overabundance of dust and dirt. This environment is not advantageous to this expensive, sensitive equipment. The most economical means to remedy this situation would be to purchase a case that is equipped with either a fan or an air conditioning unit. It would serve as a preventative measure so we don’t experience a meltdown of equipment.

2004/2005

There is a strong need for an administrative database for human resources and financial information. Currently, we are researching products that will meet our needs. When finances permit, we will implement a software package that will address these needs. The business manager is spearheading this effort and the Technology Department is providing technical input and support for his requests and decisions.

2004/2005

Ensure that each of the classrooms at Tiverton High School is outfitted with network drops and computers. Replace the business lab with new client machines (24). Upgrade math lab computers and business lab computers and distribute to classrooms without computers. Upgrade typing lab computers (24). This will allow for each user to have a client machine to access the network for file saving and sharing, data input and data access.

2004/2005

School	Amount
Tiverton School Department
Microsoft Licensing	550
Antivirus software	550
Storage devices (cd-r’s, USB Hdrives)	300
PBS videostreaming	1
Tiverton High School
Hard drive for file server	1
Hard drive for web server	1
Switch	4
Network drops	25
Memory upgrades	35
Microphones	5
Scanner	2
Color printer	1
Laser printer	1
Computers	22
Tiverton Middle School
Rack enclosure for MDF	1
Memory upgrade	30
Laser Printer	1
Fort Barton Elementary School
Rack enclosure for MDF in attic	1
Hard drive for file server	1
Switch	2
Smart Board	1
Projector	1
Cart	1
Ranger Elementary School
Server Memory	1
Server Hard Drive	1
Network Drops	18
Pocasset Elementary School
Server Hard Drive	1
Switch	1
Network Drops	20
Rack enclosure for MDF	1
Memory upgrades for desktops	30
Administration Offices
Switch	1
Network drop	1
Database server	1

2005/2006

Concentration will be on upgrading, replacing client machines to run on the network and investigating wireless capabilities. (see chart below)

School	Number
Fort Barton Elementary School
Classroom computers Color printer	7
	1
Ranger Elementary School
Classroom computers Color printer Smartboard/projector Set up	7
	1
	1
Pocasset Elementary School
Classroom computers Color printer Smartboard/projector Set up	7
	1
	1
Tiverton Middle School
Classroom computers Wireless cart with 20 laptops Smartboard/projection Setup	7-10
	1
	1
Tiverton High School
Classroom computers Replace lab-15 computers Wireless cart with 20 laptops	7-10
	15
	1
Smartboard/projection Setup	1
Laserprinters	5

2006/2007

We will continue replacements of client machines and further explore wireless networking capabilities.

2005/2006

Research various SIS. Include all stakeholders (principals, superintendent, guidance counselors and clerks in the decision making process)

2006-2007

Install SIS. Implement training and support for SIS.

District Technology Procedures and Policy

• The Technology Coordinator must approve technological equipment purchase made by employees of Tiverton School Department. Technology equipment consists of, but is not limited to: computers, printers, software, networking equipment and audiovisual devices.

• Work related documents and files stored on the network file server and/or desktop hard drives become the property of Tiverton School Department.

• School clerks must back-up local network servers daily.

• Upon WAN implementation, preventative maintenance measures must be conducted and documented on a weekly basis by the technology department. These measures include but are not limited to: patches, downloads, backup verifications, software and security updates.

• Technology training for Tiverton School Department employees will be conducted/coordinated by the technology department. Training consists of network access and file storage, various software packages and district technology initiatives. Training will be conducted on an as needed basis (individual basis) or in formal sessions coordinated by the administration and technology department.

· Technology assistance must be requested using the following methods: email using district webpage, direct email of technology department members, log books located at each school building and telephone calls to the tech department. Verbal requests made in person will be performed as time permits. It is strongly suggested that the request be made in writing to guarantee a response.

Acceptable Use Policy-Access to the School's Computers, Network and Internet Connections.

Computer Use

Students at the Tiverton Public Schools have the opportunity to use electronic resources (computers with approved software, network and the Internet). It is a privilege for them to use the resources for the purpose of supporting and extending their educational experiences. The following guidelines are established to enhance the learning experience of the students while maintaining a safe, functional environment.

• Students may have access to computer equipment subsequent to agreeing to the acceptable use policy, with parental permission.

• Students are permitted to use computer-related equipment when supervised or given permission by a staff member.

• Students will not damage the computers, peripherals, network equipment or connections.

• No food or drink is permitted in a computer work area.

• The use of computers for any illegal activity or commercial purposes is prohibited.

• Developing or using programs that harass other users, attempt to infiltrate a computer system or alter the software or hardware of a system is prohibited.

• Using someone else's account or sharing passwords is not permitted.

• Using a computer or network in such a way that may disrupt or lead to the disruption of the system services, traffic, or equipment is forbidden. Disruption includes, but is not limited to, propagation of computer viruses and using the network to make unauthorized entry to any other computer or accessories.

• Students are prohibited from downloading games and game playing both online and local unless approved by a subject teacher.

• Excessive printing of documents is unauthorized, unless approved by the supervising teacher.

• E-mail is strictly forbidden to students. Instant messaging, chat room programs and chat lines are also forbidden.

• Students who receive information or messages that make them uncomfortable will immediately report the occurrence to the supervising staff.

• Posting personal information in the public domain such as addresses, phone numbers, gender, age, and unauthorized images is prohibited.

• Students will not attempt to access private or personal materials, information, or files of others.

• Students will not vandalize, damage, or disable the work of another individual or organization.

• Students will not access, create, or distribute harassing, pornographic, obscene, racist, sexually explicit or threatening material, imagery or language.

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The use of the Tiverton Public Schools’ computer equipment is not a right, but a privilege.

• Disciplinary actions related to student access to electronic resources may be determined at the school and/or classroom level in accordance with provincial, board, and school discipline policies.
• Violations of the school policy may result in a loss of access to electronic resources. Such loss may result in the inability of the student to successfully complete the curriculum.
• When deemed necessary by school administration, law enforcement agencies may become involved.
• It is the responsibility of the student to submit a signed copy of the school's Acceptable Use Agreement to the school administration or designates.

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Disclaimer

Although this policy has been carefully prepared and reviewed, the Board and Tiverton Public Schools assumes no liability for any errors, omissions, or misinformation. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at the user's own risk. The Board is not responsible for any damage suffered by a user. This includes, but is not limited to, loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, or service interruptions.

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Student Section

All students must read and sign and have their parents/guardians read and sign this Permission Form for Student Access to the School's Computers and Internet Connection before the school provides access privileges.

I have/have not attended a school-sponsored information session concerning the school's Acceptable Use Policy.

I have read and understand the school's Acceptable Use Policy and agree to abide by the conditions and spirit of the Policy.

Signed ___________________________________Student Number_________
Print Name __________________________ Grade _______

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Parent Section

I have read and understand the school's Acceptable Use Policy as stated above and agree to abide by the conditions and spirit of the policy.

I understand and agree that any financial transactions undertaken by this student from the using the Internet at school are my responsibility.

Signed______________________________Date__________________________
Print Name __________________________

Technology Budget

Primary Source of Funding

The funding for technology projects comes from an assortment of sources. The primary means of funding is through monies provided to us from the RIDE (Article 18). Half of this money is used for technology personnel salary. The other half (about 22K) is used for technology projects within the schools. Another source of “grant” money for technology is through the federal government (Title II). This money amounts to approximately 5K per year in which 10% is allocated for professional development. We are hoping that these funding sources are at least level funded for the duration of the technology plan.

Additional Sources of Funding

Additional sources of funding include the Capital budget money, eRate and competitive grant programs like the Champlin Grant and the Rhode Island Council for the Arts grant.

Historically, the Technology portion of the Capital budget of the School Department provided funding for the technology hardware. For the past two years, the town budget committee cut the projected figures drastically. In the school year 2002/2003, the capital proposition was 100K. The budget committee cut it to 50K. The school year 2003/2004, the capital projection was 88K. The budget committee cut this figure to 25K. Fortunately, the School Committee was able to alter that figure and provide the Technology Department with 40K that will cover District licensing for Microsoft Office and McAfee antivirus. It is evident that we cannot rely on the town Capital budget account to maintain or progress our technology needs. We need to look at alternate methods of funding the technology for the Tiverton School Department. Committee members offered to investigate additional means of funding the technology program. We also want to research the methods in which technology is budgeted within the schools. A possibility would be for the technology coordinator to discuss with each building principal and the superintendent the needs of their specific building and budget within the individual school for technological needs. Specific school accounts could include the licensing/antivirus subscriptions in their budgets. Large district projects such as the WAN or the SIS could be funded through the Capital budget account or a district technology line item in the Local budget.

The eRate program exists to obtain reduction in Internet costs for schools and public libraries. The telephone bills are also provided to the Schools and Library Division for reimbursement for telephone services. We apply a one third reduction to our Internet bill with Rhode Island Network for Educational Technology through participating in the eRate program. Rebates of up to $10,000.00 are obtained per year for the telephone service for the district.

The Champlin Grant is offered to schools in Rhode Island for special projects. In 2004/2005, we applied for a grant in the amount of $125,000.00 for wireless carts in the middle school. We will know in December 2004 if we are going to obtain this money.

The Rhode Island Council for the Arts provided us with grant money for implementing our digital portfolio project. We obtained $3,456.00 to assist us in this endeavor.

2004/2005

Discuss budget restructure options with superintendent and business manager

2004/2005

Investigate options and implement changes

2005/2006

Fine tune changes and/or maintain the status quo.

2004/2007

Outfit and upgrade high school equipment using the Article 18 money. Outfit and upgrade the Wide Area Network using the Title II funding. The capital budget will provide for Microsoft Licensing and Antivirus Software.

2006/2007

Install and implement the SIS using the State and Federal funding.

Projected Purchases

Depending on the outcome of the Elementary School bond vote in 2004/2005, planning and purchases for technology is subject to change (see above explanation).

2004/2005

Fort Barton Elementary School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

MDF air conditioned/fan case 1 3000 3000

Expensive, sensitive equipment

located in attic

Server Hard Drive 40 gig 1 70 70

Switch-48 port 2 2000 4000

Smart Board 1 1400 1400

Projector 1 1000 1000

Cart 1 350 350 9820

Ranger Elementary School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

Server Memory 1 150 150

Server Hard drive 1 70 70

Network drops 18 226 4068 4288

Pocasset Elementary School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

Server Hard drive- 1 70 70

Switch-48 port 1 2000 2000

Network Drops 20 226 4520

enclosure MDF 1 2000 2000

Memory for PC's 30 80 2400 10990

Tiverton Middle School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

enclosure MDF 1 2000 2000

memory upgrades

for client machines 30 80 2400

Color Printer 1 2000 2000

Laser Printer 1 1000 1000 7400

Tiverton High School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

Hard drive file server 1 70 70

drive for webserver 1 100 100

Switch-48 port 4 2000 8000

Network drops 25 225 5625

Hard drive upgrades

for the business lab 22 70 1540

Memory upgrades-

go into Ed Davis'

computers/typing lab

computers for

distribution to rooms

without computers 35 100 3500

microphones

digital portfolios/ 5 10 50

Digital Camera

digital portfolios/ 4 700 2800

Scanner

digital portfolios/ 2 150 300

Color printer 1 2000 2000

Laser Printer 2 1000 2000

25985

Total Hardware Expenditure 2004/2005-----$58,483.00

2005/2006

Fort Barton Elementary School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

Classroom computers 7 850 5950

Color printer 1 2000 2000

Smartboard/projector

Set up 1 2400 2400 10350

Ranger Elementary School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

Classroom computers 7 850 5950

Color printer 1 2000 2000

Smartboard/projector

Set up 1 2400 2400 10350

Pocasset Elementary School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

Classroom computers 7 850 5950

Color printer 1 2000 2000

Smartboard/projector

Set up 1 2400 2400 10350

Tiverton Middle School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

Classroom computers 7-10 850 8500

Wireless cart with 20 laptops 1 20000

Smartboard/projection

Setup 1 2400 2400 30900

Tiverton High School

Item Number Amount Total Overall Total

Classroom computers 7-10 850 8500

Replace Ed Fernandez lab-15 computers 15 850

Wireless cart with 20 laptops 1 20000

Smartboard/projection

Setup 1 2400 2400

Laserprinters 5 1000 5000 46450

Total Hardware Expenditures 2005/2006--$77,350.00

Inventory

See attachments

Technology Integration: Student Learning and District Administration

Inventory files, research for planning the Wide Area Network and building walk- throughs provide data for determining equity of technology distribution within the Tiverton School Department. 80% of the school’s computers have access to the local area network and the Internet. There are plans to upgrade this percentage to equal 100% in the 2004-2005 school year. Presently, the ratio of students to computers is 4:1.

Tiverton School Department runs a webserver with our own domain name (tivschools.com). We host the many html files that make up our very comprehensive website. Each school has its own WebPage and teachers are encouraged to create their own. The webmaster is a stipend position. The employee works at the high school. The middle school had a webmaster in the year 2002-2003 and is in the process of training another one for the year 2004-2005 and beyond. This will be a stipend position.

The Middle School’s computer lab is used extensively and the teachers integrate technology into the curriculum on a regular basis. Individualized support is given to each grade by the technology department to assist in the integration efforts on an “as requested” basis.

The technology committee raised concerns about the curriculum at the middle school whereby keyboarding is taught in 5^th and 6^th grades and there are no computer classes in grades 7^th and 8^th. Ideally the skills learned in the 5^th and 6^th grades are applied when students advance to the 7^th and 8^th grades. The teachers in the advanced grades include technology projects in their curriculum. An additional concern is that the computer essentials class at the high school is no longer going to be a requirement for graduation. In 2004/2005, the business department is going to conduct research to determine if the students have the essential skills they will need for the business world without taking this course. Based on the outcome of this research, recommendations will be made.

Technology integration in the student and administrative areas would be more effective if the technology support was increased. Currently, there are one full time technician and one part-time technician and a part-time technology coordinator employed in the department. As time passes and budgetary requests for replacement of hardware are denied, it becomes more difficult to maintain the outdated equipment and support our users.

The Technology Department needs to be increased to at least three full time employees for the year 2004-2005. 2006-2007, additionally, a technology integration specialist would serve to support the School Department’s integration efforts to further classroom instruction integration efforts.

Professional Development

2004-This year we offered a stipend to teachers to use the Rhode Island Public Broadcasting videostreaming in the classroom. Streaming was offered to us from RIPBS on a free, trial basis. The goal was to investigate the videostreaming website and incorporate the media in the classroom setting. Finally, the teachers had to present a lesson to their colleagues. This was successful, as we had an applicant from each school. Through this collegial type of professional development in which teachers are sharing their own integration efforts with their peers, more technology will be integrated into the classroom.

2004/2005- We plan to subscribe to the RIPBS videostreaming service and provide incentives and ongoing professional development for integration.

2004-Tiverton School Department has made a concerted effort to introduce and apply digital portfolios into the school system as a means to highlight curriculum areas and reflect on various teaching practices. Teachers in the unified arts area were targeted to pilot the development of digital portfolios. It is our intent that these teachers will become proficient in the creation, development and implementation of digital portfolios and transfer this knowledge to the students. The students will be able to visually display their growth in gaining new skills and reflect on this learning process. Digital portfolios will provide an excellent vehicle for putting into practice the new high school proficiency regulations. Purchase of file server at high school to store student files for digital portfolios.

2004/2005- At the high school, professional development is being conducted to include Problem-Based Learning (PBL) into instruction. PBL is a curriculum development and instructional approach whereby the teacher simultaneously develops problem solving strategies, disciplinary knowledge bases, and skills. By placing students in the active role of problem-solvers, they will be confronted with problems that mirror real-world scenarios. This instructional approach lends itself perfectly for technology integration efforts. This will continue throughout the 2006/2007 school year.

2004/2005- Teachers will continue professional development with digital portfolios. Students in the web page classes at the high school will develop their digital portfolios. Additional targeted seniors will develop digital portfolios. Teacher and student digital portfolios will be displayed on the website. File server will be in place to store student created documents and projects. This will facilitate the creation of digital portfolios.

2004/2005-We will pilot the videoconferencing equipment to gain a working knowledge of the devices. Also we will seek out individuals who are willing to integrate the technology into the classroom and find opportunities for videoconferencing. The technology department will provide individualized support.

2004-