Oakland Schools in Michigan
2000 ONE@World Learn • April 25-27, 2001
When you think of Michigan, do you think of automobiles and the Great Lakes? Think again. Oakland County is becoming known as the premier high technology corridor in the Midwest and is home to Automation Alley, a growing consortium of more than 1,800 technology businesses that line I-75, a major highway that cuts through the county. Within this burgeoning technological environment, you will find Oakland Schools, one of Michigan's 57 intermediate school districts. Oakland Schools is a regional service agency for Oakland County's 28 local school districts and 11 public school academies that provide a quality education for close to 200,000 students. Oakland Schools also provides services to the private and religious schools in the county that serve an additional 26,000 students. Oakland Schools works with local schools to meaningfully integrate state-of-the-art technology into the classroom to improve student achievement.
Oakland County's 28 local school districts are home to suburban, rural and urban settings in which innovative technology programs are in daily use by students and staff alike. Linking them together is 2000 ONE, a new multi-million dollar fiber optic network that, by the time of this site visit, will connect every district to the most exciting curriculum resources available throughout the world. Come see how Oakland County's 28 local school district are using this voice, video and data resource to provide world class instruction to their students.
On your visit to Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland Schools will provide you with opportunities to experience:
- New school buildings with technology infrastructures designed for the 21st century — and beyond
- Visits to award-winning technology enriched schools
- Virtual professional development for Oakland's educators
- Virtual Schooling for Oakland's students
- Technology-rich learning environments where students explore the world around them with peers from around the world (JASON Project)
- A student-run business, KidzVid, that enables students to write and produce commercial quality videos linked to curriculum objectives and goals
- Visits to Oakland County's top K-12 school districts where technology plays a key role in professional development
- A variety of programs piloted by Oakland Schools that use technology to bring school districts together to work collaboratively in such areas as Career Focused Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Education.
In addition to the many exciting site visits, we are planning side trips to such local attractions as MeadowBrook Hall, a stately auto baron's mansion; Great Lakes Crossing, a unique concept mall that is quickly becoming one of Michigan's top tourist attractions; and perhaps even catch a ball game at the Detroit Tigers' new home, Comerica Park.