Scarsdale Public Schools in New York

Located twenty minutes from New York City, Scarsdale Public Schools is a suburban school district with a long history of technology innovation. The district has been a model of technology staff development, and this visit will highlight professional opportunities offered to teachers.

Participants observed technology use at all levels. Projects focused on the district’s constructivist technology philosophy. The elementary program showcased samples of student work involving multimedia and Microworlds programming projects. The middle school will highlight student produced digital videos as well as curriculum-based database projects.

The high school showcased its award-winning library and demonstrate student use of subscription database services. Visitors viewed examples of student work from art classes, including 3D computer animation projects. Visitors learned about district technology initiatives, including eBoard, video and audio streaming, Macromedia Contribute, and FileMaker Server, as well as efforts to assess the technology program.

This year, the district is participating in a special project focusing on technology and student research, serving as a model for a regional technology assessment. Participants had an opportunity for a "sneak peek" at this project before it was used for an evaluation in the 2005-2006 school year.

The Scarsdale schools use both Windows and Macintosh computers, and examples using both platforms wereshowcased. Every participant who attends this visit received a DVD and dual platform CD containing examples of student work. This visit focused on technology curriculum and staff development. Student information/management systems were not be showcased due to time constraints.

A Special Invitation to Explore New York

April is the perfect month for visiting Manhattan, a thirty-minute train ride from Scarsdale. Visitors were encouraged to spend the weekend before the site visit touring world famous New York City landmarks, including Broadway, Times Square, and a host of museums and restaurants. A suggested list of tourist attractions was offered on the district's website.