Three districts honored for technology leadership
Three school districts -- in Genesee County, Mich.; Avoca, Ill.; and Minnetonka, Minn. -- were selected as 2008 Technology Leadership Network Salute Districts.
The districts will be showcased at NSBA’s Technology + Learning Conference Oct. 28-30 in Seattle.
The Genesee Intermediate School District is a regional agency that serves the 21 school districts and 10 public school academies in Genesee County. GISD built and maintains GenNet, a 400-mile fiber optic network that transmits voice, video, and data to more than 234 school buildings.
This system supports two-way interactive television (ITV) classes for middle and high school systems, high-speed Internet, teacher-led online classes, shared professional development, and videoconferencing.
Since 2005, more than 300 teachers have participated in a professional development program called GenNET Pioneers that focuses on integrating technology into the teaching and learning process.
Avoca School District #37 serves a diverse population of 700 students from the Chicago suburbs of Glenview, Northfield, Wilmette, and Winnetka.
The technology team has created a data warehouse that provides teachers with all relevant test scores from the current and previous years, providing a historical record for each student. Individual students can be targeted for remedial assistance in a content area or a specific skill.
Avoca launched an ambitious long-term technology plan in 2004 that has led to significant, systematic changes.
These include state-of-the-art technology integrated into the social studies, science, and language arts curricula; a one-to-one laptop computer program in grades 4-8; and enhanced electronic communication with the community.
Students have access to a wide variety of age-appropriate websites and search engines, network file sharing to facilitate collaboration with classmates, online textbooks, and secure Internet access from home.
Minnetonka, a high-performing, suburban district serving 7,800 students, was among the first in Minnesota to secure annual dedicated technology funding through a voter approved referendum, which generates approximately $5 million per year through 2017.
All K-8 classrooms and more than 75 percent of 9-12 classrooms have been enhanced with Smart Boards, audio distribution systems, and curriculum-specific software tools. All instructional materials purchased by the district must include software or online material.
Teachers must commit to 30 hours of staff development on technology integration every year.
Parents and students can pay fees online, as well as make payments to school lunch accounts and buy tickets to school events.
Web-based human resources tools include employment applications and candidate screening tools, substitute calling, time-off requests, and a paperless payroll. A web portal for student information systems includes online grading, standardized test scores and report cards, electronic newsletters, opinion surveys, and communication tools.
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