March 4-6, 2009, North Kansas City Schools, Kansas City, Missouri

North Kansas City Schools is widely heralded for its accomplishments in student achievement, computer technology, and cutting-edge instruction. The district serves nearly 18,000 students in suburban Kansas City-North, a community rich with diversity and a proud history of educational excellence. North Kansas City Schools is where learners come to achieve excellence, embrace change, and forge new traditions.

Participants will experience an environment of automated information systems for staff, students, and parents. North Kansas City Schools has a culture known for its support of technology where staff is trained to successfully streamline work in all service areas – from online paychecks to Portal access for all employees. Parents have access to student information and are able to remotely process things such as fee payments. Teachers are provided laptops and students work with mobile wireless carts or handhelds. Online learning provides students and staff access to information when, where, and how they choose to receive it.

Session participants will explore the district’s Portal and online learning environments. The Portal provides staff off-site access to electronic software applications, user files, e-mail, directories, and a host of resources that previously were only available in their school environment. More than 500 students enroll in online eCampus classes each semester. Students, teachers, and administrators use the district online learning system for blended classes, collaboration, Web postings, and documentation.

While on site visits, participants will experience technology in a range of facilities, interwoven with support programs. State-of-the-art technology will be viewed in a technology retrofitted, 80-year-old, classic high school as well as in a brand new LEED certified “green” high school. In Title I elementary schools with more than 70 percent F/RL, participants will explore the use of wrap-around health services coupled with technology immersion to ensure success for all students.

Session participants will learn about North Kansas City Schools’ plan to move to a 1-to-1 computing ratio for students. Participants also will learn about unique community partnerships and school board support that enhance effective implementation of technology throughout the district.

Wednesday, March 4

5:00 - 7:00 pm
Registration and Reception
Hilton President Hotel – Kansas City, MO

Thursday, March 5

6:30 - 7:45 am
Registration and Breakfast at Hotel

8:00 am
Buses depart for Staley High School

8:30 am
Opening Session, Staley High School

9:45 am
Staley High School Tour & Breakout Sessions
Half of the group will take the building tour while the other half participates in breakout sessions.

  • LEED Silver Certified Building
  • Digital Classrooms including widescreen projectors, document cameras, and sound system with audio amplification
  • Teacher laptops, mobile media carts, wireless slates
  • Film studio with building-wide broadcasting

Breakout Sessions

  • Online Learning
  • Design for supporting technology
  • Data-driven decision making Noon Lunch, Staley Club House

1:30 – 4:30 pm
School Tours (Participants choose one tour)

Tour 1: Winnetonka High School & Chouteau Elementary School

  • Online learning and blended classes
  • Mobile laptop carts
  • Project Lead the Way
  • Cerner Scholars Biomedical Internship Partnership with the school district and a local business
  • eMINTS Technology Immersion with inquiry-based learning
  • SMART Boards
  • Read 180
  • Dance, Dance Revolution in PE classrooms

Tour 2: New Mark Middle School & Northview Elementary School

  • Web-based digital video library
  • Technology for Life (TLC) Labs
  • Podcasting
  • Broadcast journalism
  • Music Ace program
  • Finale Notepad
  • Early adoption and broad-based use of technology at an elementary level

Tour 3: Northgate Middle School & Crestview Elementary School

  • Technology literacy mastery program
  • Video production
  • Silent music project
  • Data driven decision making
  • BackSnack program
  • Family Medical Clinic at Crestview
  • eMINTS

5:00 pm
Return to the hotel

6:00 pm
Reception, Dinner, Entertainment at the new Power & Light District

Friday, March 6

7:30 – 8:15 am
Breakfast at Hotel

8:30 am
Buses depart for School Tours

9:00 - 10:30 am
School Tours (Participants choose one tour)

Tour 4: North Kansas City High School

  • Solar panels
  • DNA testing, Vernier probes, and tablets
  • Rosetta Stone
  • Diverse student population
  • International Baccalaureate Program
  • State-of-the-art library media center partnership between the school and the city

Tour 5: Eastgate Middle School

  • Palm technology
  • eClickers
  • Mobile carts with wireless Internet access
  • GPS and Google Earth

Tour 6: Career and Technical

  • Education Center
  • Information Technology Academy
  • Automotive Technology Program
  • Carpentry Program using SMART House Technology

10:45 am
Partnership Presentation
North Kansas City Schools’ Natatorium at the Gladstone Community Center

11:30 am
Lunch with Kansas City Barbecue Partner Vendors at the Natatorium

12:45 pm
Buses depart for Oak Park High School

1:00 – 3:00 pm
Breakout sessions or Oak Park High School Tour

  • Project Lead the Way
  • Art and Graphic Design
  • Board support of Technology
  • Partnership with Parents
  • eMINTS
  • Technology in Business Operations

3:00 pm
Buses depart for the Kansas City Airport or return to hotel

Presented by the National School Boards Association and the Technology Leadership Network.