rancocas valley regional high school technology plan 2010-2013

Rancocas Valley Regional High School

Technology Plan 2010-2013

Rancocas Valley Regional High School Technology Plan 2010-2013

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Table of Contents Acknowledgments ………………………………………………………………………………… 2 I. STAKEHOLDERS …………………………………………………………………………. 3 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY …………………………………………………………………. 4 III. TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW ……………………………………………………………… 5 A. Technology 1. Current Technology Networking/Telecommunications Equipment …………….. 5 2. Technology Needed to Improve Student Academic Achievement ……………… 6 3. Integration of Assistive Technology Devices to Accommodate Student Needs 6 4. Educator Access to Technology in Instructional Areas …………………………… 6 5. Administrator Access to Technology in the Workplace …………………………… 7 6. Accessibility of District Website to all Stakeholders ………………………………. 7 7. Plan and Criteria for Replacing Obsolete Computers/Technology ……………… 7 B. Cyber Safety 1. Filtering Methods …………………………………………………………………………. 7 2. Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) …………………………………………………………… 7 3. District Internet Safety Policy …………………………………………………………… 7 C. Needs Assessment 1A. Current Practices in Integrating Technology across the Curriculum …………… 8 1B. Summary of Educators’ Proficiency in the Use of District Technology ………… 9 1C. Current Educational Environment & Barriers to Access to District Technology 10 1D. Past and Current Professional Development & Ancillary Support for Use of Technology …………………………………………………………………………………. 12 2. District Needs to Improve Academic Achievement of All Students through the Integration of Technology ……………………………………………………………….. 13 3. Prioritization of Identified Needs ……………………………………………………….. 14 IV. THREE-YEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES A. History ………………………………………………………………………………. 14 B. Goals and Objectives for 2010-2013 …………………………………………... 15 V. THREE-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION & STRATEGIES TABLES ……………………….. 17 VI. FUNDING PLAN (July 2010 – June 2013) ……………………………………………… 21 VII. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT A. Name/Title of Persons Responsible for Professional Development ……. 22 B. Planned Professional Development Activities ……………………………… 22 C. Professional Development (2010-2011) ……………………………………… 23 D. Projected Professional Development (2011-2013) …………………………. 23 VIII. EVALUATION PLAN ……………………………………………………………………….. 24 ADDENDUM ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 25


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Acknowledgments Acknowledgments and thanks are extended to the Rancocas Valley Regional High School Board of Education for supporting the development of this technology plan: Mr. William E. McFarland (President) Mr. MIchael R. Cormier (Vice President) Mr. Jesse Adams, Jr. Mr. Richard A. Alaimo Ms. Laura Jean Beierschmitt Mr. Anthony D'Errico Mr. John R. Edwards Mr. John McArthur Mrs. Diane J. Solan Thanks to the members of the Administration for their continued commitment to technology: Dr. Michael Moskalaski, Superintendent/Principal Mr. Robert Sapp, Assistant to the Superintendent for Business Mr. William Booth, Assistant Principal Mr. Craig Wigley, Assistant Principal Ms. Letti Branin, Assistant Principal Mr. Dana Paykos, Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction Ms. Camille Rosenberg, Director of Professional Development Mr. John Knorr, Director of Technology Mr. Ronald J. Maniglia, Supervisor of Science & Technology Mr. Ronald Wence, Supervisor of Mathematics Ms. Mary Ellen Panter, Supervisor of English Ms. Jean Marie Seal, Supervisor of Social Studies Ms. Deb Hauth, Supervisor of Physical Education/Health Ms. Kristine McGovern, Supervisor of Fine Arts & Consumer Sciences and Business Mr. Joseph Holland, Supervisor of World Languages Mr. Chris Myers, Supervisor of Special Education Appreciation is extended to the participating members of the 2009 ad hoc Technology Committee for their contributions: Mr. Ronald J. Maniglia, Chairperson Ms. Camille Rosenberg Ms. Marsha Addison Ms. Dee Venuto Mr. Adam Dempsey Mr. Steven Rose Mr. Travis Murphy Ms. Katelyn Nesi Mr. Justin Cocliff Ms. Tracy Sweeney Ms. Cheryl Alspach Mr. Jim Latimer Mr. Nick Marmarou


I. STAKEHOLDERS

Title Superintendent/Principal

Assistant Principal

Technology Coordinator

Curriculum Director/Curriculum Committee Member

Teacher

Special Education Teacher

Library Media Specialist

Guidance

Board Member

Parent

Student

Community Member

Business Sector Representative

Dr. Michael Moskalski

Mr. Craig Wigley

Mr. John Knorr

Mr. Ronald J. Maniglia

Ms. Christine Kerollis

Ms. Abigayle Temple

Ms. Dee Venuto

Ms. Dawn Flanagan

Ms. Diane Solan

Mrs. Lisa Dornisch

Michael Dornisch

Ms. Lynda Bowes

[unavailable]

I

L

~

UL-

Professional Development Coordinator

Ms. Camille Rosenberg

Narrative Professional Development Coordinator was added to the required list of stakeholders owing to this person's responsibilities in coordinating training activities. Business sector person was unavailable.

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II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The technology plan was developed through a collaborative effort among representatives from the Rancocas Valley Regional High School Board of Education, the school administration, the instructional staff, parents, students and the community-at-large. Given the dynamic nature of technology, this plan is designed as an overall guide for decision-making regarding curriculum, instruction, assessment, school infrastructure, administration, and staff professional development. In preparing this technology plan, consideration was given to the 2009 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Technology, the New Jersey State Education Technology Plan, and the National Educational Technology Standards for Students, for Teachers, and for School Administrators. Since its inception in 1995, the ad hoc Technology Committee has annually reviewed progress made in achieving the district’s technology goals, while integrating emerging technologies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of classroom instruction and the management of school operations including communications with public stakeholders. The plan will continue to address the technology requirements of the five sending districts and other county and regional educational and community-based organizations given the constraints of available personnel and financial resources. Rancocas Valley Regional High School has agreed upon the following basic principles that govern our mission with regard to technology:

• Technology is an integral component of school management as well as classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

• Technology resources must be available to all users as a means of global communication

and interaction with necessary restrictions to ensure cyber safety..

• Technology is an invaluable tool in the development and ongoing improvement of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills among all life-long learners.

• Technology must be available to all users regardless of their knowledge and skills,

socioeconomic status, or career goals and interests.

• Technology training and support must be available to all individuals to improve their knowledge and skills to be productive 21st century citizens of a global society and world-wide marketplace.

• Technology planning must consider future research, trends, and developments that can

potentially impact the focus of our educational system, the direction of our society, and the growth of our world-wide economy.

• Technology use demands that all individuals be socially responsible and ethically

discriminating consumers and producers of information.

• Technology deployment requires that the community-at-large be educated as to the value of this resource as a tool for learning and be actively involved in the evaluation of its effectiveness.

• Technology use can be enhanced through collaborative partnerships with other school

districts, post-secondary educational institutions, and local businesses.


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III. TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW A. Technology 1. Current Technology Networking/Telecommunications Equipment Rancocas Valley Regional High School maintains twelve on-site central servers with a combination of MS Windows Server 2000 and 2008 operating systems: MS Exchange Email, terminal services, primary domain controller (PDC) running DHCP, backup domain controller (BDC) & print services, Altiris server hosting computer images and deployment, two storage servers for shared and home folders, four application servers for media center software, backup software, antivirus software, and GENESIS student information software, and a future web-filtering service. There are thirty-nine 3COM 10/1000 switches distributed throughout the facilities connected via fiber optic cable. At least one ceiling-mounted wireless access point is located in nearly every hallway in the main building. Internet access is provided by Line Systems via a DS3 T1 30MB connection passing through a Firebox X2500 firewall. Websense software is used for internet filtering while Barracuda and Symantec Endpoint Enterprise software provides email spam and antivirus protection respectively.

There are 345 Windows-based workstations/ laptops in addition to 110 Apple computers for a total of 455 computers available for student use in classrooms, four computer labs, and the media center. Approximately 221 Windows-based workstations/laptops plus 24 Apple desktops/laptops are available for use by teachers, administrators, and support staff. Operating systems include 20% Windows 2000, 50% XP Professional, 11% Vista, 2% Windows 7 and 16% Apple OS X. The default standard image for all systems includes Microsoft Office Suite with MS Publisher and Adobe Acrobat Reader. With few exceptions, every classroom has a ceiling-mounted LCD projector and a wall-mounted Smart board plus a television with a VCR/DVD player. Although several classrooms and offices have HDTVs, the majority of these units are located in the cafeteria. Computers are connected to a stand-alone or network black-and-white or color laser/inkjet printer in classrooms and offices. All classrooms and offices have phones for internal and direct outside dialing. Each academic department is equipped with at least one ADF flatbed scanner. Besides the digital or standard still or video cameras used by technology and fine arts

courses, the school operates a community-access television studio with its own production equipment. The Performing Arts Center (PAC), Old Auditorium facilities, and Disciplinary Office also have audiovisual and related technology resources including school-wide surveillance cameras. Administrative offices include access to a total of 15 fax machines, 4 school-provided cell phones/PDAs, and 24 walki-talkis in addition to workstations, printers, and scanners.

Installed Technology Inventory Equipment Qty

Windows Workstations (Student Use) 395 Windows Laptops (Student Use) 70 Apple Desktops (Student Use) 110 Windows Workstations (Staff Use) 235 Windows Laptops (Staff Use) 51 Apple Desktops (Staff Use) 18 Apple Laptops (Staff Use) 6 Flatbed Scanners 23 Hand-held Scanners 6 LCD Projectors 94 Smart Boards 71 Televisions 105 HDTVs 17 Standard Digital Cameras 70 High Definition Cameras 53 Standard Video Cameras 12 High Definition Video Cameras 11 Digital Imaging Devices (Elmo) 3 MIDI Devices 32 Digital Voice Recorders 4 Calculators (Student Use) 1890 Student Response Systems 4 sets Walki-Talkis (Administrative Use) 24 Fax Machines 15 Phones (Classrooms and Offices) 180 Laser Printers (Color and B&W) 90 Inkjet Printers 97


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2. Technology Needed to Improve Student Academic Achievement through 2013 The following technology is recommended to improve student academic achievement:

• Purchase of wireless portable hand-held devices such as netbooks, iPads or similar emerging technologies that allow access to local server resources and the internet.

• Replacement of outdated classroom and office technology. • Upgrades to the most recent stable versions of currently licensed applications. • Expansion and improved reliability of wireless networking capability in all buildings. • Subscription to videoconferencing and streaming video services. • Acquisition of content-specific instructional and assessment software. • Increased development and use of online courses as an instructional alternative.

3. Integration of Assistive Technology Devices to Accommodate Student Needs Rancocas Valley Regional High School integrates assistive technology into the network to accommodate student needs in keeping with those modifications specified in individual learning plans. An assessment of the need and the relevance of assistive technology strategies and devices is determined for a particular student in consultation with members of the Child Study Team. The effective integration of such technology into the curriculum depends upon the knowledge, skills, and familiarity of various instructional staff and support personnel. Assistive technology may include accommodations for both the general education student with specific learning impairments as well as for students with physical disabilities. The school presently has or can make available upon request the following resources to students:

• Portable Word Processors (AlphaSmart) • Dragon Naturally Speaking Voice-to-Text Software • Books-on-Tape • E-Textbooks and Companion Subscription-based Publisher Websites • Sound Mate Assisted Listening Device • SMART Slate interactive device • JAWS software for visually-impaired students • Laptops

4. Educator Access to Technology in Instructional Areas Every instructor has access to at least one dedicated workstation and printer within his/her immediate teaching environment to access the internet as well as server resources including their own personal folder. Nearly all instructional areas are outfitted with an LCD projector and Smart board, television, and VCR/DVD player. Desktop workstations are available for whole-group instruction in four computer labs and the media center on an as-needed basis. Video imaging and recording equipment such as flatbed scanners and cameras are available for use across academic departments upon request by any teacher. The student information system, GENESIS, including the integrated electronic grade book is accessible by teachers on or off-site through any web browser as are the school website homework assignment pages and school email system (Outlook Web Access) for each teacher. Teachers also have private access to workstations and printers in academic department workrooms and in a professional workspace adjacent to the media center classroom. Roaming profiles allow all staff to access their personal server folder and desktop preferences from any workstation on campus.


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5. Administrator Access to Technology in the Workplace All administrators have private office access to a laser/inkjet printer and a networked workstation (desktop and/or laptop) loaded in some cases with applications other than MS Office particular to their specific job responsibilities. An administrator may also have a fax machine, a flatbed scanner, a set of walki-talkis, and other electronic devices available for his/her immediate use. Administrators customarily have permissions to access multiple group folders on the server besides their personal folder. Video imaging and recording equipment are available for use upon request. Advanced features of the student information system, GENESIS, is accessible on or off-site through any web browser as is the school webpage and email system (Outlook Web Access). 6. Accessibility of District Website to all Stakeholders Page creation on the district website hosted by Educational Networks is in compliance with Federal Accessibility Standards (see addenda). The style and format of pages including color and layout schemes are designed to be accessible by most browsers. The use of JavaScript, frames, and deprecated HTML coding has been reduced to the extent possible to minimize accessibility issues. Text equivalents and alternatives are embedded for all non-text page elements wherever practical. Staff is required to post documents as cross-platform pdf files to the school website. 7. Plan and Criteria for Replacing Obsolete Computers/Technology Equipment that is considered obsolete by the district technology coordinator and supervisors includes any desktop or laptop that has been in continuous use for over 4-5 years. All technology is evaluated on an annual basis as to its usefulness within the instructional or office environment. Equipment whose upgrade or repair is deemed cost-prohibitive compared to its extended lifespan may be recycled, donated, or properly discarded by the district. Computer labs have been equipped to date with workstations on a three-year cycle as part of a lease-purchase agreement. Replaced computers are usually shifted to classrooms or other work areas as determined by the technology coordinator and supervisors. B. Cyber Safety 1. Filtering Methods Email is screened for spam, viruses, and suspicious content prior to delivery to our local MS Exchange server using Barracuda filtering services. Network security is maintained via a Firebox X2500 firewall. Internet content is filtered for all network users, including faculty and staff, using Websense. Real-time monitoring of network traffic is in place with daily incoming and outgoing internet logs saved and archived on the system. 2. Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) All students, faculty, and staff are required to annually review and agree by their signature on the prescribed form to the school’s Acceptable Use Policy before being permitted access to school technology. A copy of the policy is included as an addendum to this plan.


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3. District Internet Safety Policy Internet access is filtered using Websense that prevents users from viewing content with visual depictions by adults or minors deemed profane or obscene; contains pornographic or vulgar materials; advocates illegal acts, violence or hate, or is otherwise viewed as objectionable in a public school setting. All users are prohibited from sending or receiving messages that contain obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, or threatening language or material. Sanctions for student misuse of technology are described in the Disciplinary Code for Students (Policy 5131). Employees violating the Acceptable Use Policy may be subject to appropriate disciplinary actions in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement and applicable laws and regulations. Specific instruction is given to students as part of the curriculum in the Computer Applications course required for graduation regarding appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyber-bullying awareness and response as required by the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act. Students are prohibited from posting personal contact information about themselves or others including but not limited to names, home/school/work addresses, telephone numbers, or personal photographs. C. Needs Assessment 1A. Current Practices in Integrating Technology across the Curriculum Our instructional staff employs technology as part of classroom management (GENESIS Student Information System), parent/student email communication, curriculum development, instruction, and student assessment (data analysis). RV teachers generally assign tasks that require students to use technologies for word processing, Internet research and/or spreadsheet creation. Assignments are made available to the students via the school website or through GENESIS. The majority of RV teachers use MS Power Point (82.8%) and Word (87.5%), Smart board software (67.2%), video streaming (47.2%), content-specific software (40.6%), and teacher-maintained assignment, calendar, and resource posting websites (59.4%) as part of regular daily classroom instruction. A select number of teachers incorporate the use of MS Excel (25%) and Access (4.7%), hand-held student response devices (9.4%), electronic textbooks (10.9%), online quiz/test sites (15.6%), and course management software/websites (1.6%). Teachers vary on their use of database services and research tools available by subscription through the RV media center.

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1B. Summary of Educators’ Proficiency in the Use of District Technology A profile of RV teachers indicates that approximately 57.8% consider themselves intermediate technology proficient compared to 9.4% novice, 26.6% advanced, and 6.3% at the expert level. Nearly a third of teachers rated their skills as novice when required to sort data and generate graph/charts from data in an MS Excel spreadsheet. The same percentage of teachers was not skilled at inserting/Importing a video or sound clip into a MS Power Point slideshow or importing, editing, and saving a graphic using MS Paint or other media application. Neither were RV teachers as proficient in installing a plug-in to view web pages or creating, editing, and saving a web page using an application or template. A quarter of the teachers viewed themselves as novices when asked to use Web 2.0 applications or to include streaming video as part of instruction.

Technology Needs Assessment (Teacher)

Items Novice Intermediate Proficient Advanced Expert

Create, save, and edit MS Word documents. 4% 11% 28% 57%

Convert MS Word documents to other formats such as txt, pdf, etc. 17% 35% 20% 28%

Copy-and-paste text within and between MS Word documents. 3% 14% 21% 62%

Insert a graphic or chart into a MS Word document. 6% 23% 25% 46%

Create, save, and edit MS Excel spreadsheets. 20% 27% 25% 27% Calculate totals and averages of columns and/or rows of numerical data in MS Excel spreadsheets. 27% 30% 18% 23%

Sort data saved in MS. Excel spreadsheets. 29% 25% 21% 23%

Generate a graph/chart from data in an MS Excel spreadsheet. 32% 28% 18% 19%

Create, save, and edit MS Power Point slideshows. 10% 18% 25% 47%

Insert/Import a graphic or chart into a MS Power Point slideshow. 16% 16% 28% 40%

Insert/Import a video or sound clip into a MS Power Point slideshow. 27% 23% 22% 26%

Import, edit, and save a graphic using MS Paint or other media application. 32% 23% 14% 26%

Navigate through a multimedia program or slideshow presentation. 10% 25% 25% 40% Create, send, save, and forward email messages using MS Outlook or similar mail program. 8% 16% 32% 44%

Install a plug-in to view web pages. 32% 21% 15% 21%

Create, edit, and save a web page using an application or template. 32% 25% 16% 18% Use video or sound clips as part of classroom instruction using Media Player or a similar application. 19% 20% 28% 30%

Use a digital camera to record and export photos. 18% 18% 24% 33%

Use a video camera to record and export video. 23% 24% 19% 23%

Use a scanner to import documents or graphics into an application. 16% 25% 24% 32%

Troubleshoot and solve basic inkjet or laser printer problems. 15% 28% 24% 32%

Install applications to a computer from storage media (CD/DVD). 14% 25% 25% 32%

Download and install applications to a computer from the internet. 14% 21% 25% 36%

Use a portable storage device (flash drive) to transfer data between computers. 5% 16% 21% 56%

Create (burn) a CD or DVD to store files. 20% 19% 17% 41%

Create, move, copy, rename, and delete electronic files and/or folders. 6% 19% 24% 50%

Use internet search engines to locate information. 3% 15% 24% 57%

Use Web 2.0 applications as part of instruction. 26% 24% 16% 15%

Include streaming video as part of instruction. 29% 21% 19% 22% Use email to communicate with parents regarding student progress or other school-related concerns. 2% 11% 26% 59%


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Although non-instructional staff also rated themselves as novices with regard to specific features of MS Power Point and MS Excel and in their ability to use digital media equipment (cameras, scanners, etc), these skills are not necessarily required in all cases within the scope of their job responsibilities.

Technology Needs Assessment (Non-Teacher)

Technology Skills in 21st Century Workplace Novice Intermediate Proficient Advanced Expert

Create, save, and edit MS Word documents. 10.7% 10.7% 32.1% 46.4%

Convert MS Word documents to other formats such as txt, pdf, etc. 28.6% 32.1% 25.0% 10.7%

Copy-and-paste text within and between MS Word documents. 14.3% 7.1% 28.6% 50.0%

Insert a graphic or chart into a MS Word document. 14.3% 17.9% 35.7% 25.0%

Create, save, and edit MS Excel spreadsheets. 21.4% 21.4% 28.6% 25.0% Calculate totals and averages of columns and/or rows of numerical data in MS Excel spreadsheets. 35.7% 21.4% 21.4% 14.3%

Sort data saved in MS. Excel spreadsheets. 35.7% 21.4% 21.4% 17.9%

Generate a graph/chart from data in an MS Excel spreadsheet. 35.7% 14.3% 25.0% 14.3%

Create, save, and edit MS Power Point slideshows. 28.6% 21.4% 17.9% 21.4%

Insert/Import a graphic or chart into a MS Power Point slideshow. 32.1% 17.9% 17.9% 21.4%

Insert/Import a video or sound clip into a MS Power Point slideshow. 35.7% 25.0% 3.6% 14.3%

Import, edit, and save a graphic using MS Paint or other media application. 50.0% 21.4% 3.6% 10.7%

Navigate through a multimedia program or slideshow presentation. 21.4% 21.4% 25.0% 21.4% Create, send, save, and forward email messages using MS Outlook or similar mail program. 7.1% 10.7% 28.6% 50.0%

Install a plug-in to view web pages. 46.4% 21.4% 3.6% 17.9%

Create, edit, and save a web page using an application or template. 57.1% 10.7% 7.1% 7.1%

Play video or sound clips using Media Player or a similar application. 17.9% 21.4% 25.0% 32.1%

Use a digital camera to record and export photos. 28.6% 14.3% 21.4% 28.6%

Use a video camera to record and export video. 39.3% 14.3% 14.3% 17.9%

Use a scanner to import documents or graphics into an application. 28.6% 25.0% 14.3% 25.0%

Troubleshoot and solve basic inkjet or laser printer problems. 28.6% 28.6% 21.4% 17.9%

Install applications to a computer from storage media (CD/DVD). 17.9% 28.6% 32.1% 17.9%

Download and install applications to a computer from the internet. 14.3% 35.7% 32.1% 14.3%

Use a portable storage device (flash drive) to transfer data between computers. 17.9% 14.3% 32.1% 28.6%

Create (burn) a CD or DVD to store files. 17.9% 17.9% 39.3% 14.3%

Create, move, copy, rename, and delete electronic files and/or folders. 14.3% 3.6% 32.1% 46.4%

Use internet search engines to locate information. 10.7% 10.7% 32.1% 46.4%

Use email to communicate with the public regarding school-related concerns. 14.3% 7.1% 28.6% 46.4% Use school-specific applications (GENESIS, Asbury Park, Naviance, etc) related to my job title. 10.7% 7.1% 42.9% 39.3%

1C. Current Educational Environment & Barriers to Access to District Technology Although nearly 60% of teachers have read both the district’s technology goals and the Acceptable Use Policy, significantly greater than half of those surveyed are unfamiliar with the ISTE Technology Standards for Students, Teachers and Administrators, or the 2009 NJCCCS Technology Standards. With the exception of demonstrating appropriate use of copyrights, fair use, and the Creative Commons guidelines, over two-thirds of RV teachers had not incorporated strategies into instructional planning that would provide students with the opportunity to develop and/or demonstrate specific technology-related tasks by the end of grade 12 as delineated in the 2009 NJCCCS for Technology.


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Items Yes No

Use the school website or GENESIS to post information and due dates for class assignments. 92% 8%

Use the school website or GENESIS to attach documents needed for students to complete class assignments. 57% 43%

Use GENESIS to search student demographic data. 90% 9%

Use GENESIS to create and send my own personal emailed class progress reports. 43% 54%

Print reports of student grades and attendance using GENESIS. 94% 5%

Provide students with printed progress report(s) at least once per marking period using GENESIS. 76% 24%

Design and implement lessons that integrate the use of technology as part of instruction. 84% 15%

Incorporate instructional activities into some lessons that require students to utilize Internet resources. 84% 16%

Require students occasionally submit completed homework assignments electronically rather than by hardcopy. 36% 64%

Use Turnitin.com or similar service to check student submitted work for plagiarism. 35% 64%

Have read the ISTE Technology Standards for Students. 23% 77%

Have read the ISTE Technology Standards for Teachers & Administrators. 25% 73%

Have read the 2009 NJCCCS Technology Standards. 42% 56%

Have read the district's technology goals. 57% 42%

Have read the district's Acceptable Use Policy. 87% 13%

Aware of the laws regarding copyright and fair use of media for educational purposes. 86% 14%

Use assessment data to analyze student achievement of standards and benchmarks. 76% 24%

Use assessment data to make revisions to course curriculum and instruction. 88% 12%

Have completed an online course for professional or personal improvement. 33% 67%

Have attended and/or participated in a webcast (webinar) or video conference. 25% 75%


2009 NJCCCS Technology Yes No

Construct a spreadsheet, enter data, and use mathematical or logical functions to manipulate data, generate charts and graphs, and interpret the results.

36% 64%

Produce and edit a multi-page document for a commercial or professional audience using desktop publishing and/or graphics software.

35% 66%

Participate in online courses, learning communities, social networks, or virtual worlds and recognize them as resources for lifelong learning.

35% 65%

Create a personalized digital portfolio that contains a résumé, exemplary projects, and activities, which together reflect personal and academic interests, achievements, and career aspirations.

27% 73%

Design and pilot a digital learning game to demonstrate knowledge and skills related to one or more content areas or a real world situation.

19% 80%

Develop an innovative solution to a complex, local or global problem or issue in collaboration with peers and experts, and present ideas for feedback in an online community.

13% 87%

Evaluate policies on unauthorized electronic access (e.g., hacking) and disclosure and on dissemination of personal information.

18% 82%

Demonstrate appropriate use of copyrights as well as fair use and Creative Commons guidelines. 47% 53%

Compare and contrast international government policies on filters for censorship. 10% 89%

Explain the impact of cyber crimes on society. 27% 72%

Develop a systematic plan of investigation with peers and experts from other countries to produce an innovative solution to a state, national, or worldwide problem or issue.

9% 89%

Predict the impact on society of unethical use of digital tools, based on research and working with peers and experts in the field.

22% 77%

Select and use specialized databases for advanced research to solve real-world problems. 31% 68%

Analyze the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technology resources and assess their potential to address educational, career, personal, and social needs.

39% 60%


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Teachers are assured access to technology to facilitate technology integration insofar as access is available in every classroom to a networked workstation and printer along with an LCD projector and with few exceptions, a Smart board. Each classroom has internet and Intranet access through either wired and/or wireless technologies. In addition to the media center, four computer labs are available for instructional use. Due to the ever-changing nature of technology and budgetary constraints, the ability to upgrade equipment on a regular schedule is not possible throughout all departments. Students have access to technology as part of the learning environment through workstations available in the classrooms, computer labs, mobile laptop carts, and the media center. However, insufficient computers are available for individual or small-group instruction in most classrooms. Computer labs and the media center cannot meet the demand level at certain peak usage times throughout the school day. Although the technology needs of students and teachers is solicited through formal surveys and informal means on an ongoing basis, non-compliance with survey completion and an inability to verify the accuracy of responses is a recognized shortcoming when compiling data. The following factors were considered barriers to the incorporation of technology into the curriculum by RV teachers:

• Inadequate number of computers/laptops available in classrooms to accommodate individual or small group use of technology [43%].

• Absence of ongoing professional development on currently available school-based and emerging technologies [36%].

• Inability to reserve access to the limited number of computer labs due to overuse of the facilities by some teachers [35%].

• Unreliability of hardware, software, or internet connectivity due to outdated, incompatible, mismanaged, or nonfunctional equipment [35%].

• Lack of release time to learn and practice the use of technology as part of instruction [34%]. • Insufficient instructional time available for students to use technology given the content

demands of the curriculum [32%]. • Unawareness of currently available school-based as well as newly emerging technologies

[20%] • Lack of administrative and technical support [12%]. • Resistance to learn new technology viewed as constantly changing and not a priority [7%] • Perception that current classroom instruction meets student learning needs without

incorporation of technology [5%]. • Self-assessment that technology is beyond their understanding and ability owing to their age,

years of teaching experience, or interest level [5%] 1D. Past and Current Professional Development & Ancillary Support for Use of Technology Until the 2009-2010 school year, staff professional development has been adequately funded and provided by the district either through on-site turnkey training, off-site workshops, or online webinars. Despite these efforts, various factors have hindered the number of individuals availing themselves of these opportunities including the unwillingness of staff to participate in off-site and/or after hours professional development due to lack of time, financial compensation, or interest; scheduling conflicts; unavailability of teachers, administrators, and support personnel for group training sessions at a common time during the school day; and a reluctance of individuals to pursue online training/coursework.


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All instructional staff was provided with small-group turnkey training on the newly-deployed GENESIS Student Information System including the integrated electronic grade book during the opening school year in-service day with the option of attending after-school troubleshooting sessions. Support is provided to teachers throughout the school year through informational a customized operational manual, email bulletins, individual technical support, and optional small-group after-school training sessions. Administrators and support personnel were also provided with training on the use of GENESIS tailored to their specific job responsibilities. Teachers are annually provided small-group training at the start of the school year along with a custom quick start manual and individual technical support on the setup and use of the teacher pages of the school website. Administrators, supervisors, media specialists, and other qualified school personnel provide in-house training on the use of equipment, applications, and services (Naviance Succeed student career planning service, Scantron Achievement Series online student assessment, Asbury Park and Ed-Data purchase order systems, Noodle Tools bibliographic service, etc) specific to the needs of students, teachers, and department staff. In addition to online webinars available through the South Jersey Regional Library Cooperative and other organizations and off-site workshops/seminars, past and current technology professional development has annually included on-site turnkey training in the following areas for teachers, students, administrators, and support staff:

• Use of the student information management system (GENESIS) and electronic gradebook • Operation of the Smart board and use of associated software • Creation and maintenance of school website teacher and staff pages • Integrating emerging web 2.0 technologies into classroom instruction • Use of Scantron Achievement Series and Quia.com for student assessment and data

analysis • Use of web-based Naviance Succeed to chart student achievement and career planning • Use of Noodle Tools for creating a works-cited page for reports • Access to subscription research databases (Facts-on-File, Gale, and Ebscohost)

2. District Needs to Improve Academic Achievement of All Students through the Integration of Technology The following areas were identified as district needs to improve academic achievement of all students through the integration of technology:

• Increase the number of computers/laptops and portable hand-held electronic computing devices available for student use.

• Improve the reliability and maintenance of hardware, software, and internet connectivity. • Revise policies to allow less restricted educational use of emerging technologies by students

and staff. • Provide annual professional development and release time for all staff to learn and practice

current systems and applications in addition to emerging technologies. • Schedule training for teachers on strategies used to effectively integrate technology into

classroom instruction • Provide training and support on the use of technology for immediate and summative student

standards-based assessment and data analysis. • Investigate the use of local and global technologies to improve communication with public

stakeholders.


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3. Prioritization of Identified Needs The following is the prioritized list of areas identified as district needs to improve academic achievement of all students through the integration of technology:

1. Provide annual professional development and release time for all staff to learn and practice current systems and applications in addition to emerging technologies.

2. Schedule training for teachers on strategies used to effectively integrate technology into classroom instruction

3. Provide training and support on the use of technology for immediate and summative student standards-based assessment and data analysis.

4. Improve the reliability and maintenance of hardware, software, and internet connectivity. 5. Increase the number of computers/laptops and portable hand-held electronic computing

devices available for student use. 6. Revise policies to allow less restricted educational use of emerging technologies by students

and staff. 7. Investigate the use of local and global technologies to improve communication with public

stakeholders. IV. THREE-YEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES A. History

• GOAL 1 – Increase parental communications and accountability for teachers grading procedures.

The recently deployed web-based GENESIS student information system allows teachers to post student grades for assessments with descriptions of assignments and attached documents in an electronic grade book and seamlessly in real-time to the parent portal. Teachers can the search student database, generate reports, and email parents through GENESIS. The new website provides teachers with a personal webpage to post information including their course syllabus and unit maps. RV also has the capability to select any defined groups of parents to contact by email or phone through an auto-dialer system.

• GOAL 2 – Create a computer lab for each department for general use using off-lease

computers.

Despite the recent addition of a computer lab for use by the Special Education department, the goal of establishing labs for every department has not been achieved owing to budgetary constraints and the lack of available classroom space. With the installation of wireless access points in every hallway throughout the main building, departments are re-evaluating the cost-productivity advantage of setting up mobile laptop carts or purchasing class sets of other portable hand-held computing devices.

• GOAL 3 – Investigate the use of personal technology for teachers and students

including podcasting lessons for homebound students and continuation of the online Virtual High School program.

Although reductions in State funding has discontinued the Virtual High School Program effective September 2010, the school has launched its own online offerings using Moodle beginning with quarter courses in astronomy and photography available to currently enrolled and homebound students. The podcasting feature of the school website has not been utilized by teachers to date.


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• GOAL 4 – Expand the use of cable television system for professional development enabling teachers to share lessons with colleagues.

Changes in the management staff of the RVTV studio and the lack of availability of videographers, editors and teachers interested in participating in such a project, in addition to various technical issues has prohibited accomplishment of this goal.

• GOAL 5 – Assess incoming eighth grade students on basic computer proficiencies.

Every incoming student who successfully completes a technology proficiency assessment is eligible for credit for the required Computer Applications course. The test evaluates the student’s knowledge of and skills in using Microsoft Office applications as well as his/her ability to access various internet resources.

• GOAL 6 – Establish cross-platform instructional technologies as a means of

collaborative lesson planning.

Teachers submit weekly lesson plans using an MS Word template to area supervisors via designated department folders hosted on the school server. Course and unit maps are currently being revised and formatted to be uploaded to the school-based curriculum wiki.

B. Goals and Objectives for 2010-2013 GOAL 1 - All students will acquire the 21st century knowledge and skills to appropriately and effectively use digital technology and communication tools to access, manage, create, integrate, evaluate, and communicate information in order to fully and actively participate as a member of a global society.

• Objective 1.1 - All students will demonstrate creative thinking and problem-solving skills, construct new knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

• Objective 1.2 - All students will interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or

others using a variety of digital environments and media.

• Objective 1.3 - All students will apply digital tools to plan strategies needed to locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

• Objective 1.4 - All students will use critical-thinking skills to plan and conduct research,

manage projects, solve authentic problems and significant questions of investigation, and make informed decisions and/or identify solutions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

• Objective 1.5 - All students will understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to

technology and advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology while demonstrating personal responsibility for lifelong learning and digital citizenship.

• Objective 1.6 - All students will demonstrate an understanding of technology concepts,

systems, and operations by selecting and using applications effectively and productively.


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GOAL 2 - All instructional staff and administrators will attain the 21st century knowledge and skills necessary to effectively integrate educational technology into the school environment.

• Objective 2.1 - All instructional staff and administrators will participate in ongoing, sustained, high-quality professional development activities designed to infuse technology skills into curricula, instruction, and assessment.

• Objective 2.2 - All instructional staff and administrators will be provided with professional

development opportunities and technology support to enhance proficiency in the planning, funding, implementation, and evaluation of integrated technology-based resources.

• Objective 2.3 - All instructional staff and administrators will model 21st century technology

skills in their roles as effective and informed leaders of the school community.

• Objective 2.4 - All instructional staff and administrators will address the effective use of educational technology as a means for student achievement of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards.

• Objective 2.5 - All instructional staff and administrators will use technology to provide

opportunities for authentic, student-centered, inquiry-based learning as part of a real-world focused curriculum aligned with the 2009 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Technology and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) National Educational Technology Standards.

• Objective 2.6 - All instructional staff and administrators will use available technology to

communicate with parents/guardians, students, public stakeholders, and other educators.

• Objective 2.7 - All instructional staff and administrators will act responsibly and ethically when obtaining and using technological resources and applications.

• Objective 2.8 - One or more qualified staff members will be available to provide timely

technical support and assistance in integrating technology into curricula, instruction, and assessment to all educators and administrators.

GOAL 3 - Educational technology will be accessible and utilized for instructional and administrative purposes by all students, teachers and administrators.

• Objective 3.1 - All students and staff will have consistent, equitable and barrier-free access to appropriate technology.

• Objective 3.2 - All students and staff will have access to online resources and other distance

learning technologies.

• Objective 3.3 - All students and staff will have safe and secure access to internet resources via high-speed voice, video and data networks in accordance with the district's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) with the goal of providing one-to-one access for all users.

• Objective 3.4 - The district will maintain a website compliant with all accessibility standards

that provides interactive and timely content relevant to the school and local community and allows access to email and network resources for administration and staff.


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• Objective 3.5 - The district will establish partnerships with other public agencies and entities,

educational institutions, community-based organizations and private corporations to increase opportunities for sustained technological access and comprehensive, collaborative learning environments.

• Objective 3.6 - The district will establish partnerships and collaborate with parents/guardians

and the community-at-large, including the five sending districts, to make technology available for students beyond the school day.

GOAL 4 - The district will establish and maintain the technology infrastructure necessary for all students, administrators and staff to safely access digital information and communicate virtually.

• Objective 4.1 - The district will obtain and/or maintain the equipment, network connectivity resources, and on-site technical assistance necessary to provide e-learning opportunities and to support curricular activities for all students, instructional staff, and administrators.

• Objective 4.2 - The district will conduct a Total Cost of Ownership analysis to budget for

effective implementation and support of educational technology systems.

V. THREE-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION & STRATEGIES TABLES (July 2010 – June 2013)

Three-Year Technology Implementation Activity Table District

Objective Strategy/Activity Timeline Persons

Responsible Documentation

1.1 - All students will demonstrate creative thinking and problem-solving skills, construct new knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues. Identify trends and forecast possibilities

July 2010 – June 2013

Classroom Teacher Media Specialists

Student interviews Student portfolios Formative assessments Observations Standards-based rubrics Surveys New Jersey Statewide Assessments

1.2 - All students will interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others using a variety of digital environments and media.

Communicate information and ideas to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats. Engage with learners of other cultures through blogs and web 2.0 technologies. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

July 2011 – June 2013


Student portfolios Formative assessments Observations Standards-based rubrics

1.3 - All students will apply digital tools to plan strategies needed to locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks. Process data and report results using MS Excel and other applications.

July 2010 – June 2013


Student interviews Student portfolios Formative assessments Observations


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1.4 - All students will use critical-thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve authentic problems and significant questions of investigation, and make informed decisions and/or identify solutions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

July 2010 – June 2013



1.5 - All students will understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology while demonstrating personal responsibility for lifelong learning and digital citizenship.

Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology such as blogs, NINGs, and wikis that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

July 2010 – June 2013


Student interviews Student portfolios Formative assessments Observations

1.6 - All students will demonstrate an understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations by selecting and using applications effectively and productively.

Troubleshoot systems and applications within the scope of instruction in the classroom setting. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies, particularly in science, business, and technology courses.

July 2012 – June 2013



2.1 - All instructional staff and administrators will participate in ongoing, sustained, high-quality professional development activities designed to infuse technology skills into curricula, instruction, and assessment.

Partner with organizations that provide professional development opportunities and educational technology conferences Sponsor professional development activities that model the use of technology and include follow-up online interactive components. Attend state, county and local workshops, conferences and seminars regarding the implementation and assessment of 21st century skills

July 2010 – June 2013

Area Supervisors Professional Development Coordinator Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction Technology Committee

Certificates of Workshop Attendance or Coursework Completion PDP Professional Development logs Minutes of Meetings

2.2 - All instructional staff and administrators will be provided with professional development opportunities and technology support to enhance proficiency in the planning, funding, implementation, and evaluation of integrated technology-based resources.

Pursue educational technology grant opportunities Integrate the use of 21st century skills to enhance higher order thinking in daily curricular activities. Establish a mentoring program for teachers and administrators in developing and supporting the infusion of technology across the curriculum.

July 2011 – June 2013

Area Supervisors Professional Development Coordinator Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction Technology Committee

Certificates of Workshop Attendance or Coursework Completion PDP Professional Development logs Minutes of Meetings Lesson Plans

2.3 - All instructional staff and administrators will model 21st century technology skills in their roles as effective and informed leaders of the school community.

Evaluate current professional development related to curricula to assure it models and instructs in the effective use of technology. Provide annual professional development and release time for all staff to learn and practice current systems and applications in addition to emerging technologies. Provide support to in-house staff to serve as turnkey trainers.

July 2010 – June 2013

Area Supervisors & Administrators Professional Development Coordinator Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction

Certificates of Workshop Attendance or Coursework Completion PDP Professional Development logs Minutes of Meetings


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2.4 - All instructional staff and administrators will address the effective use of educational technology as a means for student achievement of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards.

Develop learning environments that promote higher order thinking skills and are supported by the district technology plan. Integrate the use of 21st century skills to enhance higher order thinking in daily curricular activities as documented in lesson plans. Provide training and support on the use of technology for immediate and summative student standards-based assessment and data analysis.

July 2011 – June 2013

Area Supervisors & Administrators Classroom Teachers/Media Specialists Professional Development Coordinator Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruction

Lesson plans Annual formal teacher observations Area supervisor monthly walk-through observations

2.5 - All instructional staff and administrators will use technology to provide opportunities for authentic, student-centered, inquiry-based learning as part of a real-world focused curriculum aligned with the 2009 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Technology and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) National Educational Technology Standards.

Promote the use of the Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA) Attend state, county and local workshops, conferences and seminars regarding the implementation and assessment of 21st century skills Evaluate current professional development related to curricula to assure it models and instructs in the effective use of technology. Include in observations a means for assessing the infusion of technology into instructional practices.

July 2010 – June 2013


Lesson plans Annual formal teacher observations Area supervisor monthly walk-through observations

2.6 - All instructional staff and administrators will use available technology to communicate with parents/guardians, students, public stakeholders, and other educators.

Assign a school-based technology coordinator or staff member specifically responsible for supporting skill development and technology infusion into the curriculum for staff and students as indicated in the technology plan. Model the effective use of technology through the activities of administrators, faculty and staff. Establish a mentoring program for teachers and administrators in developing and supporting the infusion of technology across the curriculum.

July 2010 – June 2013


Lesson plans Annual formal teacher observations Area supervisor monthly walk-through observations Feedback from students, parents, and public stakeholders

2.7 - All instructional staff and administrators will act responsibly and ethically when obtaining and using technological resources and applications.

Assign a school-based technology coordinator or staff member specifically responsible for supporting skill development and technology infusion into the curriculum for staff and students. Model the effective use of technology through the activities of administrators, faculty and staff.

July 2011 – June 2013

Area Supervisors & Administrators Classroom Teachers/Media Specialists Technology Coordinator/IT Director

Annual formal teacher observations Area supervisor monthly walk-through observations

2.8 - One or more qualified staff members will be available to provide timely technical support and assistance in integrating technology into curricula, instruction, and assessment to educators and administrators.

Monitor network use and end user needs to target technical support activities. Train volunteer qualified staff members to serve as ancillary technicians.

July 2010 – June 2013

Area Supervisors Technology Coordinator/IT Director Technology Committee

PDP Professional Development logs Minutes of Meetings


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Provide technical support for both infrastructure and personnel.

3.1 - All students and staff will have consistent, equitable and barrier-free access to appropriate technology.

Increase the number of computers/laptops and portable hand-held electronic computing devices available for student use to meet 4:1 recommended ratio. Increase use of student response systems (where available) as a tool for assessment.

July 2010 – June 2013

Classroom Teachers/Media Specialists Area Supervisors Technology Coordinator/IT Director

Lesson plans Area supervisor monthly walk-through observations Feedback from students Computer inventory records

3.2 - All students and staff will have access to online resources and other distance learning technologies.

Revise policies to allow less restricted educational use of emerging technologies by students and staff. Increase use of e-textbooks and companion websites as part of instruction.

July 2012 – June 2013

Classroom Teachers Technology Coordinator/IT Director Technology Committee

Lesson plans Annual formal teacher observations Area supervisor monthly walk-through observations Feedback from students

3.3 - All students and staff will have safe and secure access to internet resources via high-speed voice, video and data networks in accordance with the district's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) with the goal of providing one-to-one access for all users.

Improve the reliability and maintenance of hardware, software, and internet connectivity. Provide maintenance and support of the current infrastructure. Replace obsolete technology on a regular schedule.

July 2010 – June 2013

Technology Coordinator/IT Director

Copies of signed AUP Agreements

3.4 - The district will maintain a website compliant with all accessibility standards that provides interactive and timely content relevant to the school and local community and allows access to email and network resources for administration and staff.

Investigate the use of local and global technologies to improve communication with public stakeholders. Update the design and content of the school website on a regular basis. List resources for students and parents via teacher e-mail, teacher-developed web sites and training/workshops provided by various districts.

July 2010 – June 2013

Technology Coordinator/IT Director Public Relations Director

Feedback from students, parents, teachers, administrators, BOE members, and public stakeholders.

3.5 - The district will establish partnerships with other public agencies and entities, educational institutions, community-based organizations and private corporations to increase opportunities for sustained technological access and comprehensive, collaborative learning environments.

Provide links to sites for community access and adult literacy training centers. Identify emerging and promising practices in educational technology implementation that promote equitable access and accessibility Collaborate with community resources to establish access beyond the school day.

July 2012 – June 2013

Board of Education Superintendent Administrators

Minutes of Meetings

3.6 - The district will establish partnerships and collaborate with parents/guardians and the community-at-large, including the five sending districts, to make technology available for students beyond the school day.

Form strategic partnerships with the education and business community. Provide research and policy support for the development and use of online courses. Collaborate with community resources to establish access beyond the school day.

July 2010 – June 2013

Board of Education Superintendent Administrators Area Supervisors

Minutes of Meetings


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Support the development of a framework for virtual learning opportunities such as school-created online courses.

4.1 - The district will obtain and/or maintain the equipment, network connectivity resources, and on-site technical assistance necessary to provide e-learning opportunities and to support curricular activities for all students, instructional staff, and administrators.

Monitor network use and end user needs to target technical support activities Provide maintenance and support of the current infrastructure. Replace obsolete technology on a regular schedule.

July 2010 – June 2013

Business Administrator Technology Coordinator/IT Director

Records of technology purchases. BOE Minutes

4.2 - The district will conduct a Total Cost of Ownership analysis to budget for effective implementation and support of educational technology systems.

Conduct a Total Cost of Ownership analysis.

July 2010 – June 2013

Business Administrator

Records of technology purchases. BOE Minutes

VI. FUNDING PLAN (July 2010 – June 2013)

Three-Year Technology Plan Projected Funding Table (2010-2013)

ITEM Year FEDERAL FUNDING

STATE FUNDING

LOCAL FUNDING

MISC

Digital Curricula (NIMAS)

2010-11 $5,000 2011-13 $10,800

Print Media 2010-11 $1,000 2011-13 $2,500

Equipment

2010-11 $140,453 2011-13 $100,000

Connectivity

2010-11 $25,000 $45,830 2011-13 $54,000 $100,000

Filtering/Antivirus

2010-11 $5,400 2011-13 $11,700

Software

2010-11 $32,450 2011-13 $70,000

Maintenance

2010-11 $8,900 2011-13 $19,200

Upgrades

2010-11 $7,800 2011-13 $16,800

Policies/Plans 2010-11 $22,000 2011-13 $48,000

Other Services

2010-11 n/a 2011-13 n/a

Technology Plan Creation Date: April 20, 2010


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VII. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT A. Name/Title of Persons Responsible for Professional Development

Camille Rosenberg and Jean Marie Seal of the Professional Development Committee with input from area supervisors, administrators, media specialists, and teachers.

B. Planned Professional Development Activities Ongoing, sustained professional development for all administrators will be provided to further the effective use of technology in all learning environments through continued in-house turnkey and vendor-provided training on the use of the student information system (GENESIS), the Naviance Succeed student achievement and career planning service, the Scantron Achievement Series online student assessment service, and other applications and services, such as the school website, related to the instruction and assessment of regular and special education students. Sustained professional development for all educators will be provided that enhances the effective use of technology, models 21st century skills, and demonstrates global outreach and collaboration in the classroom or media center. Training will focus upon improving the knowledge and skills of all educators to successfully complete the following tasks:

• Converting MS Word documents to other formats such as txt, pdf, etc. • Creating, saving, and editing MS Excel spreadsheets. • Calculating totals and averages of columns and/or rows of numerical data in MS Excel

spreadsheets. • Sorting data saved in MS. Excel spreadsheets. • Generating a graph/chart from data in an MS Excel spreadsheet. • Inserting/Importing a video or sound clip into a MS Power Point slideshow. • Importing, editing, and saving a graphic using MS Paint or other media application. • Creating, editing, and saving a web page using an application or template. • Using a video camera to record and export video. • Using Web 2.0 applications as part of instruction. • Including streaming video as part of instruction.

Professional development opportunities and resources that exist for technical staff include vendor-provided training on the configuration and use of the student information system (GENESIS), the management of the school website, and attendance at conferences or webinars related to the maintenance of severs, network connectivity, and related infrastructure. Professional development is provided to all staff on the application of assistive technologies to support all students in their learning through resources and training made available through the Child Study Team and associated entities.


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C. Professional Development (2010-2011)

D. Projected Professional Development (2011-2013) Professional development will continue to be provided to teachers on the effective integration of Web 2.0 technologies into daily instruction; on the use of online research tools and databases; and updates to the Student Information System (GENESIS) and the school website. Additional training will focus on the use of advance features of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Power Point and Excel, as well as multimedia hardware and software.

Educator Proficiency/ Identified Need

Planned Professional Development for 2010-2011

Support

Use of Web 2.0 applications Mini-sessions conducted by in-house staff during scheduled in-service days on emerging Web 2.0 technologies successfully deployed in the classroom such as blogs, NINGs, Skype, wikis, etc

School website includes regularly updated pages with links and a brief description of Web 2.0 technologies for possible classroom use. Teachers will have the opportunity to attend multiple mini-sessions and will be allotted time to practice skills with the assistance of a mentor colleague.

Use of online research tools and databases

Media specialists will continue to offer training on the use of subscription services such as Noodle tools during staff lunch/prep periods and individually upon request.

Training is provided to students on the use of subscription services as part of instruction in English courses. Several teachers besides the media specialists are available to assist colleagues in using these tools.

Use of Student Information System (GENESIS) and school website.

Whole-group and individualized training will be provided to teachers during the opening school year in-service and through optional follow-up afterschool sessions.

Technical assistance is available through the data processing office and from the technology supervisor via individualized instruction, email, customized manuals, and electronic update bulletins.

Use of Smart board software

Turnkey training sessions are offered after-hours throughout the school year.

Media specialists and trained teachers are available to provide individual assistance and to share instructional activities.

Preparation and formatting of wiki course unit maps

Direction is given by area supervisors during department meetings. Detailed assistance is provided as part of Instructional Skills Seminars.

Assistance is provided individually or via email by the technology supervisor.

Use of advance features of MS Office

Mini-sessions conducted by in-house staff during scheduled in-service days on advance features of MS Power Point and MS Excel.

Teachers will have the opportunity to attend multiple mini-sessions and will be allotted time to practice skills with the assistance of a mentor colleague. Microsoft website includes tutorial videos on various features.


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VIII. EVALUATION PLAN

Three-Year Technology Plan Evaluation Narrative

The evaluation process and accountability measures that will monitor progress and mid-course corrections to the extent to which goals, objectives, activities, resources and services are effective in achieving the following objectives: a. Integrating technology

into curriculum, instruction, and assessment

Area supervisors will meet on a regular basis with the Supervisor for Curriculum & Instruction and other administrators to review research on the integration of technology into classroom instruction as part of the development of 21st century learning skills among students. An analysis will be conducted of the correlation between student achievement data, technology plan implementation, and technology-infused curriculum. Teacher lesson plans will be reviewed each week by supervisors to determine the use of technology in the areas of instruction and assessment. Yearly formal and monthly informal walk-through observations will be used to provide feedback to teachers.

b. Enabling students to meet NJ State Core Content Curriculum Standards

All unit course maps will include a technology application component aligned with specific cumulative progress indicators delineated in the 2009 NJCCCS. Teachers will move towards standards-based grading of assessments in an effort to provide students and parents with more immediate meaningful feedback as to individual progress in meeting State standards. Monitoring of progress will be the responsibility of area supervisors and the Supervisor for Curriculum and Instruction.

c. Developing life-long learning skills

The technology committee will annually review the district technology plan to determine if the goals and objectives are being satisfied to the extent possible and thereafter generate recommendations and modifications to the plan as warranted for the next school year. A review of student assessment data and the methodology used for evaluating student performance by teachers will be included as part of the analysis.


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ADDENDUM

Rancocas Valley Regional High School Board of Education POLICY 6142.10

TECHNOLOGY

The board shall develop a technology plan that effectively uses electronic communication to advance and promote learning and teaching. This system of technology shall be used to provide local, statewide, national and global communications opportunities for staff and students. Educational technology shall be infused into the district curriculum to maximize student achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards.

ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE INTERNET Purpose To support its commitment to providing avenues of access to the universe of information available, the district’s system of electronic communication shall include access to the Internet for students and staff. Limitation of Liability The Internet constitutes an unregulated collection of resources that change constantly, so it is not possible to totally predict or control the resources that users may locate. The board cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information or the appropriateness of materials that a user may encounter. Furthermore, the board shall not be responsible for any damage users may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service. Nor shall the board be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system. District Rights and Responsibilities The computer system is the property of the district, and all computer software and hardware belong to it. Therefore, the district retains the right to monitor all access to and use of the Internet. The board designates the chief school administrator as the coordinator of the district system. He/she shall recommend to the board of education qualified staff persons to ensure provision of individual and class accounts necessary for access to the Internet, designation of quotas for disk usage on the system, establishment of a document retention schedule, establishment of a virus protection process and coordination of other activities as required to maintain the system. Each principal shall coordinate the district system in his/her building by approving all activities for that building; ensuring that teachers receive proper training in the use of the system; ensuring that students are adequately supervised when using the system; maintaining executed user agreements; and interpreting this acceptable use policy at the building level. Access to the System This acceptable use policy shall govern all use of the system. Sanctions for student misuse of the system shall be included in the disciplinary code for students, as set out in regulations for policy 5131 Conduct/Discipline. Employee misuse may result in appropriate discipline in accord with the collective bargaining agreement and applicable laws and regulations. The board shall ensure the acquisition and installation of blocking/filtering software to deny access to certain areas of the Internet.


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World Wide Web All students and employees of the board shall have access to the Web through the district’s networked or stand alone computers. An agreement shall be required. To deny a child access, parents/guardians must notify the building principal in writing. Individual E-mail Accounts for Students Students may be granted individual e-mail accounts and dial-up access to the system. An agreement shall be required for an individual e-mail account and must be signed by the student and his/her parent/guardian. Individual E-mail Accounts for District Employees District employees shall be provided with an individual account and dial-up access to the system. An agreement shall be required. Supervision of Students Student use of the Internet shall be supervised by qualified staff. District Web Site The board authorizes the chief school administrator/principal to establish and maintain a district web site. The purpose of the web site will be to inform the district educational community of district programs, policies and practices. Individual schools and classes may also establish web sites that include information on the activities of that school or class. The building principal shall oversee these web sites. The chief school administrator/principal shall publish and disseminate guidelines on acceptable material for these web sites. The chief school administrator shall also ensure that district and school web sites do not disclose personally identifiable information about students without prior written consent from parents/guardians. Consent shall be obtained on the form developed by the state department of education. “Personally identifiable information” refers to student names, photos, addresses, e-mail addresses, phone numbers and locations and times of class trips. Parental Notification and Responsibility The chief school administrator/principal shall ensure that parents/guardians are notified about the district network and the rules governing its use. Parents/guardians shall sign an agreement to allow their child(ren) to have an individual account. Parents/guardians who do not wish their child(ren) to have access to the Internet must notify the principal in writing.

Acceptable Use Student Safety Practices Students shall not post personal contact information about themselves or others. Nor shall students engage in any kind of personal contact with individuals they meet online. Attempts at contact from such individuals shall be reported immediately to the staff person monitoring that child’s access to the Internet. Personal contact information includes but is not limited to names, home/school/work addresses, telephone numbers, or personal photographs. Prohibited Activities Users shall not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the district system or to any other computer system through the district system, nor shall they go beyond their authorized access.


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This includes attempting to log in through another individual’s account or accessing another’s files. Users shall not deliberately attempt to disrupt the district’s computer system performance or destroy data by spreading computer viruses, worms, “Trojan Horses,” trap door program codes or any similar product that can damage computer systems, firewalls, servers or network systems. Users shall not use the district system to engage in illegal activities. Users shall not access material that is profane or obscene, or contains pornographic or vulgar materials, that advocate illegal acts, that advocates violence or hate, or any other uses or materials deemed objectionable in a public school setting. Inadvertent access to such material should be reported immediately to the supervising staff person. Users shall not plagiarize material that is available on the Internet. Plagiarism is presenting another’s ideas/words as one’s own. Users shall not infringe on copyrighted material and shall follow all dictates of copyright law and the applicable policies of this district. Users shall not use the school district computer system in any way which would disrupt the use of the system. Users are specifically prohibited from playing games, communicating with chat rooms, watching videos or downloading large files unless those activities are under the direct supervision of a teacher and part of the education activities of the lesson. Users shall not deliberately compromise or alter messages. Use of the Internet for the purpose of financial gain is prohibited. Users are not allowed to change any settings or configurations on any computer which includes, but is not limited to, changing wallpapers, screen savers, printers, deleting files or any other settings. Users are further prohibited from installing programs onto local or network drives or disks. Users are not permitted to bring in any computers, monitors, printers or any other hardware without permission of the chief school administrator/principal. Prohibited Language Prohibited language applies to public messages, private messages, and material posted on web pages. Users shall not send or receive messages that contain obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, or threatening language or material. Users receiving prohibited messages shall immediately report the receipt to their immediate supervisor for further instruction. Users shall not use the system to spread messages that can reasonably be interpreted as harassing, discriminatory or defamatory.


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System Security Users are responsible for their accounts and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorized access to them. In no case should a user provide his/her password to another individual. Users shall immediately notify the supervising staff person or data processing department if they detect a possible security problem. Users shall not access the system solely for the purpose of searching for security problems. Users shall not install or download software or other applications without permission of the supervising staff person. Users shall follow all district virus protection procedures when installing or downloading approved software. System Limits Users shall access the system only for educational, professional or career development activities. This applies to discussion group mail lists, instant message services and participation in Internet “chat room” conversations. Users shall check e-mail frequently and delete messages promptly. Privacy Rights Users shall respect the privacy of messages that they receive and refrain from reposting messages without the approval of the sender. Users shall not publish private information about another individual. Implementation The chief school administrator shall prepare regulations to implement this policy. Adopted: June 28, 2005 NJSBA Review/Update: January 2009, March 2009


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EDUCATIONAL NETWORKS East Coast: 111 John Street Suite 515 New York, NY 10038 Tel: (212) 269-0200 Fax: (212) 269-1446 Website Accessibility Statement An Educational Networks website uses modern, best practice technology to ensure that the site is accessible to all users. Accessible websites should be readable in their standard form as well as readable by assistive technologies, like screen readers used by the blind and poor of sight. Being readable by screen readers and other assistive technology requires the use of semantic HTML markup, text-for-image replacement, and other techniques. Rancocas Valley Regional High School’s public website does not require JavaScript or plug-ins like Adobe Flash to use. It is easy to navigate due to the use of structured HTML for navigation, as well as the use of homepage headings and a skip navigation link. To make the site readable to screen readers, Educational Networks uses a number of techniques. Images containing text are inserted with an image replacement technique. This means that the HTML document contains readable text. Images are added via an external style sheet. In turn, assistive software will see and be able to read the text but images used for decorative purposes are displayed to those visiting the site normally. For example, a homepage with a News & Announcements section may have an image header with enhanced fonts and colors to make the site more visually appealing. This image is, in effect, “replacing” some text that already exists there in the HTML document. Because of this technique, screen readers can “read” the text to users utilizing a screen reader. Alt tags are also used on many images, to offer a textual representation or indicate that the image should be ignored by a screen reader (where appropriate). In addition, Educational Networks uses semantic HTML markup. Section headings are marked with heading tags, allowing screen readers to jump between sections automatically. Without semantic markup, this is not possible. Similarly, navigation is marked up as nested lists, which means that screen readers and search engines understand the navigation. This structure is visibly presented as dropdown menus but understood by a screen reader application as a set of lists, which means users can easily navigate the website. Rancocas Valley Regional High School’s site also includes a hidden “Skip Navigation” link that is visible to screen readers. This allows users to skip directly to a page’s content which makes the site more navigable by assistive technology. High contrast colors are used throughout the site so that those with poor eyesight can read content and navigation. Nearly all content is available to users in plain text. In a time when sites still serve content as images or PDFs, Rancocas Valley Regional High School’s website has content easily available in plain text with clear, structured navigation for users to access this information. Lastly, as new technologies become available, Educational Networks incorporates these technologies and techniques into the site. New features are built to ensure accessibility. Because of this, the site will become even more accessible over time as new features are developed and new technologies emerge.

rancocas valley regional high school technology plan 2010-2013

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