3-YEAR TECHNOLOGY PLAN

July 1, 2006 – June 30 2009

MR. MICHAEL GILPATRICK, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS

MS. SHIRLEY MYERS, SUPERVISOR OF INSTRUCTION/TECHNOLOGY

1. Needs Assessment:

            Each school in the LEA sent out surveys to parents, faculty and students for the needs assessment.  These needs along with the strategies were included in the School Improvement Plan required by the Tennessee State Department of Education. The surveys reflected that Technology was a high priority with every group wanting the students to become proficient in technology. The individual needs of each school were then relayed to the Technology Coordinator, Shirley Myers, to be included in the Overton County System Technology Plan.  The Department of Education E-Tote Survey completed in May, 2006 by all principals was also used in determining the current status of technology in our System. We will incorporate any technology needs that are apparent in our new E-Tote Survey to be completed in May 2006.  This three-year plan is a result of these assessments.

2. Stakeholder Involvement in Planning:

            Each school in the Lea had a committee for the School Wide Plan, which was made up of teachers, administrators, parents, staff and community leaders.  The committee met at least six times before the plan was completed.

Stakeholders involved in the planning are:

Mike Gilpatrick, Director of Schools

Shirley Myers, Supervisor of K-6 Instruction and Technology Coordinator

Diane Sadler, Federal Projects Director and 7-12 Supervisor of Instruction

Sheila Pemberton, Special Education Supervisor

Dennis Barnsness, Vocational Director

Matt Eldridge, Supervisor of Attendance

Vickie Eldridge, Principal, Hilham Elementary School

Teresa Johnson, Principal, A.H. Roberts Elementary

Gary Ledbetter, Principal, Livingston Academy

Rick Moles, Principal, Livingston Middle School

Melissa Savage, Principal, Allons Elementary School

Harold Watson, Principal,  Wilson Elementary School

Marsha Wyatt, Principal, Rickman Elementary School

Barbara Winningham, Librarian, Livingston Academy

Technology Teams at each school

3. Timeline:

            The Technology Plan that came out of the Needs Assessment of the School Wide Plan and surveys was for three (3) school years and the Overton County School System Technology Plan will be carried out over a three-year period.

As always, funds will determine what we accomplish each year and if we are to implement this plan effectively, some parts of it will be ongoing.  Our first priority, every year, will be to provide staff development, our second priority will be  upgrades and maintenance of our equipment and our third priority will be improvement and extension of our connectivity.  Hardware and Software programs will be considered depending on funds available from all sources.  We are projecting that we will spend in the following categories:

Ed Tech - Staff Development, Software, Hardware

E-Rate - Connectivity, Software, Hardware, Staff Development

BEP/County - Equipment

We will adhere to this formula for all of the three years.

4. Responsible Parties:

            The individual schools’ goals are to be overseen by the Principal of the school and the schools’ technology teams. The Overton County School System Plan is to be overseen by the Director of Schools, Mike Gilpatrick and the Technology Coordinator, Shirley Myers.

5. Vision:

            The Vision of the Overton County School System is to work in partnership with parents and other community members to provide student-centered schools which facilitate learning, build self-esteem, stress academic and technical proficiency, prepare students for participation in society, and allow students to reach their potential.  We believe that technology is an essential element of a modern education.  Technology must, therefore, be integrated into instruction and administration for the Overton County School System to achieve its stated educated vision.

6. Goals and Objectives:

GOAL ONE: TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY

            Every student in the Overton County School System will be provided adequate technology resources and instruction that will improve test scores and enable them to function in today’s global society. All resources, i.e., Ed Tech Funds, E-Rate Funds, BEP/County Funds, Title Funds, Vocational Funds, grants, will be used to improve the academic achievement, and technology literacy of all students.

OBJECTIVES

1. Provide software programs aligned to State of Tennessee’s curriculum standards.

2. Review and evaluate throughout the school year existing software programs such as Accelerated Reader, Little Planet and Windows on Math, Windows on Science, Plato Learning, Think Link Learning, and United Streaming for curriculum alignment.

3. Provide software programs to prepare and remediate students for ACT, SAT, and Gateway Exams.

4. Give students greater accessibility to technology by increasing the number of computer in the labs and libraries in each of the schools.

5.Continue to review and evaluate different/new curriculum mapping programs to help student instruction.

GOAL TWO: TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS TO INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY INTO THE CURRICULUM        

            Every teacher in the Overton County School System will become confident and comfortable in integrating technology into their curriculum through staff development and individual help provided by the school technology teams, the technology coordinator, librarians and qualified staff. All professional development will be ongoing, sustained and with effective technology integration and use. This will be provided during the summer months as well as after school during the school year.   All of our resources, i.e., Ed-Tech Funds, E-Rate Funds, BEP/County Funds, Title Funds, Vocational Funds, grants, etc. will be used to improve the capacity of all teachers to integrate technology effectively into curriculum and instruction.

            Objectives:

Professional/Technical in-service will be provided to teacher/staff in the following areas:

1.Curriculum Design/Mapping

2.Accelerated Reader

3.Think Link Learning

4.Plato Integrated Learning System

 5. Achievement Data

 6. Microsoft Office Suite

7.United Streaming

8. i-photo, i-move, i-music presentations

9. Electronic Library

10.Teacher Web

11.Opportunities for teachers and staff to attend technology, staff development, professional development conferences and workshops, and college courses.

12.TETC (State of Tennessee Technology Conference) and National Technology Conference, if funds permit.)

13. Workshops beneficial to the individual teacher based on subject taught and skills needed.  The technology coordinator and other qualified staff will be available to help teachers with specific software programs, web sites and other projects.

14.Workshops and professional development activities will be set up with Tennessee Technology University, an educational partner of the P16 Grant by the technology coordinator. 

15.The technology coordinator will attend any training sessions that would be beneficial to the school system, and come back and share the information

            GOAL THREE: TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE OPERATIONAL SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE. All resources included in our budget will be used to support this goal.

            Objectives:

By September 2006, each school in the LEA will have designated one building level technology coordinator to provide a software and hardware operational support in their building for the school year.  This building coordinator will communicate with the technology coordinator and technician through e-mail, using the computer camera, when installed.

The technology coordinator will do all possible to keep equipment and hardware in optimum operating condition.  The coordinator will contact technicians to solve any problems that cannot be handled a building level. We ill develop a more efficient way to inventory, repair, and upgrade equipment.

The technology coordinator will also attend meetings or seminars, subscribe to technology publications and encourage teachers/principals also to attend to learn about the most recent equipment and programs and help to try to obtain and incorporate the programs into our curriculum.

The county technology coordinator will visit every building throughout the year to provide operational support.

            GOAL FOUR: TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

            Every student in the Overton County School System will be provided adequate technology resources and instruction that will improve test scores and enable them to function in today’s global society. Overton County’s E-Rate Percentage is 76% and these funds are returned to each school for use with all of the students. Ed Tech Funds are also used for all of the schools in our county and each school has equal access to the Ed Tech Funds, which includes our Free and Reduced, High Needs and High Priority.

            Objectives:

a. All classroom internet connections will be continually upgraded especially switches.

b. All elementary libraries and the high school library will be fully automated,

c. All elementary schools and the high school will be equipped with at least one lab and preferably two per school.

d. The ITV lab at the high school will be made functional and all schools will have accessibility. Utilize this lab to provide dual-credit courses and course offerings from Tennessee Tech and Volunteer State.

e. There will be a lab set up in each library to better

facilitate internet research, supplement classroom instruction for teachers in all subject areas, and to provide the means by which students have the opportunity to improve writing skills, which as an area in which students needed improvement and is based on the 2006 TCAP Writing scores and included in the Tennessee School Improvement Plan

f.Each teacher in both the elementary and secondary

 schools will have a teacher workstation with computer, printer, TV, VCR, and grade level access to a projector and flex cam.

g Develop two-way interactive video distance learning among our elementary, middle and secondary schools.

h.Utilize our Internet connection to provide On-line courses.

7. Collaboration Among Educators:

            The Technology Teams that will be formed in each school along with the school Technology Coordinator will help our teachers, staff, and administrators to reach our goals and objectives.  We will encourage additional use of our e-mail system to increase collaboration among teachers, technology teams and district-wide technology staff.  We will lean heavily on our librarians to foster information literacy.

8. Collaboration with  Parents & Community Partners:

            The Technology Teams in each school along with each school’s technology coordinator and the Library Media Teacher will plan and implement collaboration with the school community on many levels. Along with the District Technology Coordinator, we will encourage a.) Family Technology Nights, b.) School web page to post current events and classroom assignments, c.) Parent volunteers to help facilitate technology based programs d.) Technology open house.   We will relationship with Adult Education Program, Public Library, Tennessee Technological University and Volunteer State Community College and the Tennessee Technology Center at Livingston. Each school in the LEA will continue to work with the Adopt-A-Schools and with Americorp. Also, there is participation of the community in our before and after school programs at the schools.

9.Curricula and teaching that integrate technology:

            The district will look at appropriate integrated learning software packages and evaluate them through piloting programs, use in the classroom and teams of evaluators to decide which programs will help us the most. These integrated learning systems need to be aligned with the new Tennessee State Curriculum Standards and the Tennessee Instructional Technology Standards.  We also need to look at on-line Internet courses using our ITV lab located at the high school.

10. Increasing Accessibility:

             Every elementary classroom is connected to the Internet and the Labs in all of our schools are available to all students, which make up all of the disaggregated subgroups.  We plan to upgrade and improve our Internet connection and access, as well as increase adequate hardware and software to each classroom. All of our funds are divided among all of the schools in the Lea.

11. Equity:

             Our District has an E-Rate Percentage of 78% free and reduced.  Understanding the importance of equal access, all schools are to promote better ways to schedule students’ access time on the computers.  We plan for all students to have daily access to computers.  All E-Rate Funds are returned to the schools to help with their technology needs and Ed Teach Funds are also used for all schools and every student along with all other resources that we have in the county. Each school is allotted $10,000 for hardware and software and $5,000 for license and upgrade fees each year.

12. Professional development:

             Staff Development will be planned and offered during the school year, Saturdays, and during the summer to teachers, administrators, and staff. Software programs being used in the schools will be reviewed and new programs will be introduced.  Technology in-services covering every level of competency with computers will be offered all through the year and summer to all personnel and we will take advantage of programs offered by our partners, TTU and Vol State for staff development.  Staff Development is also discussed in Goal#2. All professional development will be ongoing, sustained and with effective technology integration and use. The district will have a schedule of Technology Staff Development Opportunities for each year.

13. Budget:

            Overton County operates on a yearly budget and the technology funds come from several sources, i.e., BEP, Local Funds, Title II, Part D Tech-ed funds, Title IV Funds, Vocational Funds & Carl Perkins Funds, E-Rate funds, and various grants. Our director and School Board have made a large commitment to technology funding in the past years and we have come too far to quit funding technology now.  We plan to purchase the following for the 2006-09 budget and anything that we are not able to purchase the first year of this plan would be carried over to the second and third years.

            a. New hardware, computers, media carts, printers, projectors, flex cameras, digital cameras, hubs    -$100,000

            b. New software, Integrated learning systems - $20,000

            c. Additional Plato licenses - $10,000

            d. Salaries - $35,000

            e. Parts/maintenance/upgrades - $10,000

            f. Technician-$25,000

            g. Staff Development-$5,000

            h. Fiber Optic line lease-$10,000

14. Interoperability:

            The District Technology Coordinator, along with the Technology Teams from each school in the LEA will make sure that any technology improvements will work on our existing systems or on the systems, including hardware or software, being purchased.

15. Leadership:

             The Technology Coordinator of the County assumes a leadership role along with the individual principals of each school and the schools’ technology teams. There will be a meeting quarterly, either together or separately with the District Technology Coordinator, to ascertain what is needed.  Any gaps in the school needs concerning equipment, software or teacher training will be conveyed to the Team, principal and TC and added to the Staff Development Schedule and budget requests. Each school will receive a copy of this three year District Technology Plan.

16. Review of Policies and Procedures:

             The Overton County Board of Education adopted and put into use an Acceptable Use of the Internet Policy, Web Page Policy, Teacher Use Policy that every high school student must sign and take home and have signed by a parent, and the teacher in order to use the Internet.  These policies will be kept on file at the school. In the elementary schools it will be stressed by the principal to the teachers that no one is to be on the Internet without a teacher present in the room and the Internet usage is to be carefully monitored. Each year the Board will review the Internet policy and procedures for our county.

17. Evaluation:

           Each principal and the district technology coordinator will complete the E-Tote Survey. We will use this information as a pre-survey to evaluate our needs.  A survey will also be taken of the Technology Teams in each school to get their views on how things are going.  This team will of course, include the Library Media Person and the Technology Coordinator for the School.  We will also use the Evaluations from the Staff Development given throughout the year and the summer to form our needs assessment for each year.

            Evaluation of Student Achievement will include the Terra Nova (TCAP) scores, State Writing TCAP scores, Gateway Tests and End of Course Scores along with comparisons with previous years’ scores.