Maranacook Area Schools
Technology Plan
2008-2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EVIDENCE INDEX
EXHIBIT C: Hardware Inventory (not on web to ensure network security)
EXHIBIT K: Technology Plan 1996-2001 (not on web)
EXHIBIT L: Technology Plan 2001-2004 (not on web)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In this age of unparalleled advancements, the body of knowledge doubles so rapidly that one quickly realizes that the delivery of instruction must change to fit these needs. The present classroom model still found in countless educational environments throughout our country was inherited from the Agrarian Age, survived the Industrial and Service Age without significant alteration, and is finally being challenged by the Information and Communication Age. In order to help our students to become thoughtful, informed, and collaborative global stewards, we must incorporate educational resources and information, provide efficient and effective delivery for educational services, and assist our students in meeting these ever changing demands. New technologies have been developed which show great promise for application in education. With
excellence being our goal, the challenge that faces the Maranacook Area Schools is to move beyond having technology-using classrooms towards becoming a district that promotes exploration, problem solving, and communication through technology.
In order for our vision to become a reality, we must develop and implement programs that will bring our goals to life. Systematic planning is vital in order to utilize fully the power of technology to facilitate problem-based learning. The Maranacook Area Schools have already moved well beyond the use of computer as a delivery medium and have ventured into the newly-chartered area of technology as an instructional and presentational tool. Our present goal is to tap into the technology that offers learning opportunities that are truly not possible in any other context. Such programs are far more justifiable in the educational environment considering limited school budgets. Our primary goal is to integrate new forms of technology into the curriculum at every grade level that will allow all learners to explore this tool through student and
teacher developed multimedia presentations, telecommunications, collaborative online projects with peers from around the globe.
Through careful evaluation, the following ten goals have become the district focus:
GOAL 1. Use technology to integrate State of Maine Learning Results with the curriculum in all content areas.
GOAL 2. Implement staff development opportunities.
GOAL 3. Keep student and employee Acceptable Use Policy for Electronic Resources current and in tune with laws. Abide by regulations outlined in CIPA.
GOAL 4. Maintain communication with all staff, students, parents, and community through district First Class e-mail system, traditional phone services (POTS), ATM classes, cell phone services, pagers, Cable TV station, Powerschool, and the district web site.
GOAL 5. Provide increased access to one-to-one computing with teachers and students along with wireless networking and other mobile technologies.
GOAL 6. Maintain a web site that allows all students, staff and community to get relevant and current information regarding district events, calendar, job opportunities, curriculum, internet resources, policies, classroom information, etc.
GOAL 7. Continue to use the Student Information system, Powerschool to organize and store student records involving historical grades, attendance, lunch records, transcripts, report cards, health information, and assessment scores.
GOAL 8. Maintain Keyboarding classes in each elementary school in the district from grades three through five.
GOAL 9. Continue to work with the State of Maine Dept. of Education on implementation of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative at the high school level.
GOAL 10. Explore available and current Assistive Technologies (AT) to provide the best learning environment and tools to all learners.
The Technology Timeline that follows represents a visual depiction of the goals, activities, costs, and timetable for our goals which we hope to achieve in the next three years.
STANDARD 1. Community and Parental Involvement
The Maranacook Area School District has spent many years working with parents, students, the business community and K-12 educators identifying qualities of the ideal learning environment and the critical skills, roles, and learning outcomes that every student will achieve. We have collectively determined that education throughout the district will focus on:
Real world skills that our children will require for success in life when they leave school (such as reading, writing, mathematics, thinking, problem solving, and interpersonal skills etc.) and
Real world roles that all children will one day be expected to undertake (such as that of democratic citizen, worker, learner, friend, family member, and caretaker of the natural world)
We are working to ensure that all students in our district will be:
Effective communicators
Good thinkers
Collaborative workers
Knowledgeable about human achievements and problems
Self-directed learners
Creative and effective problem solvers.
Global citizens who respect and care for themselves, others, and the natural world
We now have in place Powerschool, a student information system, which will allow parents to have access to information about their children in terms of attendance, grades, historical records, etc. This system also allows community members to view the daily bulletin outlining events and activities of that day.
Out district web site, www.maranacook.org also has information about the district in general and also each school has a site highlighting policies, curriculum, teacher information, etc.
Below represents the folks that have served on our district technology committee and assist in planning for budgets, systems, hardware, web site, and other related areas.
UNION #42 / CSD #10 TECHNOLOGY PLANNING COMMITTEE
Richard Abramson, Superintendent of Schools
Briane Coulthard, Superintendent/Principal of Fayette Central School
Lew Collins, Assistant Superintendent of Schools
Brigette Williams, parent and Director of Business Services
Jan Kolenda, District Technology Coordinator
Dr. Carol Fritz, Principal from Maranacook Community School
Anne Sinclair, Technology Coordinator from Maranacook Community School
Bunkie Wilson, Media Ed Tech III from Maranacook Community School
Susan Trott, Media Specialist from Maranacook Community School
Patricia Morris, parent and ATM Coordinator from Maranacook Community School
Mary Swartz, teacher from Maranacook Community School
Cathy Masse, Computer Ed Tech III, Maranacook Community School
Nate Savage, Technology Integration Specialist 9-12 Maranacook Community School
Eric Odencrantz, Network Administrator from Maranacook Community School
Norm Robichaud, Computer Repair Technician
Cheryl Hasenfus, Principal from Mount Vernon and Wayne Elementary Schools
Diane MacGregor, parent and Technology Integration Specialist K-8
Janet Dunham, computer teacher from Mount Vernon Elementary School
Rick Wilson, Principal from Manchester Elementary School
Ginger Ishkanian, computer teacher from Manchester Elementary School
Nancy Diamond, Media Specialist from Manchester & Readfield Elementary School
Kathy Brown, parent and Media Specialist from Mount Vernon Elementary School
Janet Adelberg, Media Specialist from Wayne Elementary School
Betty Morrell, Principal from Readfield Elementary School
Linda Gatti-Fyler, computer teacher from Readfield Elementary School
Mary Callan, Principal from Maranacook Community Middle School
Melanie Mason, teacher from Maranacook Community Middle School
Sue Caron, teacher from Maranacook Community Middle School
Susan Morin, teacher from Fayette Central School
Richard Darling, Chairman, Fayette School Committee
Marjorie Bruen, Ed Tech III Fayette Central School
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT I: Powerschool Data Sheet
STANDARD 2. Vision Statement
• Technology will enable learners to become effective, efficient and productive in their life pursuits.
• Students and staff members will develop the competency necessary to use technology as a tool to create, access, synthesize, evaluate, and communicate information.
• Students will be assisted by technology to achieve curriculum outcomes.
• Students will acquire lifelong learning skills through involvement in meaningful real world experiences which allow students to produce a product they value.
• Teachers will be supported as they use technology to create instructional materials, develop and deliver instructional plans and evaluate student learning.
• Teachers, as users of technology, will enhance instruction by being facilitators/coaches for learning.
• The technology will support and enhance administrative services and business functions.
• Parents and community citizens will be able to access district information and communicate with teachers.
• The technology infrastructure will allow users to communicate between schools, homes and to interact with world wide information.
STANDARD 3. Technology Goals
Through careful evaluation of the Vision of Technology, the following nine goals have become the district focus:
GOAL 1. Use technology to integrate State of Maine Learning Results with the curriculum in all content areas.
GOAL 2. Implement staff development opportunities.
GOAL 3. Keep student and employee Acceptable Use Policy for Electronic Resources current and in tune with laws. Abide by regulations outlined in CIPA.
GOAL 4. Maintain communication with all staff, students, parents, and community through district First Class e-mail system, traditional phone services (POTS), ATM classes, cell phone services, pagers, Cable TV station, Powerschool, and the district web site.
GOAL 5. Provide increased access to one-to-one computing with teachers and students along with wireless networking and other mobile technologies.
GOAL 6. Maintain a web site that allows all students, staff and community to get relevant and current information regarding district events, calendar, job opportunities, curriculum, internet resources, policies, classroom information, etc.
GOAL 7. Continue to use the Student Information system, Powerschool to organize and store student records involving historical grades, attendance, lunch records, transcripts, report cards, health information, and assessment scores.
GOAL 8. Maintain Keyboarding classes in each elementary school in the district from grades three through five.
GOAL 9. Continue to work with the State of Maine Dept. of Education on implementation of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative at the high school level.
GOAL 10. Explore available and current Assistive Technologies (AT) to provide the best learning environment and tools to all learners.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT C: Hardware Inventory
EXHIBIT E: Employee Acceptable Use Policy
EXHIBIT F: Student Acceptable Use Policy
EXHIBIT G: Profiles for Technology Literate Students K-12
EXHIBIT I: Powerschool Information Sheet
EXHIBIT M: Quickshops Courses
EXHIBIT N: Job Description of Technology Integration Specialist
STANDARD 4. Technology Assessment
4.1 Human Resources
The Maranacook Area School District is comprised of seven independent schools located in sparsely populated rural towns. Each school has a variety of software, hardware and expertise available. PC and Apple computers are used at Maranacook Community School and Apple computers K-8.
Diverse projects have been taking place at each school in the district which directly involve technologies which enhance and extend the curriculum. There are individual teachers and Educational Technicians who serve as building computer facilitators within each building. District Technology Coordinator is available for professional development, consultation, and technical advice throughout the district. The network administrator at the high school/middle school manages the network including all the hardware, Maine Learning Initiative repairs and imaging, and Powerschool for those grade levels. The Technology Integration Specialists offer support and learning opportunities to all staff at all grade levels. A computer repair technician is now employed by the district for four days a week for all software and hardware troubleshooting and
repairs.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT A: Job Description of Technology Coordinator
EXHIBIT B: Job Description of Network Administrator
EXHIBIT D: Job Description of Technology Support Technician
EXHIBIT H: Job Description of Computer Repair Technician
EXHIBIT N: Job Description of Technology Integration Specialist
4.2 Hardware/Software
Maranacook Area Schools has standardized all purchases based on two workstation operating systems that have wide support by providers of educational software: Microsoft Windows (XP minimum) and Apple Macintosh System (System OSX minimum). The State Department of Education recommends establishing the following levels for both Windows and Mac OS-compatible systems.
Maine Learning Technology Initiative has provided our teachers in grades 7-12 with Apple laptops which has helped tremendously with the advancement of technology in the classroom. With local money, we have provided all teachers in grades 4-6 with laptop computers. In some cases, more teachers than just those grade levels have access to their own laptop.
All workstations and monitors should comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star efficiency standards to control the impact on utility bills and heat generation, as well as, the standards for radiation to limit concerns about potential health risks.
Adherence to these standards will assist the district in achieving the following goals:
cost effective systems that meet the needs of the specific curriculum
ability to integrate the widest range of existing equipment
support the widest range of technology options and initiatives
flexibility to incorporate emerging technology in the future
Each year, an exhaustive hardware inventory is conducted district wide on a school by school basis. This inventory is given to each building administrator as well as held at the Superintendent’s Office in case of theft or fire.
POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) in our district is dependent on a Centrax system for voice mail services. Communication with parents is a high priority and we use both e-mail and voice mail to accomplish this requirement.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT C: Hardware Inventory
EXHIBIT P: Technology Replacement Assessment
4.3 Web based Services
The Maranacook Area Schools has a district wide First Class conferencing system that connects home, school, and community. This allows for all learners to have access to current research, developments and trends in education, share ideas and lessons with others, and keep in touch with colleagues around the district. This service will also allow for teachers to connect with other teachers around the state, country and the world. In addition to providing the needed link between teachers, this system also serves as the vital link between school and community.
Internet connections are available by means of the Maine School and Library Network and the installation of the high speed, T1/ATM network. Every classroom and library in the district, as well as the central office, all have access to the internet and e-mail services. The Union Board approved a carefully worded Administrative Policy and Procedures document that deals with the Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources for both students and employees and a policy for Web publishing. We are also using N2H2 internet filtering proxy server provided to us through MSLN2. All schools have wireless networking in addition to traditional ethernet networks.
Powerschool, our student information system has provided our district with a valuable service in storing and organizing all our district data involving demographics of students and staff, attendance records, lunch records, current grades, historical grades, scheduling, and reports including report cards. This password protected system also allows for parents and students to access their child’s information from any browser with internet access. Parents have real time access to lunch info, current grades, historical grades, attendance, and demographics.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT A: Job Description of Technology Coordinator
EXHIBIT B: Job Description of Network Administrator
EXHIBIT C: Hardware Inventory
EXHIBIT I: Powerschool Information Sheet
Updating and improving the Maranacook Area Schools’ web site has been a top priority. Our goal is to create a web site that is relevant, current, and informative. On our home page you will find a variety of links including the district policies listed according to national code, the district calendar which lists all upcoming events and meetings for the whole district. The School calendar, belief statement, and budget calendar are also just a click away. If you are interested in finding employment in our district, you may want to visit the Career Opportunities link where available jobs are posted along with all the necessary applications. The Adult Education website link is found on this page as well. You can access each individual school website from the district web site to more in-depth information about each school. This information varies
depending on the school but may include general information about the school, lunch menus, photos, curriculum based web resources, directions to the school, and contact information.
We have over 90 teachers that have been trained to create, maintain, and publish their own classroom websites.
If you are a registered First Class e-mail user in the district, you can check your e-mail through a browser from anywhere in the world. No more excuses for not being able to check your mail! Powerschool is also linked on this start page.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT A: Job Description of Technology Coordinator
EXHIBIT B: Job Description of Network Administrator
EXHIBIT C: Hardware Inventory
EXHIBIT E: Employee Acceptable Use Policy
EXHIBIT F: Student Acceptable Use Policy
EXHIBIT Q: School System Website Policy
4.5 Network and Facilities
At this time, each school in the district has a data network in place. The networking operating system (NOS) supports low cost servers and the Windows and MacOS operating systems. A NOS has been selected for each school that protects previous investments. The NOS supports open standards, diverse clients, and provides expandability, reliability, and security. The preferred network operating systems are Windows Server (supports PCs, Apples, World Wide Web) installed at the high school setting and Appleshare (supports PCs, Apples, World Wide Web) installed at middle school and the elementary setting. The preferred physical layer for networking is a category five unshielded twisted pair cable with appropriate terminal device in a star configuration. Each classroom should have at least four data outlets and sufficient electrical
capacity to handle the hardware. The preferred data layer is Ethernet (10-100Mbps) with one network interface card per machine and compatible switches. This infrastructure allows for expansion and growth depending on the emerging technologies.
In addition to the wired network, we also provide wireless computing at each school. The middle school also has the added bonus of offering one to one computing for grades 6-8 through the Maine Learning Technology Initiative with local funding for computing for grade 6. Every teacher also has a wireless laptop in this setting. This is one area that we are trying to improve upon at the K-5 level and at the high school. The above statements are considered the state of the art technology standards today. The district will continue to review the plan and make revisions as standards change.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT A: Job Description of Technology Coordinator
EXHIBIT B: Job Description of Network Administrator
EXHIBIT H: Technology Support Technician
EXHIBIT I: Powerschool Information Sheet
4.6 ATM Technology (Asynchronous Transmission Mode)
Maranacook Area Schools now has an outstanding opportunity for state of the art technology services and connectivity provided through the state bond issue and a utilities rate settlement. The state of Maine, working with NYNEX, has designed an infrastructure that will provide the capacity for distance learning opportunities throughout the state. Our challenge is now one of providing content K-12 for such distance learning. We are very excited about that opportunity. It is our vision that teachers will have opportunities to collaborate in intra-community work teams developing standards and benchmarks for student
performance. Similarly, students will be working together with other students from around the state and world on collaborative products.
A challenging range of courses, experiences and extracurricular activities must be developed which recognize the needs, interests, and abilities of all students. Maranacook Area Schools’ vision is to employ these new technologies to create learning opportunities not possible in any other context. This interactive network would allow staff to share expertise, resources, and increase our curriculum offerings. We have created a stipended position of ATM Coordinator for the ATM system in our district. This person is responsible for organizing and maintaining the system and seeking out courses in which students and staff can participate.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT R: ATM - Distance Learning Program
4.7 Electronic Mail System
Maranacook Area Schools has been using the First Class e-mail system for the past 14 years. We have 100% usage of all district employees. It is the expectation that all employees check their mail at least one time a day since all communication is done in this format. This system is also web based so anyone can access their mail from at home or anywhere in the world where there is web access.
4.8 Data Management System
Beginning in the Fall of 2003, the district implemented the student information system, Powerschool. This system has afforded us the opportunity for the first time in the history of the district, to have equal and ready access to valuable information regarding staff and students. An employee, with proper system privileges, can log into the system over the web and access information on any student in their school or in some cases, in the whole district. This system stores general demographics about all staff and students, medical information, historical attendance and grade data, current grades,assessment scores from NWEA and MEA, lunch information and balances, schedule, and much more. Powerschool also allows parent and student access to view fees owed, attendance information, and current and historical grades.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT A: Job Description of Technology Coordinator
EXHIBIT B: Job Description of Network Administrator
EXHIBIT C: Hardware Inventory
EXHIBIT D: Job Description of Computer Lab Technician
EXHIBIT E: Employee Acceptable Use Policy
EXHIBIT F: Student Acceptable Use Policy
EXHIBIT G: Technology Curriculum K-12
EXHIBIT H: Technology Support Technician
EXHIBIT I: Powerschool Information Sheet
EXHIBIT N: Job Description of Technology Integration Specialist
4.9 Maintenance and Repairs
Beginning in 2007, we have moved from outsourcing our repairs to having a district employee that is now charged with maintaining all hardware and upgrading all software. This new arrangement has allowed us to have a “turn around repair time” of less than one week.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT H: Technology Support Technician
STANDARD 5. Collaboration with Adult Literacy Service Providers
Maranacook Area Schools provides many services in the area of adult education that work towards the problem of adult literacy. Adult Basic Education offers services to those that need help with reading or math at any stage. Tutors and assistance are available throughout the CSD #10 and MSAD #16 communities. Adult Education program now has a website that is updated as needed to include current and relevant information.
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT O: Adult Education Catalog
STANDARD 6. Strategies for Improving Academic Achievement and Teacher Effectiveness
The following strategies for improving academic achievement and teacher effectiveness through technology integration are being followed in the district:
1. Articulate specific goals for using advanced technology to improve student academic achievement (see Standard 3).
2. Identify necessary technology (see Standard 4).
3. Attempt to Increase Accessibility (see Standard 10).
4. Assess how technology is integrated into curricula, instruction, and assessment (see Standard 7).
5. Provide ongoing professional development opportunities (see Standard 12).
6. Use of Powerschool (Student Information System) to store and organize data for easy distribution and analysis.
7. Regularly review and update the Profiles for Technology Literate Students K-12.
8. Provide many and varied professional development opportunities in the area of educational technology.
9. Maintain all hardware so that it is always in working order (see Standard 4).
EVIDENCE:
EXHIBIT A: Job Description of Technology Coordinator
EXHIBIT B: Job Description of Network Administrator
EXHIBIT C: Hardware Inventory
EXHIBIT D: Job Description of Computer Lab Technician
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