Live reporting - Technology update

2. Guests/Presentations

c. Tech Update / Plan – Tim Rapoza, Joyce Edwards

1700 Chromebooks distributed over couple of days and nights
220 wireless access points, the telephones, all needed to be programmed and set up
today we had an all day training on the audio section
85-90% released and trained at this point, we're not done yet

you have seen the robot, we have 3-D printers
if you have any specific question, I'd be happy to answer them

Q -What are the outstanding issues?
A - large software deployments to the teachers are finishing up, doing the one-offs here and there
One software piece had the standard license instead of the premium

the robotics kits just arrived last week

new tablets are still not shipped from the factory yet, they are a proto-type for school and ruggardized for use; trying to get 2 demo units per science lab
once we get them, we'll be glad we waited

system wide we tweak the security on the public versus academic side
working with the vendor to configure it appropriately
we are close to getting it install the proper way
right now the Facilities Director doesn't have remote access to the devices in the high school

Joyce

some low level usage to high level usage
seeing references instantaneously to advance and reinforce the learning

students can do peer editing across the room with one another
students creating content and adding to a body of knowledge out there
specialized programs being used
lots of math and graphing being used

part of the 1-1 initiative extends the learning to anytime anywhere

step back about 3.5 years ago
the conference geared to using technology in instruction
that core group of 100 folks has continued to contribute to the body of knowledge within the staff

25 came voluntarily to debrief
Digital Learning Community formed preschool through 12
how do we help each other, harness and channel it to help our students
the focus is on instruction 
how can we harness learning in real time?
take a look at the 'acceptable use policies' and see of changes may be required
how can families access the technology appropriately
stay within the boundaries that are safe, what should students know how to do by grade

this plays into electronic testing with PARCC coming

need to continue to support the teachers and their digital learning
keep them with the curve; build capacity within the district

sometimes the value is with failure

teachers are using all kinds of applications
how do we have equity and access?

Sabolinski

the important is where we are going

Raposa

another 200 access points for K-8
another 1000 Chromebooks to be deployed to get ready for PARCC
now we are prepared to go 1:1 in every school

re-deployed interactive whiteboards in K-8 classrooms

other technology being stored in trailers (at an undisclosed location) until the staff is ready for deployment

wireless vendor visits on technology
Panasonic and Dell have requested case studies of the implementation
defacto Chromebook roll-outs are increasing so there are more visits coming

O'Malley

applaud both of you for the commitment that it takes to deploy such to all
applaud the teachers - it is not just a new skill, it is a major re-tooling
it is a big todo, it not a new series of text books

we need a set of expectation for our students grade by grade, what should they know when
When do we have PowerPoint when the teacher can count on the students knowing it?

Joyce

The committee does that have as a task
the State also has standards coming out so we are looking to see what they have in this area

Trahan

do you have a calculation for determining the wireless hot spots

Raposa

it is complicated and ha many factors including what the building is made of
we had started with other schools and practiced
you need to have coverage and capacity
we wanted 10,000 simultaneous connections
one access point per room and one every 50' of the corridor

Rohrbach

Do you have a structured plan for rolling the devices out to the teachers
incorporating the training needs

Joyce

using subs to backfill training spots 6-7 at a time
targeted professional development

teacher PDP piece in place for a long time now
have we hit saturation?no
do we need more time and money? yes
we also need to focus on preschool - 8

Raposa

we have a specialist on staff now doing before and after hour sessions
she is now camping in the teacher rooms to be their source of info and move from teacher room to another
trying to build that tiered level of support within the staff to meet the needs

Clement

have we had any casualties?

Raposa

yes, daily, there is a process with the insurance to cover this, return the units to the vendor to do repair, etc.
we have some buffer stations to use for swap outs
72 systems int he Library for check out like a book for the day (charge, etc.)
there is another inventory for the tech staff to handle the swaps
look in the system to see how many have books and to ensure none slip through the cracks

Mullen

what percent are using Chromebooksvs. personal systems

Raposa

95% using Chromebooks versus personal systems