Westonka Public Schools Technology Plan

WESTONKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TECHNOLOGY PLAN
2016-2019
In 2013, Westonka School Board approved a new technology plan to further the district’s commitment to increasing student learning and
engagement and ensuring that all Westonka students are college and career ready by the time they graduate from high school.
Goals
1. Support the district’s Professional Learning Communities (PLC) model, which includes the use of formative assessments,
collaboration tools and personalized intervention/extension opportunities
2. Use technology to transition from print to digital curriculum
3. Provide students academic experiences to master 21st century skills
2016-2019 edge21 technology plan
In the first three years of edge21, much progress was made in the five key areas of the plan: infrastructure, standardized management
systems and devices, user experience, technology support and instruction. Strategies for the 2016-2019 technology plan reflect the
changing landscape of the world’s information. The skills required of students are vastly different than a decade or two ago. Today’s
educators must adapt to how students approach technology and what they expect from their school experience.
The mission of the 2016-2019 edge21 technology plan is to engage, to empower and to enhance.
ngage
students in their learning
by using technology in deeper and more
personal ways
mpower
parents, by providing easy access
to student information,
and teachers, by equipping them with
proven instructional tools and effective
professional development
nhance
technology support through a
newly-revised organized support model
and implementation of new tech
support tools
2016-2019 WESTONKA PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDGE21 TECHNOLOGY PLAN DELIVERABLES
Infrastructure
Infrastructure provides the
foundation for successful
teaching and learning by
supporting network attached
devices and enabling universal
access to educational
applications, data and services.
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Procure and set up
VMWare and server
backups
Procure Firewall for
redundancy and review
policies
Integrate content filter
redundancy
Continue implementation
of IDAuto Centralized
Account Management
Implement telephone
conference call
capabilities
Implement continuous
improvement process to
review wireless hardware,
management tools and
operations
Increase district wireless
capabilities
Procure and replace
original network Extreme
switches and upgrade
district switches code
Standardized Management
Systems & Devices
Standardizing the procurement,
asset management,
configuration, deployment and
replacement of technology and
technology management
systems, which will increase
operational and instructional
productivity.
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Develop hardware
replacement plan for
classroom SMARTBoards
and projectors
Create standard
technology guidelines for
classroom and offices
Improve Asset
Management systems
data and import process
to support data accuracy
and integrity
Research benefits of
monitoring software and
make recommendations
for consideration by
building sites
Research options for food
service payments and
make recommendation
for district administration
User Experience
Technology Support
A reliable and efficient user experience is a goal of the school district.
Providing effective technology access, support and communication to staff,
students and parents will allow the district to provide greater opportunities
for student learning and more effective communication about student
academic progress.
Technology is essential to all
functions of a school district. A
centrally-planned, locally-executed
and efficient technology support
structure is critical for successful
day-to-day operations.
Staff
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Set up annual timeline and deliverables for setting up technology for the
coming school year
Develop single sign-on for all apps and network activities
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Develop a Westonka app to access Google, Skyward, Schoology,
Bloomboard
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Conduct annual staff survey on technology integration and tech support
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Continue to build the Edge21 web page as a districtwide teacher
resource page
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Create a single district calendar system across all building sites and
departments and develop protocol to use and create calendar invites
and sharing calendars
Develop a framework that articulates the use of core technology tools
across the district
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Train staff on core components of identified core instructional
technology tools. Move staff from “literacy” to “fluency”
Develop a recommendation on how to train building non-teaching staff
on technology applications that are needed for them to be successful in
their jobs
Increase the use of Mobile Device Management (MDM) to provide greater
classroom support (app deployment, device management and support)
Develop Google file labeling protocol
Develop a recommendation for a consistent communication tool for
coaches/co-curricular advisors
Students
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Develop plan to support students with locating and accessing their
username and password
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Determine scope of WiFi on buses and what devices can access
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Revise current student digital citizenship program at Grandview Middle
School and Mound Westonka High School
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Conduct annual student survey on digital tools, curriculum and learning
with devices
Parents
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Reconfigure elementary
technology support to
accommodate increased use
of technology applications in
classrooms
Research options for a district
technology ticket support
system and make
recommendation for district
implementation
Increase IT-related
communications to staff on
current issues, trends and
tools
Adjust IT support across
buildings to adapt to current
technology needs
Create a committee,
represented by instructional
technology and IT staff, to
collaborate, create a common
technology vision and
direction and provide staff
efficient and effective
support
Develop a technology support
framework document with
roles and expectations to
more effectively support
technology in the classrooms
and buildings
Instruction
Our instructional model will continue to
evolve from a teacher-centric to a
student-centric model in which student
learning is personalized and adapts to
students’ needs. Technology will be a
critical component to support this
student-centric instructional model.
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Streamline access to different websites
Create/update reference guide and screencast to make payments
through Skyward Parent Access
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Research options to provide free/reduced cost WiFi to families in need
and make recommendation for district administration
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Starting with the 2016-2017 school year, Skyward becomes the primary
parent communication tool
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Create parent guidelines for searching for information on school-related
topics
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Implement activity based
professional development
designed around the INTEL 21st
Century Learning Design
Implement a multi-leveled
professional development model
for staff that provides
pathways/leveling for teachers to
be able to progress through
professional development
opportunities based on their level
of proficiency
Revise the curriculum review cycle
with an emphasis on digital
materials
Set specific digital adoption goals
and align it with technology
integration goals/support to
ensure effective integration
Embed digital citizenship through
all levels of the district
Identify core digital tools and
products that can be used to assist
students with applying 21st
century skills within their learning
Set expectations for teachers and
develop professional development
on embedding 21st century skills
into instruction and measuring
student proficiency of applying
21st century skills to their learning
Develop a content filtering
protocol for access requests to
websites that are blocked by the
district’s filter
Develop framework and criteria to
purchase subscriptions and
instructional tools