SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY UPDATES
Technology Wizards Program re-initiated under the Covey Leadership Initiative at our school.
The Technology Wizards Program was officially re-initiated on 1/19/2012. This program allows volunteer students in grades 3 to 8 to be trained as classroom technology assistants for their teachers and fellow students. Training is done once a month and the students are given hands-on specific practice with the technology in their classrooms and throughout the school. Students in grades 3 and 4 are paired with a partner in grades 5 through 8. The training will continue throughout the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. In addition students may participate in training on 8/20 and 8/21/2012 in preparation for the start of the 2012-2013 school year. Tech Wizard trainees will receive their training from the school Media Specialist and will resume their regular classroom duties during the 2012-2013 school year. This program may be ongoing at the discretion of the school principal.
CHANGES AND ADDITIONS:
1. The computer lab area is gradually being transitioned to a Linux and Open Source Lab Project and this will continue throughout the school year and the summer of 2013. The lab machines were upgraded over the summer and some minor repairs and replacements of equipment will take place over the summer of 2013.
2. Fourth Grade has been transformed into our Apple Lab area and the mobile media cart currently there will be moved to the Fifth Grade Classroom. The Apple Lab currently consists of four three iMac Mini’s and one iMac Standard Desktop, and six Apple iPads. It is our hope to add additional iPads to that lab.
3. The Nook Tablet Mobile Lab is moving to First Grade but will be shared by Kindergarten, First, and Second Grades. Some Nook Tablets may be converted to standard Android Tablets during the summer of 2012-2013.
4. The Two Nook Color Tablets in the Intermediate Grades Mobile Lab will be converted to full Android Tablets.
5. Kindergarten now has two iMac computers as part of their classroom computer configuration.
6. Several HP 2727nf Multi-Function Printers have been added to the classrooms and the remaining units will be setup before the end of the school year.
7. Over the summer of 2013 the Library area will be rearranged to include Digital Study Carrels
8. The Numonics Interactive Whiteboards in Grades 3 and 4 have been upgraded to wireless boards
9. Mimio Interactive Whiteboard equipment has been added to grades 6,7, and 8.
10. A new Flat Screen HD TV and Monitor Combination has been added to Grade 5
11. A new Digital Projector has been added to Grade 2.
12. WAN speed connection will be improved to 35 mbps effective July 1, 2013
13. A new Linux Terminal Server has been added to the Schools Server Group
14. A new Wireless network has been installed throughout the school giving the schools two wireless network platforms and BYOD capabilities.
15. A new Dell Firewall appliance is being added to the school’s wired network.
16. Two additional servers ( a File Server and a Media Server) will be added to the school’s network during the summer of 2013.
17. The school has added the Espresso Software to the collection of Academic Support Software this year. The teachers continue to use a variety of support software including: Spelling City, First in Math, Star Fall, and Brain Pop. The school is also trying out Dreamworks Math and Strata Logica software.