4. Include a technology assessment - Gather information about technology currently in use so that what will be needed to meet new goals can be determined. Include a list of the equipment and telecommunication services that are necessary to reach the goals.
Cape Elizabeth has been fortunate in providing access to technology, network services and support for our schools and staff. Technology resources have been acquired and this plan will maintain and expand on these services with the ultimate goal of impacting teaching and learning in the district. Previous Technology Plans have laid the groundwork and our hope is this plan will move us towards transforming teaching and learning.
Current Technology Assessment (Spring 2007)
Laptops:
Staff in our district in Grades 5-12 are provided with laptop computers. The Middle school through the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) and the high school with local and grant funding. Our plan is to ultimately move all teachers to laptop computers. This allows anytime/anywhere access to computing and network services. The elementary school is currently the school in greatest need with the oldest technology. The proposed 2007-08 technology budget will get us about two thirds of the way to laptops for all teachers at the elementary level. The subsequent budget (2008-09) should finish the elementary school and we can then claim to provide a laptop for all our staff.
Network access:
Our schools have been wired for network access for approximately 10 years now. Schools additionally have wireless network access in all building except one wing of Pond Cove School. Plans are to complete the wireless network by the spring of 2007. The middle school wireless network was completed through the funding provided by the MLTI project. The high school wireless network was funded and installed locally.
Internet:
Internet connectivity is currently provided by a T-3 (ATM) connection that is brought into our High School. Federal erate and state MSLN funding helps pay for this Internet access each year. This Internet connection is delivered to the Middle School, Pond Cove Elementary School, and our local public library (Thomas Memorial Library) via fiber optic cable connections. We are fortunate to have all of our schools plus the public library located within a campus environment that allowed our district to connect buildings together with fiber cabling. This connection allows our district to share network resources as if they were in the same building.
Centralized district servers and services include:
FirstClass - Mail Server
Apache - Web Server
Windows DHCP/DNS server
Secure Computing - Proxy Server's Internet Filtering
Sonicwall - Firewall
Infocenter Library database server serving all three libraries.
FileMaker Server ‚ Database access
PowerSchool Server ‚ District-wide Student Information System (SIS)
Moodle Server ‚ Course management system
PaperCut ‚ Print Management software
Each school has its own server for storage of staff and student data files.
Software Resources:
AppleWorks
Microsoft Office Professional (Word, PowerPoint, Excel & Access)
iLife software suite (iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes, Garage Band & iWeb)
Inspiration
FirstClass Client (E-mail client)
Internet Explorer, Firefox & Safari web browsers
Sophos virus protection software
Other specialty software tools and titles as required by the curriculum
Equity of access to technology:
Computer labs are available for student use during any non-scheduled class periods. Labs are also available many days before and after school. Each school's library has 12-30 computers available for student use. The high school library is open until 4:00PM Monday - Thursday to provide access to computers and other resources and also provides access to computers beyond the school day by allowing students to check out laptops overnight. The Community Services department uses our computer labs in all buildings for adult education courses during afternoons and evenings. All three schools have access to mobile labs for staff to roll into classrooms for technology access. As part of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) each of our seventh and eight grade students and staff have an Apple iBook for
school and home use. Access to technology is very good in all of our school buildings but probably the best at the middle school through the efforts of the MLTI program.
Maintenance:
The Technology Department of Cape Elizabeth is a joint town/school department. This joint venture is something our department has been doing for over five years now. Sharing services and support has helped to fund technology staffing. The district currently has three district-wide computer technicians to deal with the day-to-day maintenance of computers & technology in our schools and town. Also available are at least one Ed Tech in each school’s computer lab to deal with issues within the lab and sometimes even issues within the building. The technology budget includes funding for consultant and network services to support our increasing complex network.
Coordination:
Cape Elizabeth School district hired a district-wide Technology Coordinator in 1996. This position still exists today and is a part of Cape Elizabeth's district leadership team. The Technology Coordinator is responsible for coordination of all the district's technology including budgeting, ordering, inventory, staff development, software purchasing, E-rate, technology planning, etc. The Technology Coordinator meets regularly with representatives from each school, the town office and public library to plan for and to prioritize future technology needs. The focus of this committee is to provide a forum for all major players to have a voice in planning for technology.
This Technology Coordinator also handles Town technology purchases. This has allowed for standardization of hardware and software throughout the school/town and also resulted in savings through educational/government pricing.
Teacher Web Sites:
Beginning in the fall of 2006, teachers now have the ability to create teacher website for their classes simply by using templates provided through our email system. Simply creating an email through our FirstClass mail server and simply sending the message can modify these teacher websites. Teachers no longer need to learn complicated HTML or design factors for these websites. The templates provide the structure, all teachers need to do is add content. Included, as a template is a homework/ class calendar where teachers can post assignments or activities and have them immediately available on the web. Students and parents can access this information 24/7. The schools and public libraries have each created a web site to provide easy access to their numerous databases, card catalogs and other resources.
Elementary School:
Our elementary school has networked computers in every classroom and a computer lab in the building. There are two mobile computer labs with 20 Apple iBooks available for teachers to use in classrooms. The Media Center at the elementary school has 10 computers for student access. Printing services are delivered through networked laser printers at each grade level and in strategic areas of the building. Three networked color printers are also available for staff use. Staff have access to a server for file storage and backup. Pond Cove School also has available several data/computer projectors, digital camcorders and digital cameras for staff/student use.
Middle School:
Our Middle school has benefited greatly from the MLTI project. All staff have laptops for computing and network access. Students in grades seven and eight also have laptops for school and home use. Cape Elizabeth is a district that has allowed students to take laptops home from the first year of the MLTI project. Our district feels that there is great benefit in increasing access to technology for our students. Grades five and six have mobile labs of 24 laptops available for their students use in classrooms. The middle school contains a computer lab that is used for instruction and integration with fifth and sixth grade students. Lab computers are available to all student and staff during free periods. Access is also available in the library through 10 student accessible computers. The
middle school also has available many data/computer projectors, digital camcorders and digital cameras and SmartBoards for student/staff use. Printing services are delivered through several networked laser printers at each grade level and throughout strategic areas of the building. There are four networked color printers available in the Middle School. Local printing is available in some classrooms and in Special Education areas. Currently, in process, is a grant proposal to begin an Achievement Center at the middle school.
High School
All classrooms teachers have laptops available or a networked computer in their classroom. The High School has several labs available for students & staff use:
One Windows lab with 20 computers
One Macintosh lab with 16 computers
Library with 20 Windows computers and 10 laptops available for student use to sign out for use.
Six carts with 24 laptop each assigned by department throughout the high school (English, Math, Foreign Language, Science, Social Studies, First floor cart).
Special Services also has 20 laptops for use within its program.
Achievement center with 10 windows computers
High School library computers are available for student's Monday - Thursday until 4:00 PM to provide access to computers and other library resources. The high school library provides access to computers beyond the school day by allowing students to check out laptops overnight.
Other computer labs in the building are generally available before and after school as well as during free periods.
The high school also has available several data/computer projectors, digital camcorders, digital cameras and SmartBoards for student/staff use.
The high school network was just upgraded through a recently completed renovation project.
An ATM (Distance Learning) classroom is available in the high school for videoconferencing capabilities.
Printing services are delivered through several networked laser printers available throughout strategic areas of the building. There are also five networked color printers available to staff & students in the high school. Local printing is available in some remote classroom or office areas and in many Special Education rooms.
Thomas Memorial Library
The Thomas Memorial Library (Cape Elizabeth's public library), which is open 55 hours a week, provides access to community members so students and the general public have the availability of computers and other library resources. The library has a wireless network installed so students can connect to this network with their laptops. The town library and schools share the same MSLN (Maine School and Library Network) Internet connection, filtering and other network services. All staff have access to computers with 22 currently in the building, 10 of which are dedicated to general public use.
Town Hall
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