Ashworth Middle School

Calhoun, Georgia

Three Year Technology Plan

July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2015

Marc Feuerbach – Principal

Leigh-Ann Hunt – Media Specialist

I. Vision for Technology Use

A. Mission Statement

Our mission is to make technology available to every student and teacher in every

classroom in a manner that enhances learning and promotes effective classroom presentation.

Technology will address the needs of all students, support the curriculum, reinforce higher order

thinking skills, improve student administration, and increase productivity.

B. Vision

It is the vision of Ashworth Middle School that computers and other technologies become a

normal part of every classroom and that a wide variety of multimedia presentations will be used

to add life and vigor to classroom presentations. We visualize that technology will energize the

learning process to make students willing and lifelong learners.

In our vision:

Technology will be incorporated so students will acquire basic technological skills

including word processing, desktop publishing, databases, spreadsheets, electronic

communications and other specialized technology in all academic areas.

Special needs students will have access to hardware and software through assistive

technology. Special devices as required by their Individual Education Plans (IEP)

will allow the students to communicate with their peers and teachers. Assistive

technology will be considered in the preparation of student IEPs.

A student information system will be maintained so parents can access grades and

other information about their student from their home.

Equitable access to information will help prepare the students for the 21st

century.

Technology will be infused and integrated into all aspects of the educational program.

Curriculum standards will drive the technology that will be placed in the school.

Students will be prepared effectively to access, analyze, apply and communicate

information so they will become successful citizens in the information-based global

society.

Teachers, students, administrators and staff will utilize up-to-date multimedia and

telecommunications to enhance learning

E-mail will replace paper communication within the school and eliminate paper

instruction.

II. Current Reality

Every regular classroom is connected to the system-wide network. The majority of

these classrooms have five or more network connections. The school network is connected to

the central office with gigabit fiber and uses a MetroE line to connect to the Internet. There is a

system-wide content filter (M86) that blocks access to inappropriate sites.

Most of Ashworth’s teachers have taken InTech training or have had technology

training. Other training activities have helped familiarize teachers with the technology available

at Ashworth. Training is an ongoing activity, and technology training in some form is conducted

on a daily basis.

Support for the technology program is provided through E-Rate and Title I funds

from the federal government, Special Purpose Local Sales Tax (SPLOST) initiatives, regular

school and media allotments and locally raised funds. The central office provides for a

technology director, network administrator and three computer technicians.

A. Access to Technology/Data Sources

1. Data

The source of data for this report is the annual school technology inventory. This is a room by

room inventory of all items of technology that is then compiled and submitted in the form of the

Annual School Technology Inventory Survey to the State of Georgia Department of Education.

The following is a summary of technology resources available to the faculty of Ashworth Middle

School:

Item Number

Modern computers 422

Laptops 106

Wireless carts 3

Video/Data projectors 55

Digital cameras 6

Digital video cameras 8

Interactive white boards 31

Wireless slates 53

Student response devices (sets) 27

Televisions 64

Video conferencing points 2

Document cameras 16

Flat bed scanners 2

2. Student and Faculty Technology Surveys

a. Recently 36 faculty members of Ashworth completed a locally generated

technology survey. The survey looked at which technology tools and resources

teachers were using, how frequently they use them, and how important they feel

the resources are to their instruction. They were also asked to describe any

additional technology resources that could strengthen their instruction. (see

Appendix A)

3. Access to technology

All classrooms and Gymnasium are connected to a system-wide computer network.

All of the networked computers have access to the Internet. Technology is used daily for general

school administration and student management. The school cafeteria staff uses computer

technology to track and record lunchroom funds. There is a separate computer classroom used

primarily for the instruction of keyboarding. A WAN (Wide Area Network) exists to connect all

administrators to the central office for the passing of attendance, purchasing and other data to the

central office. Parents have the ability to access and track both school attendance and academic

progress of their children through I-parent.

B. Technology Use

1. Instructional Uses of Technology

Instructional use of technology is a daily occurrence at Ashworth Middle School. Teachers

use a variety of technologies in their classroom including streaming videos. There are daily

Power Point, Prezi, MovieMaker presentations, internet searches, and other computer-based

instructions. A library of almost 800 instructional videos is also available. Currently all of our

classrooms are equipped with mounted televisions except for the mobile classrooms which have

access to TV on a cart. Each classroom has a VCR mounted next to the television. Each of the

teacher computers is equipped with WinTV, a television tuner which allows TV programming to

be viewed on the computer or on a large projections screen via video/data projection. Each

teacher computer also has the ability to play DVDs. There is a video/data projector mounted in

every classroom along with a screen and sound system. All classrooms have four or more

computers. Ashworth has its own website with daily homework assignments, school calendar,

and many instructional links for both teachers and students. Teachers also maintain individual

websites.

Teachers also use the internet for instruction, skills practice, and internet field trips. The

internet is also used to access practice for the CRCT, Professional Standards and other

instructional links. Document cameras are also available for specialized instruction such as

scientific experiments and art projects. There is a permanent computer lab with 29 computers

available for teachers to reserve and use for classroom instruction. There is also a permanent

remedial computer lab with 16 computers that allows at-risk students to improve their reading

and math skills. The media center has a total of 25 computers for student use, 10 desktops and 15

laptops.

2. Administrative uses of technology

Administrative uses of technology include SchoolMax which manages the student

population, class scheduling, grading, and student database. Business operations and purchase

order requests are done through a computer network linked to the central office. Special

Education uses Tienet to prepare Individual Education Plans and manage the special education

population of the school. Technology is also used in the school cafeteria to monitor, track and

record lunch and breakfast meal payments. E-mail is used extensively for school and system-

wide communication. Daily announcements are broadcast live to the whole school on a daily

basis via television and via Power Point in the school cafeteria during the lunch periods. Daily

announcements are posted each day on the school web site as is a calendar of current events.

3. Parent/Community Uses of technology

Ashworth Middle School maintains a school website (http://www.gcbe.org/ashworth) that is

available to all students, parents, and members of the community. It is updated daily to keep the

community abreast of current school events such as lunch menu, sports, PTSA, and student

homework. The iParent program allows parents to check their child’s grades and monitor their

attendance. The Gordon County School System also maintains an active website that provides

current information and news concerning the school system.

C. Gap Analysis

Every classroom has at least five or more computers. A wide range of computer software

is available through CITRIX on the system-wide network. Inspiration (for creating graphic

organizers), PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, Access, and Safari, the media

center’s card catalog, are examples of some of the software available.

There are currently 55 mounted video/data projectors that allow computer images to be

projected on a screen or interactive white board. Every classroom is equipped with at least five

networked computers and the technology to present computer material on a screen or television

set. A video/data projector is mounted in the ceiling of every classroom. There are currently 31

interactive white boards mounted in classrooms and an additional 53 wireless slates are available

for checkout. Ideally, white boards need to be mounted in 4 additional classrooms. There are

currently 27 sets of student response devices available for check out. Another 16 sets would

make one available to all the primary classrooms. There are 16 document cameras available for

checkout which appears to be an adequate amount at this time.

Two wireless carts (30 laptops each) were added in the 2008-2009 school year. Battery life

is now severely diminished affecting the reliability of the two wireless carts. Due to a lack of

funds to replenish the batteries, the laptops from these carts are being used solely with power

adaptors and power strips. A third set of laptops (21) has been added to Ashworth’s inventory

this year. These were moved from Sonoraville High School when they purchased new units.

These also depend on power adaptors. It is our desire to add two to four new netbook wireless

carts in the next year.

Our system is blessed with a wide variety of technologies. Our technology staff is very

prompt in attending to any technical support issues that may arise. Ideally, it would be nice to

have one technology technician for every school. Another possibility would be maintaining a

technician for half a day, or every other day at each school.

There has been tremendous progress made toward achieving 21st Century Classrooms,

but additional student response devices and interactive white boards are required. 81 laptop

batteries are needed to replenish the two existing mobile labs. Additional items of technology

would serve to enhance the learning environments of the classrooms.

The PE department is also in need of computers to enable them to conduct their lessons.

They are now required to report students’ fitness levels to parents and the state by using the

Fitness Gram program to report the results. It is difficult to record data without a computer in

the gym or weight room. One solution is to provide iPads to use during the testing times. Some

other schools have pursued this avenue for their PE teachers and are reportedly having much

success.

In PE there are many opportunities to use computers for students to gather fitness data,

track fitness levels and research fitness information. The weight room currently has a projector, a

computer jack and wireless access. Unfortunately, there are no computers to use in the room. It

would be great to have access to several computers for student and teacher use. Another use for

these computers would be to present educational materials via DVDs that are received from

various resources such as American Heart Association.

The PE department would like to use the same program the high school uses, Bigger,

Faster, Stronger. Without a computer in the weight room it would waste so much paper to print

out the info that they could simply look on the computer screen and see. This program could be

used as a PE resource as well as a resource for coaches during off seasons to work with their

students. The computer in the weight room would also allow a place for student athletes and

coaching staff to review game film.

D. Goals

Goal 1 All classrooms will become 21st Century classrooms

Strategies Benchmark Evaluation

Method, Timeline

Funding

Source/Amount

Person

Responsible

A interactive white

board for every

classroom

Install in 4

classrooms.

Annual

Technology

Inventory

Install 4

SmartBoards in

the next 3 years

SPLOST, GCBE,

Instructional, Title

VI, Title I, PTO

and Fundraisers,

Equip Replacement

$2000 per board

TOTAL $8,000

Principal

Media Specialist

Technology

Director

Purchase 4

additional student

response sets

(CPS)

Replace existing

sets that do not

work.

Annual

Technology

Inventory

2 sets in each of

next two years.

SPLOST, GCBE,

Instructional, Title

VI, Title I, PTO

and Fundraisers,

Equip Replacement

$2000 per set

TOTAL $8,000

Principal

Media Specialist

Technology

Director

Goal 2 Provide a one-on-one computing solution for instruction Strategies Benchmark Evaluation

Method, Timeline

Funding

Source/Amount

Person

Responsible

Obtain 4 wireless

netbook carts.

2012-13 school

year

Annual

Technology

Inventory

SPLOST, GCBE,

Instructional, Title

VI, Title I, PTO

and Fundraisers,

Equip Replacement

Carts $3,200

Computers $30,000

TOTAL $33,200

Principal

Media Specialist

Technology

Director

Goal 3

All staff should be trained on skills and integration of technology in

the classroom

Strategies Benchmark Evaluation

Method, Timeline

Funding

Source/Amount

Person

Responsible

Determine needed

skills:

SmartBoards,

CPS, etc.

Instruction

provided as

technology

becomes available

Number of

teachers trained.

classes presented,

ongoing.

SPLOST, GCBE,

Instructional,

Professional

Development

Principal, System

Technology

Director,

Instructional

Coordinator

Goal 4 Increase parent and community communication, involvement

access and awareness in student learning by technology

Strategies Benchmark Evaluation

Method, Timeline

Funding

Source/Amount

Person

Responsible

Maintain a current

up-to-date web site

Make grades and

attendance

available through

I-Parent

Periodically

publish a school

newsletter

Provide web based

study resources

School

Governance

Council

Increase parental

usage of available

resources by 10%

each year.

Hit counter, usage

reports, student

progress reports.

Meeting minutes.

Ongoing.

SPLOST, GCBE,

Instructional, Title

VI, Title I

Principal

Media Specialist

Instructional

Coordinator

Goal 5

Continue to establish, maintain and support the network

infrastructure, hardware, and software to assure access for all

employees and students

Strategies Benchmark Evaluation

Method, Timeline

Funding

Source/Amount

Person

Responsible

Update wireless

network to 155K

Technology

Director report

Summer 2012 State and Local

Funding

Superintendent,

Technology

Director, Tech

staff

Increase

bandwidth to

250MB

Technology

Director report

Summer 2012 State and Local

Funding

Superintendent,

Technology

Director, Tech

staff

Update content

filter

Technology

Director report

Spring 2012 State and Local

Funding

Superintendent,

Technology

Director, Tech

staff

Install new

switches

Technology

Director report

Summer 2012 State and Local

Funding

Superintendent,

Technology

Director, Tech

staff

1. Goal 1 - All classrooms will become 21st Century classrooms.

The vision of a 21at Century classroom would be one where there is a teaching station

equipped with controls that enable the operation of all the technology in the classroom. There

should be state-of-the-art presentation technology that enables large screen presentation of

information and materials delivered from the teaching station. There should be an electronic

“white board” or “slate” that employs SMART technology for the presentation of computer-

based programs, materials and information resources including information and resources from

the Internet. There should be access to live and taped video programming delivered to the

classroom both locally and through school delivered materials.

To achieve the vision of a 21st Century classroom some or all of the following equipment

must be present in the classroom:

1 Windows 7 teacher workstation with CD-ROM/DVD Player

1 Laser printer connected to all computers

1 Color flatbed scanner

1 VCR/DVD player/recorder

1 Document Camera

1 Data-video projector with remote control, preferably mounted in the ceiling

1 Interactive whiteboard

1 Student Response Device

2. Goal 2 – Provide a one-on-one computing solution for instruction

A one-on-one computing solution provides a computer to each student in the class. It

would not be practical or financially feasible to put 30 computers in each classroom in the

school, but it would be very practical to provide four additional mobile computer labs of 30

netbooks each with wireless access. The labs could be checked out and moved to the classrooms

to allow the students to work on computer based projects. The availability of mobile computer

labs would in effect, reduce the number of computer workstations needed in each classroom. A

teacher workstation and four student workstations would probably be adequate for each

classroom if the mobile labs were available.

3. Goal 3 – All staff should be trained on skills and integration of technology in the

classroom.

Essential to the addition of new software and technologies in the classroom is the ability to

use it properly and productively. Teachers are reluctant to use new technology when they do not

have confidence in their own ability to make it work for them. A systematic program of ongoing

technology instruction should be an inherent part of the professional development process.

Many times technology classes present so much information at one time that it is difficult for the

teacher to grasp and retain, even with notes and handouts. It is important that technology

training is conducted at the time the technology is needed to make it relevant to the situation at

hand. Teachers learn technology when they use it and apply it to a specific situation. It is

important that there are personnel available to assist teachers as they continue to use technology

in their classroom. This could be done by designated technology teachers or coaches who could

instruct, assist and model instruction using classroom technology.

4. Goal 4 – Increase parent and community communication, involvement access

and awareness in student learning by technology.

Studies have shown that the more a parent is involved with the education of their child the

better they do in school. A continuing effort should be made to involve parents in school

activities and events that improve student achievement and to give them the tools to monitor

homework, attendance, and grades making them feel that they are a part of the educational

process for their child.

5. Goal 5 – Continue to establish, maintain and support the network

infrastructure, hardware, and software to assure access for all employees and

students.

Technology is useless if the network does not support it. As teachers and students continue

to use wireless devices and increase the amount of instruction that is technology-based, it is

needful to upgrade the wireless network, switches, content filter, and bandwidth.

E. Evaluation Plan The effectiveness of this plan will be determined not only by how

successfully and timely the desired equipment was obtained but also by the

effectiveness of classroom instruction as measured by student achievement gains on

standardized testing, the technological growth of the staff and faculty as measured by

the faculty technology survey and acceptance of new technologies, and the successful

integration of technology into the curriculum. Evaluation tools will include testing

results, surveys, observation, annual teacher evaluations, and self evaluation.

1. Data collection strategies to monitor progress

2. Responsibilities

3. Evaluation methods

a. Student Achievement

b. Student technology literacy

III. Communication and Marketing

A. Communication/Marketing

1. Two-way communication between all areas of the educational community is

essential. To this end, e-mail has become the primary source of communication between the

administration and members of the Ashworth faculty. This is also a primary source of

communication between teachers and with the central office.

2. Also essential is the ability of communication with the student’s parents. To this

end, I-Parent has been acquired to allow parents to view their student’s performance and

attendance via the internet. Ongoing efforts will be used to make parents aware of this resource

and to encourage their participation. In conjunction with this effort, Ashworth maintains a

current and active website that parents can access to check on homework assignments, check

daily announcements, check the school calendar, share documents from teachers, and

communicate via e-mail with their student’s teachers. Each teacher also maintains an individual

website. Parent Link, a phone-based system, is also used to inform parents of news and other

important information.

3. Communication with the community is also essential to good public relations.

Communication is accomplished with the school web site which provides detailed information

about the school including its mission and vision. Significant events are publicized through the

web site and publication in the local newspaper. Additionally, the community, both parents and

business associates, are represented on the school council. The minutes of the school council are

posted on the school web site.

4. Publication of a school newsletter also provides a communication avenue to

parents and the community. The newsletter allows for recognition of significant events and

school and individual achievements and the dissemination of information pertinent to students

and parents. The newsletter is sent home with students and also posted on the school web site.

B. Integration/coordination with long-range planning initiatives:

1. The administration uses technology on a daily basis for communication with

members of the faculty and other offices throughout the school system. They are active in

acquiring new technology that will enhance the instructional capabilities of the teachers and staff

and seek ways to place new technology in the classrooms.

2. Teacher and student management is done through School Max and other software.

Purchase requisitions, technology support and maintenance requests are completed via

technology.

3. The administration promotes the active use of technology and seeks to set the

example in technological use.

4. The school system has actively pursued the acquisition to enhance the instructional

capabilities of each classroom. It has been active in seeking funding for technology through

local funding, SPLOSTs, E-Rate, and other grants. The Gordon County School System is

moving rapidly toward the 21st Century classroom throughout the entire system.

IV. Professional Development:

Professional learning will be an ongoing process. As each new technology is

integrated into the school and academic process instruction is provided to both teachers and staff.

Much of this training is provided through the school system while other training is provided

internally. Each teacher has been provided with training in maintaining their websites, using

CRCT practice software, and using Study Island. Professional learning will continue to support

school improvement and academic achievement through a variety of sources.

Appendix A

AMS Technology Resources Survey Highlights

March 2012

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

% o

f te

ach

ers

Technology Tools Used by AMS Teachers

for InstructionMarch 2012

80%

75%

33%

Data Projector

Smart/ActivBoard

Classroom computers

Daily Use of Technology by AMS Teachers March 2012

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

no

t im

po

rtn

at

to v

ery i

mp

ort

an

t

Importance of Technology Tools to AMS

Teacher InstructionMarch 2012

1. Which of the following tools or resources do you use for instruction? Select all that

apply.

2. How frequently do you use the following resources and/or tools?

3. How important are the following resources and/or tools to YOUR instruction?

4. List any additional technology (hardware/software) resources and/or tools that you

feel would strengthen YOUR instruction?

# of Respondents Response

20 people N/A

1 person Cameras/portable scanner

1 person More CPS Units in which the students can see their answers and

keep up with what number they are on.

1 person Training on SmartBoard

1 person Having a smartboard or activboard would help. Being able to

count on the CPS units to work in my room would enable me to

be able to use them.

1 person I think we have it all. A few more student computers would be

nice.

1 person Having in class student computers hooked to the network

printer. Allowing me to bring a printer from home to hook up to

my in class computer, because I cannot leave the room when

students need extra copies, etc.

1 person We already own this, but Finale music writing software is

essential for music educators.

1 person Possibly a free recording program like Audacity.

1 person Program resources that quickly enable activity based learning on

the SmartBoards