We believe that instructional and other technologies, in addition to improving productivity, should also foster communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving, and creativity among our students, staff, and community learners.

We believe that technologies are a vital component in delivering instruction, as well as in making classrooms more responsive to student interests and needs, including those with unique student learning needs.

We believe that technologies should help give our students a global outlook, make them more successful in processing information, and better equip them for the demands of higher education and the workplace.

We believe that ongoing and evolving technology staff development and training is vital.

We believe that staff, students, and the community at large will need to continuously adapt to changing technologies.

TECHNOLOGY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

To use technologies to improve administrative efficiencies and support data-based decision-making by school leaders.

• Identify situations in which administrative efficiency and/or decision making may be better supported through the use of specific technologies
• Procure the software and other resources necessary to improve administrative efficiency in selected areas
• Provide the training and time needed to successfully use the new approaches. 

To integrate instructional technologies into the curriculum and to support instructional improvement.

• Encourage staff to use technologies whenever and wherever they are the best instructional tools.
• Explore new instructional technologies in conjunction with the District Curriculum Cycle.
• Ensure that students and staff use technologies legally and ethically.
• Use technologies to accommodate different learning styles.
• Make available software and hardware that supports identified curriculum needs and instructional strategies.
• Attempt to measure the impact of specific instructional technologies on student learning.
• Encourage experimentation with various instructional technologies.
• Explore options for classroom wireless connectivity for the integration of classroom wireless technologies.
• Explore options for online and hybrid classes at the high school level. 

To establish databases and data analysis strategies for teachers to use in curricular and instructional decision-making.

• Collect the necessary information to be readily accessible to instructional staff.
• Provide training on data-based decision-making for teachers and departments.
• Data leaders, department chairs, grade level teams and PLCs will analyze data to inform instruction and individual student interventions.

 To maintain and improve staff development and technology training opportunities.

• Establish and promote minimum competency requirements for staff.
• Establish local technology standards for teachers aligned with the AASL, ISTE and MEMO standards as part of the 2011-2013 Curriculum Review Cycle.
• Continue to offer training on an as needed and as requested basis to encourage the use of emerging technologies as well as continued training in productivity tools.
• Use large-scale staff development approaches only when necessary and appropriate (those that may involve upgrades and awareness level training).
• Provide technology training and staff development to support the school district initiatives of collaboration, data-driven instruction, differentiated instruction, and 21^st Century skills.
• Continue to offer two days of optional technology training in the summer (August).

To use technology to encourage parental involvement and to improve communications with parents and the community at large. 

• Continue to maintain and expand the district's web presence.
• Increase awareness and expand TIES SchoolVIEW as a parent/guardian portal into his/her child's school to view pertinent, secure student information.
• Continue to expand varying means of electronic communication to the public.
• Promote electronic communication to parent(s)/guardian(s).

To ensure the equitable distribution of instructional technologies throughout the school district.

• Procure stable, long-range funding commitments for instructional technologies.
• Develop a plan for the systematic review and upgrading of instructional technologies.

To continue to explore emerging technology tools and practices and implement to meet school district needs.

• Continue to expand our fiber-optic project to provide network equity to each of our sites.
• Continue to maintain and potentially expand Voice Over IP.
• Explore and expand options for videoconferencing throughout the district.
• Consider potential replacement of older technologies with new options as they become available and affordable.

To continue to maintain and make improvements to our technology infrastructure, including (but not limited to) servers, switches, wired connectivity, wireless connectivity, etc.

• Consider a regular replacement plan for district and building servers.
• Explore efficiencies and other improvements that could result by the purchase of a SAN for centralized storage of files.
• Budget for the replacement of switches and other technology infrastructure as needed.
• Research and set priorities for the expansion of wireless connectivity throughout the district.
• Explore future options of server and desktop virtualization.
• Explore future options of cloud computing applications.

May 2011