Technology Plan
Michelle Zielinski Principal 884 East Isabella Road Midland MI 48640 Voice: 989-631-5202 x217 Fax: 989-631-4541
michellez@aceaofmidland.org
School District #56903 - Building #09696 A Charter School Sponsored by the Midland County ESA
Technology Plan URL:
Revision 1.0 June 29, 2009-June 30, 2011
Mission Introduction Demographics
Vision
Goals
Curriculum Integration- Section 4 Student Achievement-Section 5 Technology Delivery-Section 6 Parental Communications & Community Relations-Section 7 Collaboration-Section 8
Evaluation-Section16 Acceptable Use Policy-Section12
Introduction
Academic and Career Education Academy (ACEA) is a chartered high school, located in the central part of Midland County, servicing the entire county and surrounding counties with an alternative approach to receiving their high school diploma. A daycare facility is available to students whose children need care during school hours. Transportation is also available.
Academic and Career Education Academy contracts with Education and Training Connection to provide technology support for the academy.
Many of the programs are targeted to help at risk students succeed and to assist all students in becoming computer literate. Most of all, the programs are designed are to give student the self-esteem necessary to become productive in society.
Mission
We will provide innovative educational opportunities for achieving individual success through discovery, exploration, and the pursuit of student potential. Our unique, challenging, and flexible curriculum inspires excellence and confidence in career and academic endeavors.
Demographics
ACEA is centrally located in Education and Training Connection’s main campus
location in Midland County on M–20, five miles West of Midland Michigan. We
are in the proximity of The Dow Chemical Company, MidMichigan Medical
Center, MCV Cogeneration Enterprise, Dow Corning Company, Delta College,
Saginaw Valley State University, Northwood University, and Davenport
University. ACEA employs 8 teachers. ACEA’s student enrollment varies but
last count was 115.
Special Populations Served: 4% African American, 1% Asian American, 4% Hispanic/Latino, 3% Native American, 88% Caucasian, 0% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.
Income Level: 54 % Qualify for free or reduced lunch
Summary
Academic and Career Education Academy’s technology vision is to provide technology literacy to all students and school personnel by providing access, training, and assistance in the use of technology. The purpose of this technology is to enhance ACEA’s educational processes, and student’s ability to keep current in the technology driven society of the 21st century.
People are empowered by learning the tools of information technologies, and the ability to share these resources and communicate in our local and global communities. It is imperative that ACEA prepare its students to confidently compete in an ever evolving, information-rich, technically oriented job market.
ACEA will integrate these tools within our academic model of teaching, ensuring that each student is instructed in appropriate methods of technology use and selection of the best applications for presenting and communicating the acquired information, increasing their ability to become a life-long learner and achiever.
Vision Statements
ACEA has identified required components of Michigan’s Educational Technology Standards & Expectations for grade level 9-12, and correlated them with distinct, separate, yet interdependent, areas that will be addressed as part of our technology plan:
Area 1: Classroom Environment
Do teachers utilize technology research, problem-solving/decision-making, and communication tools in the teaching-learning process? Are the MDE 9-12 referenced, International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE), National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S) fully articulated, coordinated, and implemented? Are a variety of technology productivity tools available in all classrooms? Are technology basic operations and concepts being addressed while keeping sight of social, ethical, and human issues? Do teachers use technology for instructional planning and management?
Area 2: Administrative Structure
Are all staff members using compatible applications (e.g. data bases, word
processing, spread-sheets) to facilitate timely, seamless exchange of information? Are all staff members using technology to communicate with students, parents, and colleagues? Are all staff members using technology for administrative tasks?
Area 3: Professional Development
Are staff/teachers prepared to use technology effectively? Is a comprehensive staff and teacher development program using a variety of training models available and being accessed as needed by every staff member for the development of technology literacy skills and curriculum integration methods?
Area 4: Community Involvement and Support
Are members of our school pursuing efforts to form collaborations and consortiums with other institutions and agencies to establish a more complete set of services ensuring the surrounding communities ability communicate effectively with one another using electronic and web-based methods?
Area 5: Resources
Is there a wide spread availability of information resources and various technological formats for all staff and students?
Are all staff and students able to access up-to-date hardware, multimedia resources, telecommunications networks, and distance learning capabilities in order support learning? Is all staff able to access up-to-date hardware, multimedia resources, telecommunications networks, and online records needed to support effective educational practices? Are all students being afforded adequate hands-on technology time to complete learning tasks? Do all staff and students have timely access to knowledgeable technology support staff?
Major Goals of the Technology Plan: To implement and continue an established plan for the evaluation, selection, purchase, maintenance, and periodic replacement of educational technology resources. To implement and continue a plan for integrating new technologies into the educational curriculums. To implement and continue a plan for professional development that educates
staff in effective use of technology to improve student learning.
Goals for Staff: Teachers will continue to use the network and Internet technology to share curriculum and knowledge with fellow teachers. Teachers will continue to develop learning projects with other co-workers.
Staff will continue to pursue learning that will help them implement technology into their daily teaching plans.
Goals for Students: Students will continue to learn how to gather resources from the Internet for their studies. Students will continue to learn about the various resources available on the Internet including research databases, news and weather updates, university and government resources, etc.
The following portrays the technology curriculum for Academic and Career Education Academy
Goals and strategies, aligned with the State Standards, for using telecommunications and technology to improve teaching and learning. Staff and students model and use technology. Staff training in using technology applications and equipment. Michigan Core Curriculum areas are being identified and technology uses implemented. Surveys and Needs Assessments are ongoing to establish and incorporate the Technology Plan into the curriculum. Professional development time is being provided for staff to learn new and existing technologies. Support services are being provided by the technology department. The technology plan aligns with the School Improvement Plan and the curriculum guides. The Technology Plan is written to meet the state and national educational technology standards. Strategies that are based in research and that integrate technology into curricula and instruction for the purpose of improving student academic achievement and a timeline for this integration. Strategies that are based in research and that integrate technology into curricula and instruction for purposes of improving student academic achievement.
Strategies for the delivery of specialized or rigorous courses and curricula through the use of technology. High school students may take on line courses such as PLATO that are not available through the present curriculum. The use of the various Technology labs to enhance the curriculum. Strategies to promote community involvement and to increase communications with the county, and area business and agencies. We will include a description of how the public will be informed of the technology to be used with the students. Methods of communicating with businesses and the community include: newspaper advertisements, press releases, open houses, trade shows, and any other type of public communication or forum that becomes available. Course catalogs, brochures, on line or hard copy materials.
ACEA uses technology to test students’ abilities in academic areas using Northwest Educational Assessments. We use these results to place students in appropriate level classes and to assist us in specific teaching strategies. These tests are all aligned with state benchmarks. Staff has been trained on analyzing the data from NWEA and will use that data for assigning students to specific academic courses and individual classroom teaching. Goal is to test all incoming students by 2009-2010.
Examples
A. CAD class measured Saginaw site and drew emergency plan using ArchiCAD. Future classes will be responsible for updating as needed.
B. Physics class uses Lego robots to learn basic programming in a hands on obstacle course.
C. Sports marketing class uses computer simulation to test their skills.
D. Business marketing writes and takes surveys on students’ choices in vending machines resulting in a more satisfied student body.
ACEA is currently in the midst of an upgrade to fiber optic cable. ACEA has 3 labs, a student computer in all classrooms except one. There are laptops available to check out during school hours. Many classrooms have overhead projectors connected to the teacher stations. All teachers utilize online content whether it is going on a virtual field trip or having students utilize PLATO.
Parents and community members are kept informed of our school and technology implementation by our annual report, which gives all of our accomplishments. We send a quarterly newsletter to parents and welcome all parental input. We have two parent teacher conferences per year. The use of the program TeacherEase allows parents and students to have access to the student’s grades. There is a website for the school, aceaofmidland.org, with calendar and teacher contact information as well as other useful school info.
Adult Education and GED prep along with other community resources for technology Potential Providers include:
-Public Libraries and Internet Access
-Local colleges (ex. Delta College)
-Family Independent Agency
-Law Enforcement Agencies
-Work Force Development Board
- Literacy Council
9. Professional Development
Educational institutions have a great need for technology related staff development opportunities. Currently a wide variety of skill levels exist related to the application of technology in the classroom. We need to close the gap between the highly-skilled and the under-skilled technology users. Some examples of how the Academic and Career Education Academy staff uses the Professional Development time.
Involve participants in planning the professional development Through committees of teaching staff members or technology staff Poll the staff to find out their needs.
Assess needs and assure a sound planning process
Provide continuity of programs over time Continual upgrading and reviewing software use and where it is most beneficial Provide clear expectations for program participants
Provide a more conducive environment for learning Use adult learning principles
Provide flexible scheduling and options for participants
Provide effective trainers/presenters
Use effective follow up strategies
Use sound evaluation procedures
Teacher skills vary from the very beginner to the technology teachers. The teachers have been surveyed to determine the baseline skill levels.
Staff professional development is needed on an almost constant basis. Things from learning to log into the computer and technology to learning how to take attendance and use the grade book software and sometimes challenging for the inexperienced user. Also, keeping up with changing computer technologies and software in the classroom is ever demanding.
Our web page (aceaofmidland.org) provides information about the school. Administrators have resources such as student accounting, personnel, and other functions that are available through the school’s student information system, STUREC. Our administrators believe that these systems are essential to the execution of administrative functions.
11.& 12. Infrastructure, Hardware, Technical Support and Software
An Infrastructure Which Supports the District Mission Statement, Goals and Strategies: The Academic and Career Education Academy’s infrastructure serves diverse uses and functions. It needs flexible design to accommodate these different activities and they must be durable enough to stand up to continuous use. Historically, American schools are used for fifty to sixty years. Facilities we build today should be capable of serving viable, functioning institutions in the years ahead, beyond 2020.
Educational institutions need to consider the infrastructure carefully during the technology planning stage. Relentless technological change is now a basic fact of educational technology planning. We can plan strategically and build for the continued evolution of technology through innovative architectural design based on flexibility, diversity and expansion.
Technology Needs Assessment: Beginning in 2006 and continuing, Academic and Career Education Academy has exhibited Board commitment to expenditures for technology. The advances in networking and computer lab operations at all levels support this commitment.
Current Technology:
Labs, Classrooms, and Offices
70 Desktop Computers
10 Laptops
All systems running Windows XP
8 Projectors Network, Printers, and Servers
All components are the responsibility of our partner, Education and Training Connection
(Details can be provided upon request) CS3, A+CAD, ArchiCAD, SolidWorks, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office Applications, PLATO, and WorkKeys are all used.
TECHNOLOGY PLAN COMPONENTS 2009-11:
| 2008-09* | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | |
| Contracted Services | $16,000 | $16,000 | $16,000 |
| Hardware | $ 34,000 * | $ 5,000 | $ 5,000 |
| Software | $ 6,910 * | $ 1,000 | $ 1,000 |
| Replacement/Repairs | $ 2,000 | $ 2,000 | $ 2,000 |
• Planning and Implementation Grant supported purchase of computers and software
Coordination of resources will occur through the cooperative efforts of the Principal, the partnering Technology Department, and the technical instructors. The technology budget is a priority for our school and receives adequate funding to move the school ahead in this area. During the three years of this plan, the majority of our funding will come from the school’s general operating budget. We have been fortunate to receive start up money from the Planning and Implementation Grant through the Michigan Department of Education. We also receive grants written by teachers for technology related curriculum
ACEA realizes that an effective plan requires a process that utilizes evaluation findings to guide ongoing review and modification of the plan to meet the changing needs of learners with consideration for new environmental demands, educational reforms, and emerging technologies. Evaluating and changing technology as needed on a yearly basis depending on the future needs of the district. We will address areas found to be weak through our standing technology committee and report out those recommendations and results. Each year the goals that have not been achieved will be reviewed and modified with the school improvement teams and the technology committee. A specific plan will be developed to address the goals that were not met and strategies that will be used during the next year to ensure their completion.
INTRODUCTION
The Academic and Career Education Academy place of learning beeves that technology can positively affect the work and educational experience for students and staff. It is a goal of all of us to make current technology available and accessible to all students and staff
In order to fulfill this commitment, it is essential for the computer hardware, software, files, networks, or any other technology to be maintained in a secure environment and be used in a responsible manner.
All students and staff in the buildings have the privilege to access and use the various technologies with certain parameters. This privilege extends the use of computers, printers, software, video equipment, the Internet, and any other available equipment in support of the educational goals or work requirements within the realm of Education and Training Connection.
This document outlines the guidelines and responsibilities of users. It applies to all technology: networks, computers, video equipment, etc.
RESPONSIBILITIES
By exercising the privilege to access technology, all staff and students imply acceptance of their responsibility to maintain systems and to respect the property that is in use. Specifically:
NETWORK INTERNET GUIDELINES
TERMS OF AGREEMENT
Academic and Career Education Academy reserves the right to monitor usage of all technology. Students and staff use of the systems will be monitored to insure that all users are adhering to their responsibilities. ETC further reserves the right to take appropriate disciplinary action against individuals who fail to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy.
ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
Because access and use of technology is a privilege for the user, ACEA has developed this Acceptable Use Policy for Technology.
I have read and understand the Acceptable Use Policy for Technology and agree to comply with the responsibilities and abide by all rules and regulations of this agreement. I understand that failure to fulfill my responsibilities as they relate to the use of technologies in the school district may result in disciplinary action
Print Name:
Signature:
Parent/Guardian Signature:
Date:
10/03 ACEA Board of Directors
| Approvals ACEA Administration Lyn Knapp C. A. O.: | Date: | / | / |
| Michelle Zielinski Principal: | Date: | / | / |
Karre Ballard:
| John Congleton | Date: | / | / | ||
| Denise Derr: | Date: | / | / | ||
| David Koch: | Date: | / | / | ||
| Ron Main: | Date: | / | / | ||
| Date: | / | / |