Rolling out 1:1 Technology Mark Your Calendars Message from the Superintendent, Dr
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Enter to learn; go forth to serve. DISTRICT NEWSLETTER • October 2017 • VOLUME 21, ISSUE 2 Rolling Out 1:1 Technology Mark Your Calendars Message from the Superintendent, Dr. Ravo Root HALLOWEEN MARCH The Annual Halloween During the spring of 2014, at to wait to resolve that significant dilemma. Grand March sponsored by a Fillmore Board of Education The second dilemma focused on provid- the Middle School Student Council will retreat, the Board talked about ing ongoing professional development in be held on Tuesday, OCTOBER 31st. the importance of technology and the role support of our teachers increasing their The Grand March will begin promptly it must play in a student’s education. This integration technology in the classrooms. led to a discussion about providing every Fillmore is affiliated with Cattaraugus Al- at 6:00 p.m. in the Fillmore Central student and teacher with a technologi- legany and Erie 1 BOCES, and they offer School elementary gym. cal device. We talked about the positive great professional development, especially impact this could have on instruction and in the area of technology. In fact, one of NO SCHOOL learning. The basic rationale was that re- the CA BOCES lead trainers for ten years, School will be closed on No- gardless of what career students go into, Betsy Hardy, impressed us over the years vember 11th for Veteren's they will likely use technology regularly. with trainings and she later became our Day and from November 20–24 for Therefore, it is important for our school current Director of Technology. While Thanksgiving Break. to utilize technology as a tool to enhance we didn’t have any answers about how to teaching and learning whenever possible. pay for the cost of going 1:1, we knew we FFA FRUIT AND We also discussed the importance of could immediately begin offering more CHEESECAKE SALE providing all students with access to tech- professional development trainings about Fall is upon us and the an- nology both in and out of school. While how to integrate technology. nual fruit sale is right around the cor- many students have smart phones, they ner. Please find an order form in this don’t always have a computer at home. newsletter on page 11 that you can fill Providing students with a 1:1 device, (1 out and send in or drop off. laptop computer or iPad for every student) to be used regularly both in and out of the PARENT-TEACHER classroom was one way to ensure all stu- CONFERENCES dents have similar access to technology. Parent-Teacher conferences The devices will be used as a learning tool, for grades PK - 4 will take place on textbook, resource to find information and Monday, November 20 (Noon –8 pm) connect students with the world while sup- and Tuesday, November 21 (8 am - porting them to become responsible global Noon). Length of each conference citizens. A global citizen is someone who identifies with being part of an emerging will be fifteen (15) minutes. world community and whose actions con- Some staff members were already ex- If small children must accompany tribute to building this community’s values perts at integrating technology while others parents during the conferences, provi- and practices. were still fearful of it. During the retreat in sions will be made for child care. We faced two dilemmas in this initial the spring of 2014, the Board of Education Parent-Teacher conferences for planning stage. The first dilemma was how approved the district goal to increase the grades 5-12 will take place on Monday, will we pay for it and the second dilemma use of technology in all classrooms. Ac- November 20 (Noon – 8 pm) in the Big was, how can we roll this out in a manner tion steps included sending every teacher Gym. that supports a gradual increase in the in- to at least one workshop that discussed tegration of technology in our classrooms? the integration of technology, bringing We didn’t have an answer about how to pay in BOCES experts that would meet with for the new technology at first, so we had Continued on Next Page... Message from the Superintendent, Dr. Ravo Root, Continued from Page 1 teachers in groups to discuss ways they could further integrate technology and Why Increase the Use of Technology at Fillmore Central School? There are many reasons for increasing the use of technology at Fillmore Central some faculty meetings would highlight how teacher leaders were already integrat- School. I have chosen to list ten reasons below. ing technology into the classroom. Every 1. Technology will help prepare students for their future career, college or the year, the Board of Education expanded military. Nearly every occupation including: mechanic, carpenter, educator, the goal to integrate technology while doctor, lawyer and military personnel use technology on a daily basis. expanding the trainings, workshops and 2. Integrating technology helps students stay engaged. Our teachers continue technological equipment to further support to learn about new software, applications and programs that engage students in the integration of technology. Preparing the learning process. Using technology the teacher can become the adviser and teachers before students had devices in their hands, was important to Fillmore so coach while the student engages in the learning process. teachers could provide a more personal- 3. Technology transforms the learning process. Students are able to dig deeper ized learning experiences for students. into what sparks their academic interest. Authentic historical documents, books By November of 2014, Governor and resources are only a click away. Cuomo announced the Smart Schools 4. Technology increases opportunities for students to collaborate and interact Bond Act, and we realized we could use with one another both in and out of school. Activities such as multi-media that funding to purchase one technologi- projects, video editing, coding, blogs, read-aloud books, virtual field trips, dis- cal device for every one student and still tance learning classes, and connecting to experts in the field allow students to have several hundred thousand dollars left interact and work together, even though they live far apart. over to help replace the original devices purchased, years from now. 5. Learning with technology connects our staff and students to the world. We formed a committee of parents, Teachers and students have access to a wealth of resources and information that community members, teachers, and ad- enables students to learn about various societies and cultures through technology. ministrators to begin to research and plan A global citizen is defined as a person who wants to learn about and take action out what technological devices we would on the world’s biggest challenges. This is possible for all of our students with purchase. The committees discussed, re- the support of technology. searched and made recommendations to the 6. Technology helps to level the educational playing field for students living Board of Education about the technological in poverty. Some students do not currently have access to a computer at home devices we could purchase for students on a regular basis. All students will now have a technological device they can and teachers. Once this plan was board use to learn and grow. approved, we submitted our Smart Schools Bond Act application. 7. Students are motivated to learn by using technology. There are so many Once we submitted the application, we applications, websites and software programs that make learning fun. waited over a year for the state to process 8. Technology can be differentiated to meet the needs of the individual learner. the application. During this time, we con- Fillmore currently uses a computer program called IReady that identifies a stu- tinued to train our teachers for the eventual dent’s strength and weaknesses in both ELA and Math. The program targets the transition to 1:1. Finally, in July of 2017, areas of weakness and has the student practice specific problems in the areas our application was approved and we could they are weak in while also providing tutorials for students to learn and grow. begin ordering sets of iPads for students in 9. Technology allows students to demonstrate independence and make choices grades K-4 and laptop computers for stu- about how they choose to take notes, study and learn based on their learn- dents in grades 5-12. You may ask, why go ing style. Students have the opportunity to bring in audio, visual, textual, color to all of the trouble and expense to make the transition to a 1:1 learning environment? and movement cues when learning information. Different types of learners, Did you know that the purchase learn in different ways and the use of technology allows empowers students to of technological devices for staff and be more creative while learning in a way that meets their needs. students is being financed by using the 10. Students need to develop their digital citizenship skills by learning how to money Fillmore Central School received use technology correctly and responsibly. These skills will be integrated into through the Smart Schools Bond Act? activities and lessons across grade levels and subject areas. Prior to distributing the technological device to students we will hold parent meetings for all students who will bring devices home. Our goal is to partner with parents in support of PLEASE our students using their device responsibly and appropriately, both in and out of school. We will hold the following parent/student assemblies in the auditorium to share more information NOTE➮ about the technological devices the same week when students receive them. Fillmore Central School District Newsletter 2 October 2017 New Employees at FCS We are please to introduce the fol- photography, and lounging around with or Anne Histed lowing new employees here at FCS.