Evolving Technologies, Emerging Questions

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ADVANCING BUSINESS EXCELLENCE IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER !"#$

EVOLVING TECHNOLOGIES, EMERGING QUESTIONS

Is your data safe? Do you need a technology audit? BYOD or 1:1 … and are you ready either way? Are your teachers prepared? Is blended learning the answer?

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Features 14 24 30 Privacy at Risk The Field Guide Teachers, Tech and Training As independent schools adopt new to Device Programs How to provide 21st century educators technologies, they’re wading into the BYOD or 1:1? Leaders from two with professional development that complex world of data privacy concerns independent schools share which justifies and enhances your school’s without always realizing it. solution works for them and why. digital investments. BY ALISON RICE Plus: a school technology officer on BY DONNA DAVIS what not to overlook. BY MELISSA HOLCOMBE, JEFF CATALDO, 20 FRANK ALOISE, PETE DIDONATO AND 36 De-Risking Technology ALEX PODCHASKI The Case for Schools turn to technology audits to Blended Learning identify and correct risks involving How independent schools can use security, compliance and inefficiencies. online learning best practices and BY EVAN BIRD AND LEAH THAYER pedagogy to supplement and enhance the face-to-face classroom. BY BRAD RATHGEBER

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PUBLISHER & Departments NBOA PRESIDENT AND CEO Jeffrey Shields, FASAE, CAE EDITOR & DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS Leah Thayer 4 ART DIRECTOR PROJECTIONS Blue House Design Technology's Promise ADVERTISING SALES & NBOA SENIOR Where will technology lead MANAGER, CORPORATE RELATIONS independent schools next? Chris Kalavsky BY JEFFREY SHIELDS, FASAE, CAE, EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE PRESIDENT AND CEO Kevin Hanson, Chief Financial O!cer, Rowland Hall Susan Lansverk, Chief Financial O!cer, University Preparatory Academy 6 Kathy Layendecker, Director of Finance ON THE HORIZON & Operations, Castilleja School Distracting classroom decor, Chromebook Nick Mirisis, Director, Marketing & Business Development, SchoolDude sales, rethinking phys-ed, more. 44 Alex Podchaski, Director of Technology, BY COURTNEY HOLDEN Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child Russell Rabinowitz, Director of Finance and Operations, Duke School 10 44 Net Assets is published bimonthly by the National Business O!cers Association WHAT YOU SAID LEGAL MATTERS (NBOA), which develops, delivers IT Stafﬁng, Budgets and Acceptable (and Unacceptable) and promotes best business practices to advance independent schools. Net Assets Responsibilities Uses of Technology is committed to providing its readers First-ever survey focuses on BY SARA SCHWARTZ AND SUSAN SCHORR with forward-thinking, practical solutions to the ﬁnancial and operational challenges independent school IT departments. facing independent schools. BY GENEVIEVE MADIGAN 46 Published by AFTER SCHOOL NBNational Business Officers Association A 42 Portrait of the Business Manager Copyright 2014 by NBOA. Q&A as a Middle-Aged Joycean No portion of this magazine may be An Interview with Alex Podchaski BY CAROL LERNER reproduced without the written A hands-on school technologist on the consent of the publisher. often-overlooked issues that should be NBOA HEADQUARTERS considered in any technology decision. 1400 I Street NW, Suite 850 48 Washington, DC 20005 INTERVIEW BY LEAH THAYER NBOA DISPATCH p 202-407-7140 • f 202-354-4944 NBOA’s newest members. Plus, are you WWW.NBOA.ORG______using the Net Assets tablet app? connect with nboa

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Email [email protected]. www.nboa.org/CONNECT www.facebook.com/NBOAnet submissions: If you are interested in submitting an article for NBOA is proud to support publication, please send a 200-word description of your pro- environmental sustainability www.twitter.com/NBOAnet posed piece for editorial consideration to [email protected]. by printing its magazine on ______FSC-certiﬁed paper back issues: Archived and available online in the Members www.bit.ly/NBOALinkedIn section of www.nboa.org.

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›› PROJECTIONS

Technology’s Promise Where will technology lead independent schools next?

hen I began my tenure as CEO of TOP OF MIND NBOA, many schools were discussing WITH JEFF “smartboards,” if not rushing to get them Q: Back to school, back to into every classroom. In the five short work. What’s on your agenda this fall? years since, we have swiftly moved from computer labs to W A: My daughter, Samantha, computer carts to BYOD to 1:1 and beyond. At times, I think starts third grade and has my head may explode from technology’s choices, options, progressed to the “level B” competitive gymnastics team. costs and, yes, its promises, not only to provide students with That means a busy fall. At the best possible education today but also to prepare them NBOA, in addition to invitations JEFFREY SHIELDS, FASAE, CAE for tomorrow’s yet more tech-centric reality. to speak at various conferences, NBOA President and CEO we are planning our Business I don’t know whether technology is driving change O!ce NOW program, a series or change is driving technology, but together the forces can overwhelm. “There is of one-day workshops o"ered really nothing that goes on at my school anymore that doesn’t involve technology,” at host schools throughout the country. This will be a great an independent school IT director told me recently. I don’t doubt him. Whether the opportunity to connect with goal is to enhance and support faculty through professional development, to leverage members and showcase NBOA resources for their schools. software for recruitment, or to organize and analyze data, technology is omnipresent at schools and in our lives. As that same IT director also stated, “the complexities of the Q: Do you have any new tech favorites from the summer? role today extend well beyond maintaining a server and operating a help desk.” A: My newest tech favorite The implications of this reality struck me not long afterward, when I attended the is my mophie™ phone case. NACUBO Annual Meeting, joining a large gathering of higher education business officers. This is a case that is also a I was in awe as they spoke of the financial and staff resources available to them. But that phone charger. I’ve needed it on several occasions, and I really wasn’t the only stark contrast to independent school business officers. NBOA members like not having to worry about work in close proximity with other administrators, faculty and students, achieving a level my phone going dead. of intimacy that drives tremendous depth of knowledge on a broad range of business and Q: What scares you about operational issues, from facilities to human resources. Having a firm handle on all of these technology? issues can prove challenging, particularly in the area of technology. A: My phone going dead! With my schedule, this is not That’s why the technology issue of Net Assets is so important. Within these pages, I an option. invite you to hit the “pause” button for an in-depth look at how today’s technology issues may impact the promise of your school’s mission tomorrow. However, if I’m certain of anything in technology, it’s that these articles cover only a short snapshot of time. Data integrity, blended learning, tech audits and the other topics may be evergreen, but how we talk about them will likely become obsolete sooner than we can imagine. As a new academic year begins, explore the promise of technology for your school!

[email protected] @shieldsNBOA

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››On The Horizon • FRESH IDEAS • NEW GADGETS • TODAY’S TRENDS • Courtney Holden

› PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT How Tech-Savvy Are › EDTECH CHROMEBOOK Your Educators? SALES SOAR Being a tech-savvy educator entails more than Aiming for lower-cost shooting off the occasional tweet. According laptop solutions, to eSchoolNews, distinguishing characteristics schools bought more include embracing new technologies and than one million tools, understanding the implications of Chromebooks in the digital citizenship, having a global professional second quarter of learning network (PLN), spending summers at 2014. Among other conferences and professional development camps, factors, the Google laptops typically and participating in subject-specific Twitter chats cost far less than and virtual workshops. eSchoolNews.com Apple products, have keyboards (unlike › APPS tablets), update Battling Against Bullies automatically and work easily with Social media has led to an upsurge in bullying, Google’s free cloud- in part by adding an element of anonymity to based services. › FACILITIES the perps. Teachers, administrators and parents Mashable.com can’t always stop cyberbullying, but these cyber Less Classroom Décor, security apps can help: More Learning? › HEALTH AND FITNESS Mobicip RETHINKING Kindergarten classrooms are famously cheerful, My Mobile Watchdog PHYSICAL but those bright decorations could be more Net Nanny EDUCATION distracting than stimulating. A recent study by Online Guardian Growing numbers Carnegie Mellon University found that children SocialShield of high schools ages three to five were often “o!-task” in highly eSchoolNews.com are revamping decorated classrooms, especially when the phys ed to focus décor—be it maps, numbers, letters or artwork— more on individual was not relevant to the subject matter at hand. fitness and less on The solution isn’t bare walls, the researchers team competition. note, but more thoughtful decorating. WESA.fm Examples include “virtual” PE (students › CONNECTIONS complete an online health course and Students Tackle the wear a wristband Twittersphere logging movement), Educators take advantage of Twitter to “exergaming” rooms collaborate, connect and share ideas. Now it’s (where students play students’ turn. In New Zealand, a weekly hour- games that require long discussion called Kidsedchatnz organizes them to move) and children across the country in chats covering optional evening topics such as literacy, courage, culture and classes that take homework. Topics are posted ahead of time advantage of the to give kids time to prepare, and at the end of local environment each session a “Tweet of the Week” is selected. through activities such as sailing Among benefits: getting comfortable with and hiking. U.S. News digital citizenship, learning how to share ideas & World Report and thoughts, and honing reading, writing and thinking skills. Edutopia

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››On The Horizon

› HOME LIFE New Alarm Clock Sings and Shocks Sleepy students prone to smacking the snooze button have one more techy tool to get them up in the morning. The SingNshock alarm clock not only holds 32 gigabytes of the user’s favorite tunes, but also administers a surge of electricity through the ﬁngertips to jolt (literally) the user awake. Trend Hunter

› PRODUCTIVITY Smart Movement From the powerful connection between thinking, feeling and physical movement, researchers have concluded that manipulating physical objects with the hands can be a useful way to activate the brain. Enter Fidget Widgets, a series of small, programmable devices that mimic the sort of hand- held objects ﬁdgeters love. With no purpose other than to allow users to experience the interaction itself, Fidget Widget creators aim to meaningfully impact how people think while they work. Live Science

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›› WHAT YOU SAID

IT Sta!ng, Budgets and Responsibilities First-ever survey focuses on independent school IT departments. BY GENEVIEVE MADIGAN

emember when the burning STAFFING IT question was whether your R school was Mac or PC? Those Enrollment Increased Decreased Stayed the same days are a distant memory. In a first- 300 or less 20% 4% 76% of-its-kind national research study 301 to 499 16% 10% 74% conducted this spring, NBOA and SchoolDude took a much deeper look at 500 to 799 25% 10% 65% independent schools’ IT departments. 800 to 1,199 32% 6% 62% Reflecting the tremendous pressures 1,200 and above 46% 0% 54% and dramatic changes of recent years, our questions involved staffing, budgets, security, bandwidth, device ownership Enrollment 1 FTE 2 FTEs 3 FTEs 4 FTEs 5 FTEs 6 FTEs 7+ FTEs and much more. 300 or less 49% 17% 33% 17% 2% 0% 0% More than 225 institutions 301 to 499 31% 29% 12% 16% 16% 12% 8% participated in the study. Respondents, 500 to 799 8% 8% 8% 16% 13% 11% 38% by school size: 33 percent have 300 students or fewer, 21 percent have 800 to 1,199 5% 0% 15% 8% 8% 15% 54% 301–499 students, 22 percent have 1,200 and above 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% 500–799 students, 16 percent have 800–1,199 students and 9 percent have percentage (at 8.5 percent, still very of staffing reveals that 24 percent of 1,200 students or more. little) of their IT work, but 63 percent schools have increased their IT staff of these schools outsource 10 percent since last year, a strong majority (69 Outsourcing or less. percent) have kept IT staffing levels Independent schools outsource a wide constant and just 7 percent have variety but relatively small proportion decreased IT staffing. of their IT work. Roughly one-third Sta!ng Another important piece of the (32 percent) of respondents outsource Is your school’s IT department staffing puzzle is the number of full- more than half of their IT functions, overstaffed, understaffed or just right? time employees (FTEs). and less than 15 percent outsource 76 This is a question with numerous No matter how large or small your percent or more. Not surprisingly, the variables well beyond student IT staff is, the key question is whether smallest schools outsource the highest enrollment. However, a general review it is sufficient to effectively support

OUTSOURCING (by enrollment)

% outsourced 300 or less 301 to 499 500 to 799 800 to 1,199 1,200 to 1,999 More than 2,000 None 18.3% 21.6% 17.6% 16.2% 25.0% 0.0% 10% or less 45.1% 43.1% 41.2% 54.1% 58.3% 0.0% 11 to 25% 16.9% 19.6% 25.5% 21.6% 16.7% 0.0% 26 to 50% 5.6% 5.9% 7.8% 8.1% 0.0% 100.0% 51 to 75% 5.6% 3.9% 7.8% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 76 to 100% 8.5% 5.9% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

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›› WHAT YOU SAID

your school’s IT needs. The blue chart RESPONSIBILITIES provides responses to that question and others. Overall, do you feel your department has enough IT sta! to: Yes No E!ectively support the needs of the school? 61.3% 38.7% Areas of Impact Meet your department’s yearly objectives? 71.6% 28.4% Training teachers to use new Maintain network systems adequately? 75.2% 24.8% technologies is by far the biggest Install IT applications? 85.8% 14.2% challenge facing IT departments, followed by staying on top of changing Maintain IT applications? 81.8% 18.2% technologies. These and other factors Plan for new technology? 68.5% 31.5% reﬂect the ever-changing nature of Implement new technology? 59.9% 40.1% IT and schools’ ability to integrate and support those changes. See the Integrate technology into the classroom? 44.5% 55.5% “challenges” chart for details. CHALLENGES

Student Devices Rank the following topics/areas in terms of how it a!ects you and your department. The green chart explores independent schools’ thinking with regard to the Not very Somewhat Very increasingly common discussion challenging challenging Neutral Challenging challenging about BYOD vs. 1:1 and, more broadly, Training teachers ownership and support of the devices 3.2% 13.6% 10.9% 38.5% 33.9% students use. on new technology Complete survey results cover a Sta"ng 14.9% 16.3% 26.2% 27.1% 15.4% number of other important areas Staying impacting IT departments, including on top of 6.8% 28.8% 17.1% 34.7% 12.6% bandwidth, formal strategies for technology replacing old computers/assets, Bandwidth 19.0% 19.9% 24.9% 24.0% 12.2% important factors inﬂuencing purchasing IT budget 9.8% 28.6% 20.5% 29.0% 12.1% decisions, professional development for IT staff, and more. Logged-in NBOA BYOD 17.6% 16.2% 35.6% 22.2% 8.3% members may explore complete results Network/ at www.nboa.org/Research. Q broadband 24.0% 19.4% 28.6% 19.8% 8.3% access Customer Genevieve Madigan is NBOA’s director of 22.5% 26.6% 22.5% 22.5% 5.9% research and member resources. service Managing This study was conducted with cooperation and tracking 22.9% 19.7% 29.6% 22.0% 5.8% and generous support from SchoolDude. assets

OWNERSHIP Indicate ownership and support of students' technology assets. School-owned and -supported 77.8% Student-purchased and owned at graduation, but school-supported 12.2% Student-owned but school-supported 24.9% Student-owned, no support from school 32.6% (Respondents could choose more than once category if they had more than one policy.)

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Privacy at Risk? By Alison Rice As independent schools adopt new technologies, they are wading into the complex world of data privacy concerns without always realizing it.

Phoenix Country Day School, Joe Boehle simply of information technology at Casady School, a preK–12 AT wants to make life easier for his faculty and staff. Episcopal school in Oklahoma City. “I just think it’s a little antiquated that teachers can’t As they find their own way, though, private schools access their files anytime, anywhere,” says Boehle, unknowingly may be failing to protect their students’ private director of technology at the 715-student preK–12 school, data. “The sophisticated [schools] are aware of it, but others where he’s been rolling out cloud-based drives and are just realizing it’s a risk point,” says Sara Goldsmith applications for storing and managing student work and Schwartz, who represents 180 private schools as president of lesson plans. Schwartz Hannum, a law firm in Andover, Mass. But making life easier for teachers, parents and students at independent schools can get complicated Old Rules, New Applications mighty fast when technology and personal information Privacy protections for students have been a part of are involved. While federal privacy laws only govern American public schools since the late 1970s, when public schools and post-secondary public and private Congress decided that parents and students had the right institutions that receive federal funds, private schools to see their permanent records, challenge inaccuracies, are wrestling with many of the same issues regarding control the release of that information to outsiders, and how their student data is being managed, especially decline to participate in surveys that asked personal when third-party services like Google, Microsoft and questions. (Private schools frequently follow the same others are involved. basic principles of protecting personal information such “What does it mean to go into the cloud?” asks Alex as Social Security numbers and not releasing records Podchaski, director of technology at Oak Knoll School without written permission.) of the Holy Child, a Catholic K–12 school in Summit, The advent of big data, with all its possibilities and N.J. “What are the restrictions? What should we be hazards, is raising new questions about student privacy. protecting? What levels of information are appropriate As schools turn to technology to help them streamline for the cloud?” operations and improve instruction, they and their The answers are not as straightforward as school business technology vendors are collecting a tremendous amount officers might hope, given the collection of federal and state of data along the way. Parents today can go online and privacy laws that don’t always apply to independent schools pay tuition bills, submit their children’s health forms, and the constantly growing array of technologies used in monitor their kids’ grades, and even see what foods education. Policies, practices and priorities all vary. “Every their seventh-grade twins chose for lunch last Thursday. school does things differently,” says Larry Bruce, director Teachers can upload a class syllabus and accept students’

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work electronically. Classmates can collaborate on group liquid information”) suggested that more open data practices projects through shared cloud-storage drives. Younger students in education could drive as much as $1.2 trillion in value each can develop academic skills through adaptive educational year, worldwide, thanks to greater administrative efficiencies, applications that not only monitor their progress through the more effective instruction, better matching of students to material, but also respond with more or less challenging lessons academic programs, and more. based on students’ performance. But all that It’s exciting, innovative and a big, growing business. convenience and A 2013 report by consulting firm McKinsey & Company Technology providers “know efficiency can come (“Open data: Unlocking innovation and performance with at a cost to individual their contracts are one-sided. privacy. A 2013 study by It is almost negligent for a professors at Fordham school to sign.” University’s Center on STUDENT PRIVACY: KEY FEDERAL LAWS Law and Information —SARAH SCHWARTZ While independent schools are not subject to the same federal SCHWARTZ HANNUM PC Policy found numerous student privacy laws as public schools, they can’t a!ord to public school districts ignore them either. “If you end up in litigation, the plainti! will had nearly nonexistent argue that you should have followed the same rules as the protections for student public schools,” cautions Sara Goldsmith Schwartz of Schwartz data that was being stored, used or managed in the cloud. Hannum, a law firm in Andover, Mass. Here’s a snapshot of (See sidebar.) Such weak policies and practices leave three key federal laws that govern student privacy. those students and their information at risk of misuse, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): inappropriate distribution, identity theft and other threats. Passed in 1974, this law governs the privacy of student Unfortunately, many independent schools may be in 1records and applies to public K–12 schools as well as the same situation: A number of the schools interviewed private and public colleges and universities that receive federal for this story said they had not approached cloud-based funds. Such records may include “directory information” like service providers about modifying their standard contract a student’s name, address, birth date and extracurricular for school use. activities as well as “non-directory information” such as That’s a mistake, according to privacy experts. The “click transcripts or disciplinary records. Parents—or their children through” agreements that users must approve before gaining once they reach 18—must give written consent before personal access to a cloud-based application, whether it’s a social information is shared, get the choice to opt-out of disclosing networking service or an online tool, typically give users little student “directory information,” receive the chance to review records for mistakes or inaccuracies, and have the right to have or no control over how their information is used or shared, those records corrected. Many legal and privacy experts say now or in the future, with no requirement to notify users of that cloud-based services generally do not provide adequate any changes. safeguards for storing and sharing student records, and But the good news is that many technology providers they urge schools to carefully review and negotiate service are open to revising their agreements for independent agreements before adopting that technology for school use. school customers. “I rewrite everyone’s contracts,” says Schwartz, who estimates she does 10 such documents weekly. Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment: Passed in 1978, Technology providers “know their contracts are one-sided,” this law gives parents and their students the chance to choose not to participate in a handful of things that she says. “It is almost negligent for a school to sign. They need 2 to go back and renegotiate them to protect their institution they may feel violate their privacy. Those include undergoing physical exams; doing surveys that may cover sensitive and their students.” information about their families, mental health, religious At Castilleja School in Palo Alto, Calif., school administrators practices and similar subjects; and other activities that collect, have found smaller tech firms to be especially receptive to their disclose or use their personal information for marketing requests. “They pitch their products, and you get to have a purposes. Many schools—public and private—fail to realize conversation with the actual developer,” says Jennifer Gaspar- that standard cloud-based service agreements do not provide Santos, director of academic technology at the 6–12 girls’ these protections and that school o"cials will likely need to school. “You can’t do that with the big companies.” revise the terms to protect their institution and their students. She says these small firms have been more than willing to Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act: Passed in 1998, modify their contracts and even their applications as needed. this law oversees online services geared to children, “They listen to our needs, and if they’re not able to change 3 requiring verifiable parental consent before the site, their product, they are also willing to do a new product for service or mobile application can collect personal information us,” says Gaspar-Santos, who admits the school’s location in from children who are younger than 13 years old. Silicon Valley gives it great access to innovative companies and new technologies. “We have their ear.”

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CAUTIONARY TALES: CLASSROOMS AND THE CLOUD If you’re wondering where to begin evaluating your school’s cloud usage and data privacy practices, you might want to look at a 2013 study from Fordham University’s Center on Law and Information Policy on public schools—and do the opposite of the behavior it reports. According to “Privacy and Cloud Computing in Public Schools,” cloud-based services are “poorly understood, non-transparent, and weakly governed” by public school districts despite their widespread use. Among researchers’ ﬁndings:

95 PERCENT 20 PERCENT Fewer than 25 PERCENT Fewer than 7 PERCENT of public school districts surveyed have of districts have no policies of the legal agreements between school of the agreements placed limitations turned to cloud-based services for regarding the use of online services. districts and cloud service companies on cloud vendors’ ability to sell or academic and/or operational uses. mentioned how and why cloud-based market students’ information. student information could be disclosed.

Local Control vs. Cloud Convenience wondering what is really happening to this information and how One of the schools that is paying attention to privacy issues is it being used,” says Podchaski. “We have to make sure our rules is Oak Knoll, thanks to the recent headlines about the federal for privacy and sharing match what our population expects.” government’s controversial secret data collection efforts. As Oak Knoll administrators evaluate various educational “Between Edward Snowden … and the NSA, people are and operational technologies for the 525-student school, they

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[email protected] 17

consider the types of information—personal, financial, other popular Microsoft software. But not everything has academic or other—involved. “When we are looking for moved online: Boulder Country Day still keeps admissions a system, we ask, ‘Is this a set of data we are willing to and finance data for the preK–8 school on a secure on- have housed outside the school? How trustworthy is the site server. School officials decided “that administrative vendor?” Podchaski says. “There are some programs I’m documents would not be stored in the cloud until we had not comfortable putting in the classroom because of the a better understanding of security and privacy policies,” maturity of the product.” explains Gabrielle Hernan, who is the technology director at The school’s financial spreadsheets are locked down the 330-student school. on local machines (“That’s where we draw the line,” he As school officials figure out how to protect student data says), but other applications are accepted, with caveats. in the cloud, though, they can’t afford to forget the basics: Oak Knoll uses the cloud-based Google Apps for Education physical security. The two big sources of data breaches, to make document sharing easier in the classroom, but according to Schwartz? Human error and “good old-fashioned students’ Social Security numbers are never to be saved break-ins,” she says, recalling a case where burglars broke in the cloud. Teachers who want to use an online app or into a headmaster’s office and stole a computer filled with cloud-based service in the classroom must talk with the sensitive admission data: financial aid forms, student records school’s technology staff, who will research their request with SAT scores and Social Security numbers, mental health and make a dummy account to see what information reports, and more. “All of the information was exposed,” says is collected. “We don’t want a cowboy out there trying Schwartz, and the school had to notify 800 families of the random things, because that’s when you tend to get incident. Even worse, the files belonged to families whose exposed,” Podchaski says. children had been denied admission. Others are also stepping cautiously into the cloud world. The headmaster’s office is now protected by an At Boulder Country Day School in Boulder, Colo., faculty alarm system. Q and staff this year made the transition to Microsoft Office 365, which is a cloud-based version of Word, Excel and Alison Rice is a freelance writer in Arlington, Va.

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18 WWW.NBOA.ORG______• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

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WITH MORE DATA UNDER THEIR CUSTODIANSHIP, BUSINESS

ndrea Bride inherited a solid information system (information system) safeguards assets, maintains technology program when she became chief data integrity, achieves organizational goals effectively and financial officer of Oregon Episcopal School consumes resources efficiently,” according to ISACA, a A (OES) in 2012, but were the Portland school’s nonprofit association involved in IT governance issues. The systems as secure as they could be—as secure as they result may take many forms, and is often better described should be, given ubiquitous technology and increasingly as an assessment than a formal audit, but is usually a set frequent data breaches? From her experience as the former of findings and recommendations that recognize areas of CFO of a San Francisco Bay-area nonprofit organization, concern and potential risk. she also wondered if the school’s IT department was adequately staffed and resourced, and if its data systems In the case of OES, the process began in February of and procedures were legally compliant. 2013 when Bride and a few key colleagues carefully crafted So Bride initiated a process that growing numbers of schools a request for proposals. Six pages long, the RFP outlined are exploring, often with some urgency: a technology audit. OES’s IT architecture and staffing, which comprises both an educational technology group and an IT infrastructure What Is a Technology Audit? group, and specified a detailed statement of work and A technology audit is “the process of collecting and expected deliverables. Of the two viable responses Bride evaluating evidence to determine whether a computer received, one came from consulting and public accounting

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By Evan Bird and Leah Thayer

OFFICERS ADD TECHNOLOGY TO THEIR AUDIT LISTS.

firm Moss Adams, which has many clients in the education Why Might Your School Need a Technology Audit? field, for a price just short of $30,000. “I think the largest risks relate to security,” says Greg Damon, The following month, a three-person team from Moss a Moss Adams senior manager and lead on the OES audit. Adams arrived at the school. Over the course of two “An independent school is a custodian of information,” from days, they conducted staff interviews (IT staff as well as students’ grades, schoolwork and health to family financial internal technology “customers”) and a number of hands- data. Yes, some security breaches are intentional or even on tests and vulnerability assessments, including firewall nefarious, but “more often they’re not. Somebody loses a deployment, penetration testing, staffing review, budgeting laptop or misplaces a backup tape.” In any case, the fallout can and legal compliance. In April, they delivered a 38-page be both financial and reputational. report with more than 300 technical issues to consider. With custodianship, in turn, comes a growing list of “The big takeaway for us was that we were too leanly legal compliance regulations, such as those stemming from staffed to create a sufficiently secure environment,” Bride the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act notes. “We also immediately knew that we needed to hire (HIPAA) and the Payment Card Industry Data Security a network administrator, along with a part-time CIO who Standard (PCI DSS). could provide overall direction between our technology Significant changes to a school’s technology program goals and infrastructure.” can also introduce new security vulnerabilities. When The

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Calverton School adopted a 1:1 iPad program, “we went There is also the “risk of inefficiencies,” Damon notes. from a fairly private network to wi-fi everywhere,” says Consider the many disparate systems within any school: Janice Bunch, CFO of the preK–12 school in Huntingtown, student grades and health forms, financial management, Md. “How do we protect data and still meet demand for fundraising, etc. “To the extent possible, you want to easy access?” she asks. At the same time, her school and eliminate redundancies and ensure that all data is in sync many others have moved much of their data to cloud-based across an organization,” he says. Rather than manually applications. “The cloud is nice, but is it really safe?” entering data into one system, an audit can identify ways to automate updates across all systems. On the flip side, an audit can also reveal redundancies What if only one person knows all the that a school should have. What if only one person knows all the passwords, performs the backup checks and manages passwords, performs the backup checks inventory—and that person is hit by the proverbial bus? and manages inventory—and that What if a fire in the server room damages all of a school’s person is hit by the proverbial bus? systems at once? Who Can Perform the Audit? Objectivity and broad experience are key arguments for hiring an outside auditor. “An independent auditor can bring a depth of knowledge in best practices from similar organizations, and can apply a fresh set of eyes to an existing situation,” says Damon. Where Moss Adams is a large national firm, a small regional firm called eTrepid with independent school experience is the audit partner of The Calverton School. “We wanted someone local who can respond when we need them” as well as serve as an emergency backup, Bunch explains. In Pittsburgh, Community Day School takes the in-house approach, though not for an audit per se. Jordan Hoover, IT director, says he conducts an annual tech inventory (in addition to bar-coding all new tech as it arrives), checks servers weekly to ensure backups are performing successfully, and has a detailed “technology guide,” in both binder and Google Docs form, documenting the network layout, login details, inventory specifics and other vital information. What Don’t You Know About Your Technology Systems? A small survey on NBOA Connect showed that nearly 74 percent of business officers said their schools “rarely or never” conduct audits of their technology systems and resources. Among those that have performed them, many cited changes they had made as a result—from requiring more frequent password changes to making significant system upgrades. Only one respondent said no changes had resulted. “Our audits have affirmed what we are currently doing.” In any case, as with so much in life, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Q

Evan Bird, NBOA’s summer intern, is a recent graduate of Sonoma State University with a double major in political science and history. Leah Thayer is NBOA’s communications director and the editor of Net Assets.

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The Field Guide TO DEVICE PROGRAMS BYOD OR 1:1?

Leaders from two independent schools share which solution they prefer and why. PLUS: a school technology ofﬁcer on what not to overlook in any major technology investment.

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BYOD SAVES THE SCHOOL MONEY AND GIVES STUDENTS THE CHOICE THEY EXPECT BY MELISSA HOLCOMBE AND JEFF CATALDO, KENT SCHOOL

launched our BYOD (bring moving from a standard computer. to phase in BYOD a little over a year WE your own device) program What would need to change in later. We would need every week of in the fall of 2012, after more than the classrooms and on campus, in that time to prepare. a decade of providing each student terms of infrastructure, pedagogy Here are some of the key steps with a Microsoft-based tablet PC. and more? From our technology we took: Under the new program, every department, we heard concerns • Expanded our wireless network student is required to arrive with the about how to handle repairs or into the dorms. This cost a couple notebook of their choice (either PC- or Mac-based), as long as it meets ALREADY HAD A NON-SCHOOL-PROVIDED certain minimum standards. COMPUTER ON CAMPUS; IN EFFECT, Our change was driven by the marketplace. With each school THEY HAD ALREADY OPTED FOR BYOD. year, more students arrived at Kent with their own laptop. In addition, substandard devices, along with no of hundred thousand dollars, but our admissions director reported longer being able to image student we knew it would be quickly offset that the 1:1 program (where the computers. We have a long-standing by not having to purchase tablet school issued each student a device) policy that computer problems are PCs for incoming students. was becoming a competitive not a valid excuse for late or missing • Purchased site licenses for Sophos disadvantage. Among other things, work. For that policy to work under anti-virus software, Microsoft it had become unpopular with BYOD, we needed to make sure that Office and Windows OS, to allow students, who didn’t want to have every student would have a working us to install Windows on Macs. to use a prescribed device, and with computer at all times. We also provide students with parents, whose complaints about Further, we worried that students ProEngineer software, along the line-item fee led us later to give with high financial need would with most of the course-specific students the tablets outright—and require help acquiring laptops. software students need. to absorb the cost of approximately We also invited teachers’ input • Purchased a “virtual desktop” tool $300,000 a year. and asked them, among other called PowerTerm WebConnect We have now been through two things, whether their students from Ericom. A less expensive full academic years with the BYOD performed work that required alternative to Citrix, this was program, and we feel it is the right the tablet PC’s stylus pen. To our intended as a backup solution choice for us. Switching to BYOD surprise, more than 88 percent so users could access school has saved the school money, in said no. Lastly, we surveyed the software even if their computer terms of up-front and repair costs students and learned that 44 wasn’t ready. alike. Students are much happier percent of students already had a • Trained staff on the Mac using their own devices and seem non-school-provided computer on operating system. to take better care of them. And we campus; in effect, they had already • Developed a plan for handling have created a program that most opted for BYOD. repairs (in-house, for HPs under families now want and expect. In April of 2011, we presented a self-maintainer program; via a Here’s how we went about it. these findings to our headmaster local Apple store for Macs; and Beginning in early 2011, we and department heads, and—after by sending other devices direct to assessed the potential impact of further discussion—it was decided the manufacturer).

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• Expanded our loaner pool to always The rollout has produced a few have at least 40 ready to go. revelations, such as low levels of need We also established several for either the PowerTerm WebConnect requirements for students’ laptops. or financial assistance for laptops. These included: operating system at But we continue to finesse our BYOD or above Windows 7 Professional/ program and can now report happier Ultimate or Mac OS 10.8, a 32- or 64- students, lower overhead expenses and bit processor, at least 2 GB of memory a minimal impact on teaching. (since upped to 4) and a hard drive of at least 80 GB. Though not required, we strongly recommended having accidental damage insurance. Finally and critically, we developed a two-part laptop set up process for new students. Their welcome packet included self-guided instructions on the critical steps to get started. (This Melissa Holcombe is the director of information and more also exists on information technology and Je! Cataldo is chief financial o!cer and business manager the school’s internal website.) Part two at Kent School, a boarding school in Kent, is a mandatory 50-minute technology Conn., with 570 students in grades 9 through orientation class that includes a hands-on 12. This article is adapted from an NBOA check of each student’s laptop, followed webinar they presented in June. The webinar by 30 minutes for one-on-one help. recording is archived for members on nboa.org.

1:1 FOSTERS SEAMLESS OPERATIONS AND A CULTURE OF ALWAYS-ON EXPLORATION BY FRANK ALOISE AND PETE DIDONATO, SPRINGSIDE CHESTNUT HILL ACADEMY

Springside Chestnut Hill is entering In addition to the 2,000 devices SCH our eighth year of 1:1 computing, using owns and our team manages, many Apple devices almost exclusively. Each students and staff bring their own student in preK through 4th grade is devices and connect to our network. issued a school-owned iPad, which Almost every student in grades 5–12 we buy for around $425 apiece. Fifth and all employees have their own WiFi and 6th-graders are issued an 11-inch enabled phones. Over the past ﬁve years MacBook Air ($800 each). And our server footprint has decreased by students in grades 7 through 12, and 80 percent while our bandwidth has all employees, are issued a 13-inch increased several hundred times over. MacBook air ($1,100 each). We refresh Virtual server technology combined our devices every three years through with cloud servers (enabled by robust 36-month leases, utilizing both fair- bandwidth and an excellent in-house market value and dollar buyout options. wi-ﬁ network) enables learning We chose the three-year refresh cycle anywhere and anytime. to keep our technology current and All technology costs are covered in in excellent working order, to ensure our all-inclusive tuition at SCH, which academic time is spent on work and not ranges from $18,750 to $31,670 for the technology, and to free our technology 2014–15 calendar year. Our budgets are team to focus on creative and innovative in line with our peers, and our tuition projects, not on maintaining three-plus- is several thousand dollars below that of year-old legacy technology. some neighboring schools.

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Why 1:1, and Why Apple? former Apple employees, meaning quick ahead of our learners so it never First, SCH is not anti-Windows. We repairs and seamless operation, though becomes a bottleneck for learning. were once an Apple school, then we we committed to this platform many years Fault tolerances are built in, so were a Windows school and now we before we built out our tech team. if one access point goes down, are predominantly an Apple school Apple is often perceived as being a others are always available. Almost again. We still run Windows on about luxury brand, but as with any purchase, always, these outages are planned 10 percent of our computers, albeit on we think it’s important to assess the and announced in advance. A rare Apple hardware. Plus, because robotics overall value of what you’re buying. We exception was just after graduation, and engineering and most back-ofﬁce haven’t had a single virus or malware when we had a server crash for the software programs are mostly Windows- infection in three years. These happened first time in 425 days. based, we give those students and staff almost weekly when we were a PC • Real-time backup: We back up every Macs that have both Windows and Mac school. Moreover, we have a relationship device every 15 minutes both on operating systems, taking advantage of with Apple and work very hard to get and off campus. If a student spills our virtualized server infrastructure. excellent prices and service. liquid on his laptop an hour before a However, we believe in equipping As for our broader commitment to 1:1, test or major assignment, she or he our learners with the best possible we feel that it’s important that all students will have a new device with all her be on equal footing. Forty percent of our technology to put them in charge of or his data on it within 15 minutes. students receive ﬁnancial aid. From the their own learning. We also feel strongly This gets back to the case for 1:1. It educational perspective, our teachers that technology should be like oxygen: would be very hard to provide that value knowing that no students have ubiquitous, abundant and always level of service to 1,500 people on devices that are “better” or “worse”; that available. Right now, we believe Apple is 2,000 different devices. every student can participate in the same the platform to equip our students to be • Laptop responsible use policy: in-depth video project, for example. creators of digital content. Apple products This three-page document is our are robust and reliable, and they support technology honor code. It spells the culture of exploration and risk-taking Key Components of Our 1:1 Program out matters including ownership, that we want to promote. It also helps • Network and bandwidth: We take damage or loss, laptop care, and that three members of that team are pride in keeping our network a step personal health and safety. It also

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clarifies that students may customize their Mac, as long as they make responsible decisions and use their device in a safe and respectful manner. We want them to be in charge of their learning and administrators of their machines. Besides, who would we be fooling by trying to control use? Most students have more knowledge and access through their phones than we could even imagine. • Leasing program. We find there is little value in a laptop after three years of use. The 36-month cycle lets us return these assets to the leasing company or buy at fair-market price, while retaining the flexibility of extending some leases if we want. The three- year cycle also lets us buy warranties and insurance for each device. Parents pay the deductible on any damage that we can’t fix on-site. • Pedagogy: To varying degrees, our teachers have adapted their teaching style. Straightforward BUT IS YOUR SCHOOL READY? lecturing may not engage BY ALEX PODCHASKI, OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD students who are accustomed to rich, social content. As with Regardless of whether your school goes • What devices will you provide our students, we encourage BYOD or 1:1, deploying new classroom for faculty and staff? Will they teachers to take risks and be technologies will have a ripple effect complement or be different than entrepreneurial. In a case of the throughout the campus and operations. those used by students? ultimate flipped classroom, one Ask these questions prior to committing • Do you have enough outlets to math teacher recorded all of his to a major technology investment. support charging many devices lectures, posted them online and at once? assigned them as homework. • How will the technology be used in the Our faculty feel empowered Infrastructure classroom? Do you need projectors, and supported. From power and space issues to displays and other hardware? bandwidth, your school’s infrastructure must be ready. Frank Aloise (left) Policy • Does your wireless network have the is the chief financial Classroom technology will impact o!cer and Pete coverage it needs in all classrooms how schools manage interactions DiDonato is the and common areas? between students, faculty, chief innovation • Is your wired network fast enough to staff and the technology. o!cer at Springside handle the additional traffic? Chestnut Hill • Does your responsible use policy Academy, a Philadelphia day school • Will the devices be used to access cover devices in the classroom? with 1,100 students in pre-Kindergarten installed programs or cloud-based Cyberbullying? Collaborative through 12th grades. Aloise is also chair services? Do you have enough sharing? Other possible uses of of the NBOA Board of Directors. Internet bandwidth? the technology?

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• Have you thought of all the • Will faculty be encouraged to develop Financial implications for existing policies, such their own course materials? Every area discussed has recurring costs. as homework, testing and privacy? • Will you be able to conduct online/ Equipment will fail or reach obsolescence, For example, what if a student forgets blended/ﬂipped classes? faculty and staff will change, and new his or her device on a day where it is concepts and systems will emerge. Before required for schoolwork? undertaking a BYOD or 1:1 program, • Do you need to revise your discipline/ Professional Development and Training Consider these as two somewhat the school must commit to putting the honor code to encompass digital separate areas. Faculty, staff and students necessary resources into it. behavior? need to be trained to use particular • What is your infrastructure • Do you have an intellectual devices and software platforms. And replacement cycle? How often does property policy in place for the everyone needs time and space to each technology need to be replaced? ‘work product’ that faculty, staff develop the new, and often creative, • What stafﬁng levels do you need and students may develop? ways of doing things that digital tools to support the infrastructure and can encourage. instructional technology? Curriculum • What training will you provide • What grants or donations might allow Despite advantages to being able to for new technologies? Online for upgrades and changes in the future? Q incorporate more digital learning into or in-person? Who will provide it? lessons, there are implications for • How much time should faculty Alex Podchaski is teachers’ resources. have to experiment with new devices director of technology at • What learning management system and software? Oak Knoll School of the (LMS) will be used? • How will you ensure continuous Holy Child, in Summit, N.J. For more of his • Do your existing textbooks have digital improvement of basic skills while also perspectives, see the Q&A companions/replacements? encouraging new ideas and skills? in this issue, page 42.

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30 WWW.NBOA.ORG______• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

The importance of professional development AND for 21st century educators TRAINING By Donna Davis Independent schools have spent hundreds of millions of dollars on technology, from infrastructure to devices. Getting the best return on their investments requires an additional tool: professional development that allows teachers to use that digital treasure trove to guide students in the 21st-century learning pillars of creativity, collaboration and communication.

Orlando, Fla., The First schools and to Apple headquarters who was hesitant about technology— Academy has progressed in Cupertino, Calif., and research what Eggert calls a “Yeah, but-er.” He IN from being a school where into tech options. Finally, The First gave the teacher a cart stocked with technology was not an integral part Academy decided on a 1:1 iPad iPads and told her the cart would live of the learning environment to one program, the initial investment for in her classroom; other teachers would boasting an Apple Distinguished which concerned DeBoom. “Being have to check it out. Then Eggert and Program for innovative teaching and in the business office, I said, ‘Oh, the teacher examined her curriculum learning in its upper school. great. We found almost the most to find ways she could put the devices “We added technology as we needed expensive solution.’” to use to create more student-centered, it,” recalls Tim DeBoom, business To maximize the new expenditure, project-based learning opportunities. administrator at the school, which has The First Academy adopted a well- After two months, “the light started 1,100 students in grades preK through planned professional development clicking” and the teacher began 12. “We had no strategic plan for what program, hiring a director of creating her own interactive ebooks, technology would look like for us in technology in 2012 to lead edtech Eggert says. “Now she doesn’t let the next five to 10 years, but we came programs and training. That person anyone check the cart out.” to a point where we recognized that was Matt Eggert, a former teacher who That success was also satisfying technology was going to be a big part had already led another school to Apple from a financial perspective. At The of our students’ futures.” Distinguished Program status. First Academy, tech accounted for Finding the right path involved Eggert selected several teachers to 4.75 percent of the $12.9 million “angst and meetings,” visits to other work with individually, including one operating budget in the 2013–14

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Jennifer Carey, who joined Ransom trying to support them and helping to Everglades School in Miami, Fla., pair them with the right technology to this year as director of educational make their visions become something technology, developed an in-house they can use in the classroom and in professional development program turn inspire students.” driven by teachers’ needs. Carey used In 2013, Connolly and his staff of the results of a faculty survey to develop three educational technologists started the voluntary sessions, such as one on Saint Ann’s weeklong summer institute Google apps that attracted 60 percent on educational technology. Topics are of the teachers at the school, which has chosen from teacher proposals. “Rather 1,100 students in grades 6–12. than say we have a couple of options, “The reason for our success was we we give them a lot of choices so they asked the teachers, ‘What do you want can find the tool that best supports their class,” Connolly says. For an art history class, one teacher wanted to curate a huge library of images for students to access and interact with. Another wanted After two months, to pursue professional development around 3D printing in order to create “the light started clicking” items for animated films. The summer and the teacher began institute helped her master those skills. These positive experiences have built interest in edtech schoolwide. “When school year, an expenditure that grows creating her own interactive a teacher found something useful and each year. “We just spent a whole lot ebooks. “Now she doesn’t let showed it to other teachers in a faculty of money,” DeBoom says. “How do you meeting or someone dropping by the justify that to me? With those results.” anyone check the cart out.” classroom, those were the moments The First Academy sees tangible where we had the greatest spread returns as well. With a consistent —MATT EGGERT, A FORMER TEACHER of inspiration,” Connolly says. “The “ecosystem” of Apple devices, the IT WHO LED TWO SCHOOLS TO APPLE best edtech professional development staff no longer had to troubleshoot DISTINGUISHED PROGRAM STATUS happens without my department even or repair the 34 different computer knowing it.” models the school had been using, In Los Angeles, Harvard-Westlake saving at least $15,000 in labor costs School no longer has educational yearly. Adding systems that monitor to learn?’” says Carey. “The training was technologists. Instead, an edtech application use has also saved on-point and addressed a specific need. team includes a teacher from each thousands because the school can They could use it immediately.” academic department and two library spend money only on the apps that Other teachers noticed, and demand staff members. Members of “TILT” teachers use, Eggert says. Printing for classes grew as teachers who had (Teaching, Innovation and Learning costs have gone down because teachers attended various training sessions Tech) help colleagues discover the tech are sharing projects and tasks digitally. shared what they had learned with their tools they need and then acquire the And with the edtech training and peers, building buy-in and support. pedagogical skills to use those tools comfort levels that teachers have “Teachers started reaching out to me,” achieved, he predicts that in the next Carey says. “Faculty trust their peers five years they will be creating their more than non-educators because they own digital content, rather than are also in the classroom and have relying on traditional textbooks. established a rapport with one another.” At Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn, Let Teachers Choose N.Y., pedagogy and faculty interests Edtech trainers, whether they work drive technology use and professional as outside consultants or in-house development, “not the other way educational technologists, recommend around,” says JP Connolly, director of allowing teachers to have a say in their technology for the 1,100-student school professional development. serving grades preK–12. “We are always

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effectively at the school, which enrolls in Coconut Grove, Fla., and founder of having their professional development 1,600 students in grades 7–12. the Miami Device edtech conference. instructor as the “guide on the side The TILT team was formed two years Be aware of who is providing the rather than the sage on the stage,” but ago to help Harvard-Westlake roll out its professional development, he says. most of them did not learn in a student- 1:1 laptop program in the middle school, “Everyone can beneﬁt from an overview centered environment. Holland and her with plans to explore the model for the of ways to use a device, like taking a colleagues try to model that type of 21st- upper school. “Because we are doing screenshot, but you can’t expect that to century classroom so that teachers can the 1:1 project, part of our team’s job is have any impact on the classroom.” put it into practice at their schools. to oversee professional development for Beth Holland is communications Naturally, teachers who participate faculty,” says Moss Pike, team member coordinator and an instructor for in edtech professional development and Latin teacher. EdTechTeacher, an edtech professional have different levels of familiarity and Besides setting up in-house learning, development company. She believes comfort with devices and software. team members attend conferences to that classroom experience is essential “The key is to meet the teachers where bring back the latest edtech ideas. “We to any edtech professional development identify the needs we see for technology they are and understand where they program. “It makes a tremendous are in the learning process,” says Amy and pedagogy and build workshops impact to walk in and say I have around those needs,” Pike says. Hollinger, director of professional been exactly where you have been. I development for Global Online understand teaching and learning—not Academy, a worldwide consortium of 53 just technology.” Teachers Teaching Teachers independent schools. Talk to an educational technologist, and EdTechTeacher instructors stress it’s probable he or she has a teaching hands-on learning and challenge background. Eggert, Carey and Connolly teachers via a collaborative, exploratory Where to Begin? do, as does Felix Jacomino, director of and student-centered approach. Many When it comes to edtech professional technology at St. Stephen’s Day School teacher-students embrace the idea of development for independent schools,

THE SECRET TO 1In 2012, TIAA-CREF plan participants received annualized payments of $4.3 billion through TIAA-CREF lifetime annuity contracts. 2Source: LIMRA, Not-for-Pro!t A STABLE Market Survey, !rst-quarter 2013 results. Based on a survey of 29 companies. 3Lifetime income is a guarantee subject to RETIREMENT? TIAA’s claims-paying ability. Investment, insurance and annuity products are not A STABLE INVESTMENT PROVIDER. FDIC-insured, are not bank guaranteed, are not deposits, are not insured by any federal government agency, are not a Last year, TIAA-CREF paid out $4.3 billion condition to any banking service or activity, in retirement income.1 We help millions and may lose value. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC and Teachers of people in nonpro!t businesses plan Personal Investors Services, Inc., members and manage retirement, more than any FINRA, distribute securities products. other !nancial services provider.2 It’s © 2013 Teachers Insurance and Annuity how we deliver Outcomes That Matter Association-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF), 730 Third Avenue, for your employees. New York, NY 10017. C11882 Nearly a century of lifetime income TIAA-CREF products may be subject to market and other risk factors. payments to get employees through See the applicable product literature, retirement.3 Get started at or visit tiaa-cref.org for details. Past tiaa-cref.org/lifetime. performance does not guarantee future results.

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Net Assets Previous Page | Contents | Zoom in | Zoom out | Front Cover | Search Issue | Next Page Net Assets Previous Page | Contents | Zoom in | Zoom out | Front Cover | Search Issue | Next Page EDCAMP: opportunities are as diverse as technological devices. A few options: THE UNCONFERENCE Bring in an expert. When St. “Edcamps” have changed the way teachers approach professional development, says Stephen’s adopted a 1:1 iPad program Moss Pike, a member of the edtech team at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. three years ago, administrators “From a business perspective, it’s all about flattening organizations. Instead of going to brought in a consultant to provide a big conference where you may not have a say in the sessions, now you can go to an faculty with training on the edcamp and learn what you want to learn about.” Edcamps usually are local gatherings, often facilitated by social media outlets technology behind the devices and such as Twitter. A typical day starts with an hour dedicated to breakfast, networking on project-based learning. That and brainstorming session ideas. Participants post their ideas on a board, and those consultant, Tony Vincent, provided that draw the most interest go on the schedule. “One of the key components is you several professional development vote with your feet,” Pike says. “And if you realize a session is not what you thought, sessions the first year and continues you just get up and leave—no hard feelings or judgment.” At the end of the day, the to work with staffers. teachers gather to share what they learned. Working with independent and Edcamp.org lists upcoming edcamps around the country. Or, individual schools can hold their own edcamps, Pike says. “Take a faculty meeting and dedicate an hour to an public schools in the U.S. and edcamp-style session. Let the teachers tell you what they want to talk about.” worldwide, EdTechTeacher offers Edcamps help teachers build networks—and creativity. “They represent all of the onsite workshops and a full-year things we want from students in terms of collaboration and curiosity and lifelong program that uses a blended- learning,” Pike says. learning model that combines face- to-face sessions, live webinars and online coursework. Take an online course. An abundance of web-based professional development courses range from short YouTube videos to full courses on specific topics. The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Ga., use Lynda.com, a subscription service that offers online edtech professional development on topics such as software, classroom flipping and creating research projects with the iPad. Global Online Academy offers online edtech training for teachers in addition to its online curriculum for students. Online professional development lets teachers participate in synchronous learning at a lower cost and network and connect globally. Find a conference—international, national or local. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) sponsors an annual conference. iPadpalooza attracts educators who use iPads in the classroom. The first Miami Device conference, set for November 2014, will focus on using mobile devices for student-centered learning, classroom flipping, game-based learning and project-, problem- and challenge-based learning.

34 WWW.NBOA.ORG______• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

Connolly recommends checking local or regional independent school associations for conferences closer to home. He encourages Saint Ann’s teachers to attend NYSAIS’s Education and Information Technology meeting, which features teachers presenting edtech ideas to other teachers. Get an on-staff educational technologist. Also known as instructional technologists, technology integrators or instructional designers, these folks are up-to-date on software, apps and devices and how teachers can use them to enhance learning. “In the next five years, having an educational technologist will be as common as having a school principal,” Jennifer RESOURCES Carey predicts. St. Stephen’s tech staff “You have to have a flexible includes three full-time technology Felix Jacomino: felixjacomino.com; integrators who each work with five mindset. You can no longer @felixjacomino on Twitter to eight teachers every day. Jennifer Carey: IndianaJen.com; What about schools with smaller go to professional development @teacherjencarey on Twitter budgets? “There’s someone in every Info on Miami Device: felixjacomino.com/ school who is enthusiastic about and implement what it says, ______miamidevice/ edtech and becomes the go-to and next year expect it to be person. Put them in a position to Technology at Saint Ann’s School: saintannsny.org/divisions-and-o"ces/ lead professional development,” the same thing.” technology/______Jacomino suggests. Find something free—and fun. The —AMY HOLLINGER Technology at Ransom Everglades School: First Academy gives its teachers ransomeverglades.org/integrating______technology extra tech help with a “genius bar” they should not consider professional made up of volunteers from its development a “one-and-done” Technology at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day digital native population—that is, proposition. While the core principles School: sseds.org/index.php/academics/ technology/technology-at-st-stephen-s______high school students. Teachers and around pedagogy and 21st-century tech staffers can connect with other skills may remain intact, technology Global Online Academy: schools, edtech leaders and teachers will continue changing. “You have to globalonlineacademy.org/ on social media, especially Twitter. have a flexible mindset,” Hollinger says. EdTechTeacher: edtechteacher.org/ For more ideas and connections, Felix “You can no longer go to professional Edcamp information: edcamp.org/ Jacomino recommends searching development and implement what it Twitter hashtags such as #edtech, Moss Pike: about.me/mosspike;______says, and next year expect it to be the @mosspike on Twitter #edsocialmedia and #edapps. same thing.” Q A growing number of teachers are Technology at Harvard Westlake: organizing and attending daylong hw.com/acad/Technology.aspx Donna Davis is a freelance Beth Holland: brholland.wordpress.com; edcamps in their communities. These writer based in Boulder, “unconferences” are always free and Colo. She has written for @brholland on Twitter teacher-run (see sidebar). Net Assets since 2008. Amy Hollinger: globalonlineacademy. A former wire service, wordpress.com/tag/goa; @GOAmyH newspaper and magazine on Twitter Lifelong Learning writer and editor, she also Just as 21st-century teachers strive to spent many years as an independent school ISTE: isteconference.org make their students lifelong learners, trustee, board chair and parent volunteer. The First Academy: thefirstacademy.org

[email protected]______35

COMMENTARY

Supplementing and enhancing the face-to-face classroom with online learning best practices and pedagogy. By Brad Rathgeber, Online School for Girls

ant to know why the independent school ﬁnancial model is broken? It’s actually pretty simple. W Consider this chart from the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) DASL (Data and Analysis for 21% N on -T School Leadership) survey: u 33% it In the 1992–93 school year, 67 percent of revenue for N i o o n n independent schools came from net tuition (tuition minus - T discounts, mainly for ﬁnancial aid). Today, 79 percent of u

n i n t

o o i

i i

t revenue comes from net tuition. This is not because of t

n i

i 1992–1993 2012–2013

u u

T decreasing revenue from advancement and other non- T

t t

traditional sources. In fact, these have increased greatly, as e

N N

% %

7 9 6 schools have stepped up fundraising efforts and looked well 7 beyond the summer camps and facility rentals that many were doing in the 1990s. Instead, greater reliance on net tuition

36 WWW.NBOA.ORG______• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

The Case for Blended Learning

[email protected]______37

Median NAIS Day School Tuition—Grade 12

$26,000

$19,500

$13,000

$6,500

$0 10–11 12–13 92–93 00–01 96–97 02–03 94–95 98–99 06–07 04–05 08–09

reﬂects the fact that tuition has risen at the rate of inﬂation plus two to three percent. Meanwhile, other revenue sources have not. 3 31 5% % The expense side of the equation has also changed. Today, N N o o schools’ expenses are more weighted to full-time equivalent n n -

- F

F employee (FTE) costs than to other expenses.

E T

E T E

1992–1993E 2012–2013 As a percentage, the change may seem small. But it has been

% signiﬁcant in dollar terms, especially when combined with the

% 5

9 6 6 knowledge that many schools have added (in some cases quite significantly) to their physical plant over this same period. Moreover, the ratio of FTEs to students has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. In 1992–93, Source: NAIS DASL independent schools averaged 10 students for every faculty FTE, and eight students for every overall faculty/staff FTE. Today, those averages are nine students to every one faculty FTE, and five students to every one overall faculty/staff FTE. Student per FTE Comparison This dramatic increase in the FTE-to-student ratio is a Source: Thom Greenlaw/NBOA primary driver for high tuition increases. Independent schools are stuck in a dangerous cycle: Parents demand increased 12.00 programming in large part because of high tuition, and schools feel they must increase tuition at a rate above inflation in order 10.00 to fund new programming and the accompanying staff. Is there another way? Can a school be more without 8.00 “doing” more? Not only do I believe the answer is yes, but I see a silver lining in the numbers. By getting back to 1990s staffing levels, independent schools can stabilize tuition 6.00 growth and become more affordable to a wider range of families. They can also retain or even strengthen their core 4.00 promises: robust programs and increased opportunities for Students per Faculty FTE students; and tight-knit communities that allow them to 2.00 know and care for students well. Students per Total FTE So the obvious question: How can we keep our core 0.00 promises (or ideally add value to them) while reducing dependence on FTEs? This may surprise you, coming from the head of an online school: I do not believe that online education by itself is a 2010–11 2012–13 1992–93 1996–97 1994–95 1998–99 2000–01 2002–03 2006–07 2004–05 2008–09 “silver bullet” for financial sustainability or growth.

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beyond knowledge acquisition, facilitates collaboration amongst peers, and connects with students on a personal CONTENT DELIVERY METHODS level. The teacher has more information (analytics) about In 2013, nearly two-thirds of academic leaders agreed that a majority of students would be taking at least one online course in each student’s needs, allowing her or him to customize the the next five years. A report released early this year explored these learning process even further. assumptions and more, based on the following classifications of Changing to this type of instruction requires lots of time course delivery methods. and support. Schools must invest in teacher education and development as never before. And yet, once transitioned, PROPORTION OF CONTENT DELIVERED ONLINE TYPE OF COURSE TYPICAL DESCRIPTION they should be able to customize learning, and increase 1 to 29 percent Web-facilitated Uses web-based technology communications and connections between students and faculty, to facilitate what is while at the same time increasing class size by some percentage. essentially a face-to-face course. May use a course Why? Because the role of the teacher will have changed. The management system (cms) teacher will no longer provide the majority of course content— or web pages to post the syllabus and assignments. designing lessons, lectures, etc.—as the school year plays out. 30 to 79 percent Blended/hybrid Blends online and face-to-face Instead, the teacher’s job will be to engage with students. delivery. Substantial proportion of the content is delivered online. Typically uses online discussions and has fewer To chart a different financial course, face-to-face meetings. all independent school stakeholders will have to work 80+ percent Online Most or all of the content is delivered online. Typically has together as never before. no face-to-face meetings. Source: Grade Change—Tracking Online Education in the United States, Importantly, student-to-FTE ratios will not need to Babson Survey Research Group, Sloan Consortium and Pearson. continue to decrease and should be able to increase at least to 1992 levels. Whenever class size is discussed, conclusions are often drawn that it must mean a dramatic increase. However, To be sure, online education is part of the solution. It offers student-to-FTE ratios are so low within the independent an advantage in helping schools better customize courses school community that an increase in average class size from and learning opportunities, along with containing costs. And 12 to 15 could have a large impact on a school’s bottom line. make no mistake: Parents will continue to want and expect Too “pie in the sky”? We are doing this already at the Online more for their sons and daughters, including customized School for Girls. Our independent school faculty members curriculums and course plans. As demonstrated in the chart are creating and curating course content before the school on the bottom of page 38, schools have mainly satisfied this year begins. Then, during the year, their job is to engage with demand by adding programs—necessitating more staffing. students—in assessments, collaborations, one-on-one work, etc. But even widespread adoption of online learning can only This approach has allowed us to have an average class size of 16.5 impact at the margins (a ratio factor of .5 to 1 students per FTE). without sacrificing either quality or the promise that teachers Blended learning offers more promise. Blended learning know their students well and care for them greatly. In fact, most is not about replacing face-to-face teaching with the same students and faculty report connections as very strong. instructional methods in the online learning space. It is about Independent schools can be more. They can offer more using online learning best practices and pedagogy in order to programs and even enhance the close student-to-teacher and supplement the face-to-face classroom. student-to-student relationships on which they pride themselves. Over the past 20 years, we have seen a marked change from At the same time, they can chart a different financial course. To teacher-centered classroom approaches (sage-on-the-stage) do so, all stakeholders will have to work together as never before. to student-centered classrooms (students as a group at the Academic deans will need to work hand-in-hand with business center of the learning process). Blended learning is the next officers. Teachers will need to work with technology leaders. step in this evolution; it puts the individual student at the And, heads and boards will need to think outside of their own center of the learning process. Teachers customize lessons to institutions for support and partnerships. Q each student’s needs. Computing helps students understand and retain information. Face-to-face time is geared toward high-level problem-solving, student collaboration and real- Brad Rathgeber is the executive director of the Online School for Girls and secretary of the world application, along with substantive work between NBOA Board of Directors. teachers and students. Analytics drive next steps. [email protected] The role of the teacher is very different in a blended class. Most content is taught through the computer, while the teacher guides content understanding, challenges students

40 WWW.NBOA.ORG______• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

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›› Q&A

Alex Podchaski A hands-on school technologist on the often-overlooked issues that should be considered in any technology decision. “Technology should never get in the way of pedagogy; it should be there to support and enhance.” INTERVIEW BY LEAH THAYER

to start a 1:1 program more than 10 years ago. We have 1 been able to increase the 4 How should schools number of students in the Can you give an Q prepare for any program over time, and Q example? integration of technology we now encompass the Sure. Teachers can sign into the school? whole school. Both 1:1 and A up for a free classroom It starts at the BYOD have advantages and account for most instructional A conception phase disadvantages from a cost and tools. If one teacher signs up of whatever project you infrastructure perspective, for Edmodo, another goes are considering. If you’re but the most overlooked part with Schoology and a third doing a renovation or new of choosing a program is uses Google Sites, students construction, make sure you professional development for have to look all over to get Alex Podchaski is director include the cost of wiring the teachers and a standardized their work, and it’s difficult of technology at Oak Knoll software toolkit for your School of the Holy Child, room for advanced audio/ to keep up with the training in Summit, N.J. He was visual and networking. learning environment. needed to support all three the first person in New Wireless access still needs a systems. A school needs to Jersey to earn the Certified wired component throughout decide which tools it needs, Educational Technology a building. If you’re launching select the software platforms Leader designation (based on a new instructional initiative, 3 that provide those tools, and a framework of essential skills consider what devices or for a K–12 CTO, and provided Explain what you mean make it easier to support software might be needed by CoSN, the Consortium Q by software toolkit. students and teachers. for School Networking). for support. If it is an Many schools become Alex co-founded and administrative system, overly concerned with moderates #edtechchat, a take a look at what your A weekly Twitter discussion on selecting a specific device and processes are and how they making sure there is enough 5 educational technology; is can be improved. a member of the Academy bandwidth available to support How should schools of Educational Arts and use. They often overlook what Q approach teacher Sciences Council of Peers; software teachers are using or training/professional and is listed on the BAM 100 will use in the classroom, and development with regard Influential Voices list, from 2 how the school will support the BAM! Radio Network. to technology? the integration of those tools. See page 28 for more on Many schools are I believe we have his thoughts about school Q facing the choice In addition, giving the teachers A confused training and technology investments. between 1:1 and BYOD. a standard set of tools allows professional development Where do you stand? for a greater focus on the in an effort to quickly I am the beneficiary subject matter. integrate technology into the A of a forward-thinking classroom. Everyone needs administration that chose training on how a particular

I THINK THE BIGGEST TRENDS AREN’T DEVICES ANYMORE... THE EMERGING IDEAS ARE HOW THE SYSTEMS TIE TOGETHER.”

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piece of software works, or and administration has been in a classroom. The emerging how to use a device. This the preparation process and ideas are how the systems tie functional knowledge is 6 continuing education for the together. As software moves essential to being able to use What types of CoSN Certiﬁed Educational to the cloud, are we moving a particular technology. What Q professional Technology Leader program, the right things in terms of is much harder to provide is development are helpful as it focuses on a framework of access, security and privacy? training for how technology for the technology sta" at essential skills for a K–12 CTO. How can we tap the data can be integrated into the independent schools? we already have to discover learning process, which is Technology directors trends in our processes and professional development. A need to focus on more classrooms, and then use This is a much deeper than just the devices and 7 those to improve our schools? discussion that needs to take the infrastructure. Besides What does instruction What emerging place between the school’s managing the technology, really look like for a 21st faculty and its technologists. Q technologies—devices, century learner, and how do they need to really understand methods and/or trends— Technology should never get we provide that using the budgets, strategic planning should business o!cers in the way of pedagogy; it available technology? These and educational methods in keep an eye on? should be there to support are the questions we need order to provide the most I think the biggest and enhance. to ask, as they will drive our value to their school. One trends aren’t devices A strategic and operational thing that has helped me anymore. There will always plans going forward. Q tremendously in working be something new and with my school’s faculty, staff innovative that can be used

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[email protected]______43

›› LEGAL MATTERS

Acceptable (and Unacceptable) Uses of Technology BY SARA GOLDSMITH SCHWARTZ AND SUSAN E. SCHORR, SCHWARTZ HANNUM PC

ith the fall semester in seldom check. The risk is that these more full swing, at least one informal practices create opportunities new app or popular for adults and minors to interact casually, website is probably one-on-one. Schools should consider preoccupyingW students’ time on campus. how best to adapt the AUP to the school’s Remember YikYak from earlier this year? culture and activities, while minimizing How about Prepfessions from 2013? the risks of inappropriate conduct Inevitably, some new technological tool between students and faculty. will surface during the 2014–2015 school In addition, each school should tailor year to cause independent school faculty its AUP to the ages of its students, and staff to scratch their heads, or worse, addressing issues such as whether fear that cyber-bullying may be more educational games are permitted, easily perpetrated. whether cell phones can be used during As in so many other situations, the school day or in particular areas of a school’s best offense is a strong campus, etc. Ultimately, an ideal AUP defense. A well-drafted acceptable use will assist the school in ensuring that policy (AUP) signals to students and faculty and students are responsible parents that a school will not tolerate cyber citizens, wielding technology for inappropriate or malicious use of Announcement of Monitoring. good and not for evil. Q technology. In order to be effective in While accessing the school’s network, both deterring unacceptable cyber- using the school’s equipment or behavior and providing schools with a their own, students should have no Sara Goldsmith basis for discipline, the AUP should work expectation of privacy. Schools cannot, Schwartz is founder and should not, monitor equipment and president of in tandem with an AUA (acceptable use Schwartz Hannum agreement), signed annually by students and networks not owned by the school PC, a law firm (and often parents, too), and should (unless the equipment is using the based in Andover, include the following elements. school’s network); however, schools Massachusetts. With Broad Principles. Precisely because should engage with parents and the largest education practice in New technology and software evolve so encourage them to monitor students at England, the firm provides comprehensive guidance to the full spectrum of quickly, the AUP should include home. Parents should be encouraged to independent school, college and university foundational principles that apply bring concerns to the school. The AUP clients. Sara is a frequent speaker at regardless of the particular technology should inform students that the physical seminars for attorneys, human resources being used. An AUP should apply definitions of “home” and “school” have professionals and school administrators. to cyber-activity that takes place via no relevance to cyber activity, if the cyber equipment or a network, whether conduct is detrimental to the school Susan E. Schorr is owned by the school or student, and experience of one or more students. an attorney at whether conducted on or off campus, Teacher/Student Boundaries. Social Schwartz Hannum during the school day or at night, media is now part of many classroom PC and counsels independent schools and even on vacation, for as long as a experiences as well as faculty-sponsored on a variety of student, student is enrolled. Thus, if a rising extra-curricular activities. Coaches parent and governance 10th-grader engages in sexting over may find it easier to text students about matters. She contributes to the firm’s the summer, the “sexter” may be held changes in practice times rather than Education Blog and speaks frequently at accountable by the school. email the team via a listserv that students national conferences.

44 WWW.NBOA.ORG______• SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

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›› AFTER SCHOOL

Portrait of the Business Manager as a Middle-Aged Joycean BY CAROL LERNER—THE PHILADELPHIA SCHOOL

hen I have leisure time, I can usually be found reading a book. And more often than not, that W book is by or about the author James Joyce. Yes, I am a Joycean. It all started at the Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philadelphia, which is home to one of the original manuscripts of Joyce’s Ulysses, the epic novel that takes place on a single day in Dublin. Each year on June 16, also known as Bloomsday, the Rosenbach stages a public reading of passages from Ulysses, featuring well-known Philadelphians and Joyce scholars. I began attending the readings in the late 1990s and have been hooked ever since. I have taken classes on Joyce and have read each of his books several times, as well as related literary criticism. I had the opportunity to read a passage at the public reading at the Rosenbach on Bloomsday in 2011, and I have met Joyce scholars from around the world through the Bloomsday readings and other events. One might ask why I am so enamored with the writings of one author, who only wrote four novels, a play and a bit of poetry. Joyce’s prose offers as much to the ear as to the after day. We walk through ourselves, meeting robbers, ghosts, eye, and some works are reminiscent of songs and demand giants, old men, young men, wives, widows, brothers-in-love. to be read aloud. Joyce packed a little of everything into his But always meeting ourselves.” Joyce paid special attention to books, and a deeper analysis leads the reader to the writings the details of Dublin in his writings, and each book takes the of Homer, Shakespeare and Dante, as well as a history of the reader on a walk through the city. I will have the opportunity Irish, World War I, literary styles over the ages, 20th-century to visit Dublin this summer with my family, who will indulge pop culture, and a wonderful sense of humor. While Joyce me with a few days of Joyce tours while we are there. makes great demands on his reader, he writes about the How does this passion relate to the rest of my day? As a everyday. In his own words, “Every life is in many days, day business manager, I rarely have the opportunity to dig deep into something before the next task comes along, so it is rewarding to have a singular subject. As a modern writer, Every life is in many Joyce breaks all the rules of narration, plot, grammar and days, day after punctuation, which can be refreshing after a day spent day. We walk through following the alphabet of guidelines like GAAP and OSHA. ourselves, meeting My readings of other authors to support my Joyce studies robbers, ghosts, giants, lead to wonderful discussions with students at my school old men, young men, while they study ancient Greece or Shakespeare. And like all business managers, I love a challenge! Q wives, widows, brothers- in-love. But always meeting ourselves.” Carol Lerner is director of ﬁnance and operations at The Philadelphia School, which has 420 students in preschool through 8th grades. —James Joyce Want to share a passion for a future “After School”? Send an email to [email protected]. Type After School in the subject line.

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›› NBOA DISPATCH

Read Net Assets on the Tablet App! With the Net Assets app, you can download this award-winning bimonthly publication to your tablet at your convenience. This member-only beneﬁt lets you access thought-leading features, topical departments and NBOA updates 24/7—even if you’ve left the printed publication at your home or ofﬁce. Every two months, you will receive an email alerting you when the next issue is ready to download. Easy, accessible and smart!

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