Cover Page

 

West Hartford Public Schools

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLAN

2003-2006

 

 

District/Agency:

West Hartford Public Schools

District Code:

155

Technology Plan Contact:

James R. Benn, Coordinator of Information Technology

Phone:

860 523 3593

Fax:

860 523 3510

Email:

Jim_Benn@whps.org

Address:

28 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT  06107

Plan Components:

 

Section One:  Goals and Strategies

Section Two: Educational Technology Policies – CIPA Certification

Name of Superintendent:

Dr. David P. Sklarz

Email:

David_Sklarz@whps.org

Signature of Superintendent:

(use blue ink)

 

Date

Board of Education Approval Date:

 

 

For RESC/SDE Use Only:

RESC Regional Reviewer:

 

Date:

Regional Recommendation for Approval:

 

Date:

SDE Reviewer:

 

Date:

SDE Approval:

 

Date:

Educational Technology Plan Components

 

LEA/Agency Vision/Mission Statement for Educational Technology:

 

 

 

 

SECTION ONE:  GOALS AND STRATEGIES

State Infrastructure Goal:

To provide sufficient number of computers and devices, with sufficient technical support, connected to the Connecticut Education Network (CEN), to enable all students to use technology as a key element of instruction.

 

LEA/Agency Narrative:   WHPS is comprised of eleven elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and the district offices at the Education Center.  We have a point-to-Point T1 based wide area network that interconnects all schools, with a Cisco 7206 Router for connection to the Internet provided by CTC with a T3 circuit, in addition to the CEN provided connection to the Internet.  WHPS networks are interconnected with the Town WAN.  All classrooms are wired and have at least one computer, in addition to library and other labs in all schools.  As of May 1, 2003, there are a total of 2,821 computers in the district.  Of those, 2,403 are for instructional use and other are administrative.  About 87% of all computers are less than five years old.  The district-wide Students:Computer ratio is 3.98:1.  The WHPS Department of Information Technology comprises a staff of fifteen:  eight are computer technicians; two are Network Administrators (Administrative & Instructional); one is a Systems Analyst and another responsible for Professional Development.  The Coordinator and three clerical staff are the remainder of the IT staff.  School and Education Center networks are currently on a Windows NT 4.0 platform, with planning and preliminary implementation underway for a Restructuring Migration to Windows 2000 Server and Active Directory.  All administrative data (SIS) is backed up overnight to a district server and tape library from all schools.  Additionally, building level servers back up data every night, ranging from SIS to library catalogs.  During the 02/03 school year, the IT Department completed an upgrade at all schools to 10/100mbps network speeds for all offices, labs and libraries.  Planned activities are listed under “Results of Needs Assessment”.

 

 

 

Information on the CEN is located at http://www.ct.gov/cen/site/default.asp.  Planners should describe their infrastructure, hardware, software and technical needs and 3-year projections.  Update the district information that can be accessed at http://www.catalog.state.ct.us/cen/CENAdminLogin.asp?cenNav=1 and use this information to assist in the completion of this section.  Contact John Vittner at (860) 622-2241 or john.vittner@po.state.ct.us for your USER ID and PASSWORD.

Check one:

X

District information has been updated on the Department of Information Technology website

 

District information has not been updated (information is current)

Results of Needs Assessment

(where you are now and where you would like to be in three years)

Objectives/Activities/Strategies

Monitoring and

Evaluation Procedure

Fiscal Resources and Projected Costs

Fed.

State

Local

See above Narrative for statement of the current status of the WHPS Computer Network Infrastructure.

 

Where WHPS would like to be in 3 years:

 

Increased (T3) bandwidth for middle and high schools.

Additional bandwidth or lines for Internet Videoconferencing and Distance Learning.  Facilities for interactive Distance Learning.

Increased security through Active Directory.  Implementation of MS Windows 2003 Server.

Upgrade network at critical nodes to 1000mbps.

Improved technology in place for easy classroom presentation.

Improve Student:Computer ratio and reduce percentage of computers older than 5 years to less than 10%.

Design and implement state of the art classroom technology for new Third Middle School.

Design and move to new Server facility (and IT offices) in new Education Center.

 

The Needs Assessment process included:

o  Research by Migration Committee for a Restructuring Migration to Windows 2000 Server and Active Directory

o  Staff review of Computer Inventory database

o  Meetings with school-based Technology Committees

o  Monthly meetings of the district Computer User’s Group

o  Participation on Third Middle School Building Committee

o  Assessment of Internet bandwidth usage by school, via reports from ISP

o  IT Departmental planning process for new server room and move to new Ed Center facility.

 

2003-04:

1.  Restructuring Migration to Windows 2000 Server/Active Directory:  Set up District Root Server and Domain Controller.  Install new Domain Controller Servers in all 11 elementary schools, followed by middle/high schools.  Implement Windows 2000 Server. 

2.  Analyze Bandwidth usage at middle and high schools to determine growth and need for additional bandwidth.

3.  Research methods for delivering Internet Videoconferencing within existing bandwidth; research methods and costs for adding telecommunications capabilities for Internet Videoconferencing/Distance Learning.

4.  Plan for technology in new Third Middle School

 

 

 

1.  Migration Committee to schedule/evaluate implementation. Review after EL school installation.

2.  Maximum usage during peak periods determines upgrade need to T3.

3.  Test various methodologies for Internet Video-conferencing; establish pilot projects to determine feasibility within instructional settings.

4.  IT Coordinator to serve on Third Middle School Building Committee.

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

2004-05:

1.  Increase bandwidth at high schools to T3.

2.  Upgrade Office, Library & Lab network nodes to 1000mbps at high schools.

3.  Begin planning for move to new district Education Center; design Server Facility.

4.  Complete Active Directory security configurations at all schools.

5.  Improve classroom presentation of technology (projectors, SmartBoards).

6.  Improve Student:Computer ratio to 3.5:1 and percentage of computers older than 5 years to less than 12%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.  Evaluate usage/peak levels; review system reports.

2.  Track purchases of network hardware through Town CIP funds.

3.  Serve on new Ed Center building committee.

4.  Migration Committee to review progress at each school.

5.  Track purchases and evaluate effectiveness in classrooms.

6.  Track changes on quarterly computer inventory reports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

X

2005-06:

1.  Increase bandwidth at middle schools to T3.

2.  Upgrade Office, Library & Lab network nodes to 1000mbps at middle schools.

3.  Install telecommunications, network, a/v and computer equipment at new Third Middle School.

4.  Install hardware in new Server Facility in new district offices; move IT Department while maintaining services to schools.

5.  Fund technology for proven classroom presentation models.

6.  Plan/Implement Windows 2003 Server.

 

 

 

1.  Evaluate usage/peak levels; review system reports.

2.  Track purchases of network hardware through Town Capital funds.

3.  Evaluate according to technology portion of building plan.

4.  Evaluate according to IT portion of Ed Center building plan.

5.  Track implementation by school and grade level.

6.  Follow roadmap as established for Windows 2000 Server rollout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

X

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

X

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

State Curriculum Goal: 

To infuse the state student technology competencies across all curriculums used in the district.

 

LEA/Agency Narrative:      Our goal is to develop a learning environment that fully integrates curriculum and technology, in order to “Advance achievement for all students in the academics, arts, health and fitness, and athletics and minimize the disparities among all groups of students” as stated in the West Hartford Public Schools District Goals 2003-2007 (adopted by the Board of Education June 17, 2003).  Specifically, the infusion of technology throughout the curriculum will support the Graduation Performance Standards (adopted by the Board of Education June 17, 2003) in all areas, especially Technology, which calls for students to demonstrate technology competency through discipline-specific learning.

 

The purpose of this section is for planners to define, demonstrate, and apprise how they are utilizing educational and instructional technology to support curricular goals that align with the Connecticut Common Core of Learning and Curriculum Frameworks to create a successful learner-centered environment to accommodate a diverse learning community.

 

Planners must consider how instructional and educational technology can be seamlessly integrated into the teaching and learning process to support curriculum goals and objectives.

Results of Needs Assessment

(wh