Over the past year, the educational technology department spearheaded improvements across the district aimed at enhancing communications, data management and continued support of the district’s technology infrastructure.
With feedback from parents and staff, the technology department developed a capable website, which along with our television show “Back to School,” acts as a showcase of the amazing things taking place within the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District. In addition, the technology department developed a custom, online platform to showcase student work through a customized, digital portfolio tool, which is available for all students.
Over the summer, the district transitioned to a new student information system, allowing data to be managed more efficiently as well as expediting necessary reporting to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Our asset inventory system, developed during FY15, was used to identify and replace worn out technology equipment in FY16 and the maintenance of our existing hardware remains a top-priority. With FY16 funds, the department introduced technology in locations, with the support of building administration, thought to have the most impact on staff and students. In particular, library spaces at both elementaries and at the middle school received a needed refresh of technology resources, which included the installation of Google Chromeboxes.
With their simple-to-use, easy-to-manage approach, Google Chromebooks continue to be in high-demand. Additional Chromebooks were purchased at the classroom level from kindergarten through eighth grade. The selection of this equipment ties in well with existing Google software and affords our students not only an opportunity to collaborate, curate and create digital materials, but also remain current with digital activities that are expected in the 21st century and included in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
District and building servers received substantial upgrades, allowing for speedier Internet connections, better security and greater access for Internet-capable devices. With support from the business department, the district signed a service contract for 50 district printers, with a cost savings from prior fiscal years.
Technology integration continues to evolve and is becoming an essential tool for our staff, enhancing and supporting the delivery of our PreK through twelfth grade curriculum. At the macro-level, technology integration has shown marked improvement, however the district has identified a need to bolster instructional resources at the elementary level as well as increasing media and research skills at the middle school. The educational technology department continues to focus on the integration of technology into the curriculum and strives to ensure that resources are available for all students to become technologically literate and achieve their full academic potential. Additional staffing additions to the technology department will bolster both support and instruction for staff and students. These staffing positions, outlined in our Needs Assessment, include technicians to support our increasing devices so that our staff to device ratios are closer to state recommended levels and a technology integration specialist at the elementary level to support technology integration in the classroom.
Although not officially released until May of 2016, the five-year technology strategic planning committee began its work identifying goals and recommendations for the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District. The underlying theme of the committee’s work is that educational technology and a solid infrastructure will improve student academic achievement through the use of technology.
This information is a public record and was submitted by Mr. Luke Callahan, Director of Technology, Information, and Media Relations for the end of year town report for Groton and Dunstable, Massachusetts in January, 2016.