Education Empowerment

Through CollaborationPresenter: Blair Anderson

• Suburban district east of Topeka, KS• District is the center of the community• 3,500 students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12 grade• 475 staff members• 4 elementary schools• 7/8 Middle School• 9-12 high school

Shawnee Heights USD #450

Information Technology Department

IT Staff• Technology Director – former music educator• Network Specialist – Cisco certifications – corporate

world• Student Data Coordinator – former K-12 Technology

Coordinator • Admin Assistant/elementary tech – no technical

experience• High School Technician – former math educator• Middle School/Elementary tech – business

administration• Elementary tech – IT degree from KSU• Summer techs – started as teacher aides during the

school year

Recruiting IT staff”Bill Snyder Philosophy”

• Coachable• Commitment  to district

and education in general• Unselfishness• Unity• Improve

• Great Effort• Enthusiasm• Eliminate/Admit Mistakes• Consistency• Leadership• Responsibility

IT Department Responsibilities• Users – 3,500 students & 475

staff members• Network – 385 devices• Security• Servers - 65• Computers - 1,400• iPads – 2,400• PowerSchool/Student data• Phone system – 400+ phones• Copiers• Time clocks• Security cameras

• Door system• Fire Alarms• HVAC routers• Software/Applications• Mobile Device Management

System• Software tutorials and

training• AV equipment• Anything that plugs in• Networking toilets – coming soon

Daily Priorities for IT Department

• Students and educators are #1 priority• Keep users and data secure• Provide a solid network and server infrastructure to support

district initiatives• Be available to answer questions and fix tech issues – even

after the work day is done• Don’t be in the spotlight

** Without students and educators, we don’t have a job **

Unique Challenges Facing IT Professionals in K-12

Education

• K-12 schools have inadequate staffing to integrate technology into the classroom and implement new technology.

• IT Departments remain the same in size or shrink despite a rise in IT assets

• Half of technicians workload is spent being reactive rather than proactive, leaving little time to implement, integrate, plan and strategize for new technologies.

• Aging systems and software

• IT staffing continues to be outsourced to companies

• Average number of students per technician: 950

• Average number of educators per technician: 200

• Continue to have “too much stuff, not enough staff”

• Lack of funds to meeting growing IT demands

• Higher expectations

• Challenge: How do IT Departments adapt and develop a proactive approach to meet expectations?

Solution

Empower Educators

Curriculum• Curriculum Director, educators, principals review their curriculum every 2-3

years• Process can take 6-12 months to complete• Map out the standards that are going to be taught each semester• Document on curriculum map• Research what devices, apps, and software are needed to support the

curriculum changes• Collaborate with IT Department on ideas and what is required to support and

implement• Funding• Timeline for implementation• Train the trainer - provide or send curriculum review participants to training

on new resources, allowing them to help their colleagues

Collaboration• Critical that Curriculum Director and Technology Director

are on the same page• Attend Board and Principal meetings• Meet with librarians and instructional coaches regularly• Form technology committee comprised of educators from

each building that meet monthly or quarterly• Stay informed on curriculum initiatives and provide input

on how technology could enhance the implementation

Communication• Communication is key when it involves technology

• District Administrators• Principals• Librarians• Instructional Coaches• Educators

• The top 4 groups should be your best friends. They can help you troubleshoot tech issues and/or concerns during the day and know what is happening in the building.

• Explain technology changes that occur during the summer or over break. Staff struggle to keep up with changes and become frustrated easily. Explain why it’s necessary

• Emails need to be short and to the point

• Use of social media to reach patrons and staff

End User support• Listen, document and understand what they are requesting or

how the issue is impacting the classroom• Explain to users how the request or issue will be addressed and

possible timeframe. If it’s a known issue, explain what is being done to fix it• Make sure they understand what the next steps are before leaving• Update user(s) regularly so they know you haven’t forgotten

about their issue• If request can’t be met or implemented, explain why. Don’t just

say NO!

Availability• IT personnel need to be available • Email• Cell phone• Text• Instant Message• Desk phone

** Educators are focused on teaching students during the school day. Techs need to be available before and after school when teachers often run into technical issues or questions.

Give Up Control• Staff members manage or have access to programs.

• JAMF• Read180• VPL• Edgenuity• PowerSchool• Apps to control mobile devices in building/classroom• District website• Learning Management System (LMS)

• Allow staff members and students to call support when experiencing issues. Removes the middle man and allows them to convey the issue they are experiencing.

JAMF and Apple Classroom• View student iPad screens• Open apps on student iPads• Lock students into specific apps• Navigate student iPads to a website

or iBook chapter• Lock iPads to give instructions or

refocus students• Airplay (project) student iPad screens

to an Apple TV• Reset managed IDs within the

classroom interface

Technology Options for Educators