Riverside Academy Technology Plan by Mouna Abboushi

!"#$%&'()( Riverside Academy 3 - Year Strategic Technology Plan 2012-2015 TECHNOLOGY PLAN K-5 Campus School Name: Riverside Academy East School Code: 09300 Address: 7124 Miller Rd. Dearborn, MI 48126 Phone: 313-586-0200 Fax: 313-586-0201 6-12 Campus School Name: Riverside Academy West School Code: 09604 Address: 6409 Schaefer Dearborn, MI 48126 Phone: 313-945-8950 Fax: 313-586-0201 Date of plan: June 2012 End Date of plan: June 2015 Intermediate School District: Wayne RESA URL Address: www.Riverside-academy.net Contact Person: Marwan Issa Address: 7124 Miller Rd. Dearborn, MI 48126 Phone: 313-586-0200 CEl:734-216-0619 Fax: 313-586-0201 marwan@gee-edu.com

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

SECTION 2

*%!!%&'( Riverside Academy’s mission is to create academic excellence, positive character, an understanding of cultures and compassion for others.

%'$+&,-#$%&'( Riverside Academy will provide all students with a quality education through a variety of learning opportunities that incorporates international studies and informational technology. All students will become high-performing, culturally sensitive, life-long learners so they can be contributing citizens of an ever-changing global community. Our student population consists of Arab-Americans, Caucasians, African-Americans and Asians. Many of the students are classified as Limited English Proficiency. Most of these students have families who do not speak English at home; however through technology and efforts in the four core areas our students’ vocabulary and comprehension is reaching or have reached expected performance. All teachers are certified and all teachers are teaching in their area of certification. Teachers manage classrooms at Riverside Academy with a wide variation in performance levels. The school has interested and involved Board members, strong parent participation and is managed by Global Educational Excellence. The planning team consists of the following individuals: Name Ramzi Saab Eman Radah Marwan Issa Eyad Abuelezz Abir Ismail

Title Principal Principal Chief Technology Officer Technology teacher Technology teacher

Academy Riverside Academy west Riverside Academy East Riverside Academy Riverside Academy East Riverside Academy West

./%0&!&./1( Riverside Academy’s staff understands education is the community's most important source of opportunity, and that each student, regardless of the ethnic, religious, or cultural

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

background, deserves an education designed to promote greater knowledge, talent, and ability. There is value in diversity and the concept that learning and building upon our differences can be the strength of our continued growth as a community and as a nation.

,%!$+%#$2!#/&&0(34#56+&-',( Riverside Academy is a Charter School serving K through 12th grade students. The Academy includes 2 campuses which are Riverside Academy East K-5 and Riverside Academy West 6-12. The schools were established under the authorization of Central Michigan University. Approximately 85% of the students are eligible for free/reduced lunches. Curriculum is focused NCLB, Michigan State Standards and Benchmarks, Grade Level Content Expectations and technology. The student population represents eight different ethnicities or cultures and six different home languages. Riverside Academy East has had steady growth from 180 students in 2003 to 575 students in 2012. The Academy has 46 teachers and 25 paraprofessionals. Riverside West Academy has 30 teachers and 12 paraprofessionals. Our plan is to fully integrate technology into the curriculum so every student has access to and understands computer usage and informational technology. The chart below highlights the services and programs provided by Riverside Academy. Service/Program

Brief Description

Title I Program

Title I services provide students academic remediation to support and advance academic achievement. After school activities support and extend learning into the non-school hours. Activities include enrichment and recreation opportunities. Parents are involved in Parent Council activities, as volunteers in the classroom, and other school events. Teachers and students have access to a school library which offers educational resources, including reference books, periodicals, and other materials. Students participate in the School Lunch Program, which provides nutritious meals for students.

After School Services Parent and Family Involvement Library/Media Center

Nutrition and Health Services

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

( !"#$%&'(7( 8%!%&'( The learning community of Riverside Academy, teachers, students, staff and parents, will learn to use technology as a tool to become proficient communicators, collaborators, problem solvers and thinkers, in preparation for an ever-changing world.

6-%,%'6($/"*"!( ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Broad application of technology to support the teaching and learning process Various technological opportunities for students to develop processing skills, such as flexibility, adaptability, critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration Excellence in teacher preparation Equality in student access High levels of parent involvement Compliance with State of Michigan Curriculum Standards and Benchmarks Fulfillment of No Child Left Behind goals and objectives Preparation of students to participate in a global economic environment

Riverside Academy is committed to the following broad technology goals: Goal 1: Improve student academic achievement through integration of technology into the teaching and learning process Goal 2: Enhance staff technological knowledge; skills and abilities in support of classroom instruction; parent communication; and student data management and tracking Goal 3: Provide resources for use of technology for school operations, such as student data management, fiscal accounting, and personnel management Goal 4: Continually assess technology strengths, weaknesses, and needs and acquire technology resources to support student achievement of curriculum goals and standards Goal 5: Engage in fiscal planning and fund development activities to support acquisition of needed technology resources Goal 6: Implement a coordinated technology purchase, maintenance, and inventory program Goal 7: Evaluate the effectiveness of technology and its application and impact to the goals of the school Goal 8: Teacher will integrate the use of technology in all areas of the curriculum through the purchase and use of support software. The use of support services, including document imaging, digital manipulation, smart board and web page creation will help distribute and manage this technology at the building level.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Goal 9: Students will use technology (hardware and software) as a tool for communication, problem solving, creative expression and critical thinking. The proper measures in security will be taken to ensure these goals are met in a socially responsible manner. Goal 10: Students, teachers, staff and parents will have greater access to appropriate forms of technology, training and technical support and interact as partners to learn about and use technology. This greater access will be achieved through nextk12 student Learning Management system supported by Professional development workshop.

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Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

( !"#$%&'(9( #-++%#-0-*(%'$"6+4$%&'(( Riverside Academy has aligned its technology goals with the National and State technology standards and benchmarks (http://techplan.org). The standards have been utilized as the basis for integrating technology into curricula and instruction to improve student academic achievement. The specific goals for Riverside Academy are aligned with state and national standards. The goals are as follows: 1. Teachers will use technology appropriately to support curriculum. 2. Teachers will create and implement lessons that use best practices in teaching with technology. 3. Technology will be used to communicate integration practices throughout the school. 4. Students will use appropriate technologies to support learning. 5. The staff will provide extended access to appropriate forms of technology. 6. The technology committee will develop a purchasing strategy for new and replacement equipment and software. The Riverside Academy teachers will use these technology-based strategies to improve academic achievement, including technology literacy, of all students: 1. The teachers will administer the Ed Vision Student Skills Section to identify the areas in curriculum that need remediation. 2. The students will strengthen their comprehension skills through the application of the Accelerated Reader Program. 3. The students will use educational software in all core subject areas to improve academic achievement. 4. The students will gain access to other courses that may not otherwise be offered at Riverside Academy through video conferencing. 5. The curriculum will be supplemented through the use of video streaming provided by United Streaming. 6. The students will enhance their knowledge of inquiry by accessing and using databases for research purposes. 7. The students will use websites as tools for discovery, and also to promote critical thinking and problem solving strategies. Technology will be embedded into the curriculum. It will improve the language and communication skills of ESL students. Technology will target specific learning goals for special education students. It will challenge and stimulate a higher level of learning among the gifted and talented population of students at Riverside Academy.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

The Technology and Curriculum Committees will work to identify curricula and teaching strategies that integrate technology effectively into curricula and instruction by focusing on the areas of need among the students. These needs will be assessed by the MEAP standardized test, EdVision Assessments, Michigan Literacy Progress Profile, Quantitative Reading Inventory, Terra Nova, NWEA and classroom student performance. In order to promote the integration of technology effectively into the curricula and instruction, the Technology Committee will provide workshops and seminars. They will also provide the technology integration components for the classroom teacher that link to the activities that are aligned with the benchmarks and assessment. Technology will be integrated into curricula and instructions within the content areas. In the mathematics curriculum, the students will use Microsoft Excel to compute functions and create graphs. They will create Power Point Presentations and will use other appropriate future software to define mathematical terms. Teacher will use nextk12 system blog system to communicate with student and parents to support student learning. In the science curriculum, students will use Microsoft Excel to graph data from experiments. They will use Power Point and other future software to present research. The students will create a web page exhibiting scientific knowledge. They will use Encarta and the Internet for research purposes in science. Teacher will use nextk12 system to share educational video to students to support science curriculum. In the language arts curriculum, students will use Power Point and other future software to highlight the life of a particular author or illustrator. Students will use Microsoft Word to produce written narratives, expository essays, persuasive writing pieces, and other forms of writing. Teachers will use United Streaming as an instructional supplement to the language arts curriculum. Students will create web pages in all areas of language arts. In the social studies curriculum, the students will use Power Point and future software programs to present research on historical figures and events, economic principles, geography, and/or government. The students will use Microsoft Word to create written forms based on social studies content. The students will use Encarta and the Internet for research purposes in social studies. In the foreign language curriculum, the students will use the tools of online software to help their knowledge of the language in addition teacher will use their course website to publish resources to student State and National Standards All teaching and administrative staff will receive the ISTE/NETS standards for teachers, students and administrators. They will all receive training in the interpretation of the standards and the standards will be aligned to all staff development activities. This means

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

that the focus for staff development will move from skills training to integration of technology into curriculum and instruction. A staff needs assessment is an important part of determining the focus for staff development. Staff will be asked to self-assess their level of proficiency using the ISTE/NETS standards for teachers and the TTI self-assessment instrument as a model. Riverside Academy has aligned its technology goals with the National and State technology standards and benchmarks (http://techplan.org). The standards have been utilized as the basis for integrating technology into curricula and instruction to improve student academic achievement. Technology Goals for Riverside Academy will help staff integrating curriculum and technology effectively: 1. Teachers will use technology recourses (classroom computers, video, smart board, camera, and online access to software and search engine to integrate their weekly lesson plan. 2. Technology will be used to communicate technology/curriculum integration throughout the school on the web site, staff-wide emails, and creating newsletters. 3. The staff will provide extended access to appropriate forms of technology for students and parents through the nextk12 student information system 4. The Technology Committee will develop a purchasing strategy for new and replacement equipment and software. 5. Teachers will create and implement lessons that use best practices in teaching with technology. Technology Goals for Riverside Academy staff on using technology to improve and assess academic achievement, including technology literacy, of all students: 1. The teachers will administer the EdPerformance Student Skills Section to identify the areas in curriculum that need remediation. 2. The students will strengthen their comprehension skills through the application of the Accelerated Reader Program. 3. The students will use educational software in all core subject areas to improve academic achievement. 4. The students will gain access to other courses that may not otherwise be offered at Riverside Academy through video conferencing. 5. The curriculum will be supplemented through the use of video streaming provided by United Streaming. 6. The students will enhance their knowledge of inquiry by accessing and using databases for research purposes in addition to the teacher website. 7. The students will use websites as tools for discovery, and also to promote critical thinking and problem solving strategies. 8. Student will have access to learning recourses using nextk12 learning management system.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

!"#$%&'(:( !$-,"'$(4#/"%8"*"'$( Riverside Academy will improve student academic achievement and technology literacy by supporting teachers in planning instructional activities for students to master competency in the use of technology-based tools. Specific strategies are highlighted below. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Students will have multiple opportunities to gain a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems and gain proficient skills in the use of technology. Students will discuss and practice the care, maintenance, and responsible use of technology systems, information, and software. Students will use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. Students will use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technologyenhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. Students will use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences. Students will use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students will use technology tools to process data and report results. Students will evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks. Students will employ technology resources in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world and making decisions.

Our school improvement goals are: ! ! !

Each student will increase knowledge of mathematical concepts across the curriculum. Each student will increase knowledge of writing across the curriculum. Each student will increase knowledge of reading across the curriculum.

Specific measurable goals for using technology to improve student academic achievement include: 1. 100% of students will have access to high-speed Internet with voice, data, and video resources to support and advance classroom teaching and learning of Michigan State Core Curriculum Standards and Benchmarks; 2. 100% of teachers will receive training and participate in regular collegial planning sessions in the use of web-based resources and technology for

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

meeting curriculum standards and benchmarks and tracking/recording/reporting student progress; 3. Implement a school website, teacher and student e-mail, classroom web pages for communicating with parents regarding school calendar, student activities, and assignments, and community resources to address family needs/emergencies, etc.; 4. 100% of students and teachers will have access to and use a multimedia technology for preparation of reports, instructional materials through the computer resource center; and

Timeline: Year 1: • Develop an online curriculum guide accessible remotely, password protected in a staff-share directory. • Provide student with email address and access to Nextk12 student information system to check grade, submit assignment and access teacher resources. • Align purchased technology services with Riverside Academy curriculum. • Model technology integration strategies. • Develop and distribute a technology newsletter for all staff that will facilitate the sharing of best practices of uses for technology. • Staff will develop, teach and share lessons integrating technology with the curriculum. • Students will learn the basic computer concept. • Provide parents access to the student information system to check their student grade, communicate with the teacher and access teacher resources. • Work to develop a course website to support student learning. • Teacher will have their own website to communicate with student and parents Year 2: • Staff will develop, and share lessons in integrating technology with the curriculum using nextk12 system. • Teacher will have their own website to communicate with student and parents • Parents will have access to their student grades and teacher recourses. • Align purchased technology with Riverside Academy curriculum. • Model technology integration strategies. • Develop and distribute a technology newsletter for all staff that will facilitate the sharing of best practices of uses for technology. • Develop and distribute a technology newsletter for all parents that will give learning strategies of uses for technology in the home. • Staff will develop, and share lessons in integrating technology with the curriculum. • Students will learn how to use software applications to support their academic work (Microsoft office application). • Student will learn basic computer programming concept to prepare them to 21st century jobs.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Year 3: • • • • • • •

Align purchased technology with Riverside Academy curriculum. Model technology integration strategies. Staff will continue to develop, teach and share lessons in integrating technology with the curriculum. Develop and distribute a technology newsletter for all staff that will facilitate the sharing of best practices of uses for technology. Develop and distribute a technology newsletter for all parents that will give learning strategies of uses for technology in the home. Staff will be trained in creating their own web pages. Students will learn how to interact with the web and the web applications.

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Accessing Distant Resources: Riverside Academy will use several technologies to access distant resources. The students will use nextk12 student learning management system as a technology tool to enhance learning. Nextk12 consists of section website for each section the teacher teaches. This section website is a password protected. Student will have access to the teaching material for that section. Thus section website consists of lesson plan, syllabus, photo gallery, documents sharing, student links, student planner and test and quizzes. Nextk12 also consists of course website to allow the school to published courses resources on the web. This tool utilizes the power of web 2.0 to share resources between teachers, students and parents. Another tool the staff will use to integrate technology into instruction is video conferencing. Interested instructional staff will receive in-service training as Video

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Conference Leaders. Sites for obtaining information about video conferencing opportunities will be available on building intranets. Instructional staff will select video conferencing resources that align with the curriculum. Instructional staff will be supported with training and assistance to become independent users of video conferencing. Instructional staff may use desktop video editing as a tool to support curriculumbased projects. Technology committee and other interested instructional staff will be inserviced on desktop video editing to become Digital Video Editors. Equipment and software for desktop video will be purchased. Digital Video Editors will model the appropriate use of desktop video editing in the classroom. Instructional staff will be supported with training and assistance to become independent users of software and equipment for desktop video editing. The technology plan will be disseminated to the community on the Riverside Academy website at www.Riverside-academy.net. The community will also be invited to an open house in which the technology plan will be disseminated in a hard copy form.

!"#$%&'(<( Parental Communications and Community Relations The technology plan will be disseminated to the community on the Riverside Academy website at www.Riverside-academy.net The community will also be invited to an open house in which the technology plan will be disseminated in a hard copy form. Technology will be used to communicate with parents and promote parent involvement in several ways. Parents will be able to access homework by accessing their own access to nextk12 system that is set up by the instructors at Riverside Academy. The Technology Committee will organize a technology open house where parents are encouraged to attend. Riverside Academy currently has a web page accessible to parents, and a goal in the future is to make this web page more interactive. The staff will develop and distribute a technology newsletter for all parents that will give learning strategies of uses for technology in the home. Parents of students at all grade levels will have online access to records for their children. The Technology Committee will also provide workshops and training seminars to target specific software programs, and also provide information on public access to technology.

The school will be working on a plane to provide parents with Riverside Academy email address.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Technology will be used to communicate with parents and promote parent involvement in using Nextk12 student information system to achieve: ! ! ! !

Get an instant overview of current progress - This can help parents and students interact and build trust, so that each child can be successful See a list of assignments and due dates - Allows for greater accountability in student/parent and student/teacher relationships. View test and homework scores and details - Parents won't have to wait for a report card to know what their student is doing... and how they can help! Students can track their progress, and get help accordingly. Communicate with teachers and other school personnel - an internal messaging system directs messages to the intended recipient within seconds, and messages can be forwarded to any email address or communication device, such as a cell phone, or pocket organizer. Receive automated announcements about parent-teacher meetings and school events - Now there's no excuse for forgetting! Messages can be forwarded to any communication device, so Parents can lead their busy lives, and still be a part of their child's school events

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Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Professional Development Professional development for staff is essential to the success of the Technology Plan. Teachers will need to have working knowledge of, and the ability to utilize technology as a tool to support classroom instruction. Our school will utilize the Michigan Professional Development Rubric in planning and implementing activities that provide appropriate resources, support, and time. Professional development activities will: !

Provide teachers with adequate resources and time to experience and experiment with district-supported technologies. ! Focus on using technology to improve student learning. It should provide teachers with solutions to specific problems they encounter in their professional lives. ! Aim at building learning communities among teachers and establish social connections among teachers and the support staff so they can offer help and support to each other. ! Be continuous, frequent, and conducted in settings that are similar to the teaching contexts of the teachers. ! Be provided by educational experts who understand technology or technology experts who understand education. Additionally, our school will comply with ITSE and NETS standards, including ensuring teachers are knowledgeable and skilled regarding: ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Specific subject matter. Human growth and development. Adaptation of instruction for individual use. Use of multiple teaching strategies. Effective classroom motivation and management strategies. Communication skills. Instructional planning skills. Professional commitment and responsibility; Assessment of student learning.

Professional development activities will provide teachers, administrators, and other staff with: ! ! ! ! ! !

Various technological activities and learning opportunities; Access to online resources, tools, and teaching aids that explain new teaching methodologies; Opportunities to partner with other professional educators on initiatives; Knowledge and skills to technologically prepare students for the global economy; Up-to-date information regarding state and federal requirements, including No Child Left Behind; Access to national subject area journals;

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

! ! !

Access to science, social studies, math, history, and English lesson planning resources that augment classroom learning; Updates regarding state educational standards, recent research, and best practices; and Knowledge of how the Internet works and ways it can be used in the classroom to reduce preparation time and supplement lesson plan activities.

Professional development activities will offer workshop training, coaching, and hands-on support. All activities will be closely coordinated (and integrated where appropriate) with other curriculum training activities. Appropriate sources will be sought to provide funding for professional development activities. Potential sources of funding include: Title I, Tile IID, Title V, and/or Teacher, Principal Training and Recruitment funds, and general funds. The chart below provides a list of types of professional development activities that will be sought, subject to funding. Where we are: Riverside Academy staff professional development strategies currently focus on basic computer skills, technology integration and software training at specific times during the school year to ensure that staff knows how to use available technologies based on the state and national standards to improve student learning. We would like to move to a more flexible, user-based model that focuses on building the skills needed by the staff at the time when the staff needs them for specific curricular projects. Our current professional training focuses on using the following models: • Modeling—tech coach/media specialist teaches lessons integrating technology into the curriculum while the teacher assists • Co-teaching—tech coach and teacher collaborate to design a lesson integrating technology into the curriculum • Consulting—teachers who feel confident in using technology tools in an integrated manner teach the lesson using tech coach to help coordinate resources and provide input • In services—Friday afternoon technology in services are arranged throughout the school year to provide basic skills, software and hardware training, and curricular integration • Off-site training—funds and substitutes are provided for staff to attend technology conferences, software training and curricular integration. Online classes may also be available through local universities, in order to develop basic, intermediate, or advanced needs.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Where we are going: Goal #1 of our plan states, “Teachers will integrate the use of technology in all areas of the curriculum,” and is the basis for the staff development component of our technology plan. Our professional development will focus on curricular integration. We aim to provide the entire learning community of teachers, students, staff and parents, with the skills necessary to use technology appropriately and in accordance with our goals. Riverside Academy staff has expressed a strong interest in having more technology support, or “technology coaches” in the school. This approach would identify a teacher/media specialist, or a team of two, to be trained in trouble shooting techniques, software applications, and, most importantly, technology integration strategies and activities using software the school owns. Their responsibility will be to become technology specialists, to provide ongoing training to staff as needed, and to become leaders in technology integration. There will be a greater emphasis on the first three of our staff development models: modeling, co-teaching and consulting. All three require tech coach participation in varying degrees. The tech coach approach has the advantage of flexibility and timeliness, since the coach will respond to an individual teacher’s technology needs at a time when the teacher needs to use technology within the curriculum, rather than a time being set aside for a staff in-service. However, we will be maintaining all the above models to deliver technology training. Our two areas of concentration will be skill building for teachers, and transferring those skills to integrated classroom activities. Skill building will be developed in a project-based format. For example, teachers will be taught how to create a classroom newsletter using a variety of word processing tool bars. New tech coaches will be trained each year in order to build a group of teachers who develop skill in the integration of technology into instruction. These staff members will be encouraged to become a resource for other staff in the building. At a future point, coaches will be encouraged to specialize in various technologies, such as digital imaging, video conferencing and desktop video editing.

Timeline for Professional Development:

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Year One (2012-2013) ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Conduct a needs assessment with staff to determine basic staff development needs. integrating technology into curriculum content areas using nextk12 learning management system Filtering objectionable materials using web 2.0 tools. Using nextk12 system for homework and classroom updates to parent communication Introducing educational Internet resources using nextk12 system Teach staff how to Protect children on-line Teach staff about the school network, which can be used for students, teachers and administrators and the application of those standards in daily practice. Teach staff how to create their own web pages for their classes using nextk12 system Teach selected staff to be tech coaches in the area of curricular integration. Teach staff to use new technology curriculum based on skill acquisition for each grade level. Train staff in extended access to appropriate forms of technology. Train staff to use the portable projector with smart board technology. Understanding e-mail, news, and spam Train staff to integrate technology using nextk12 web 2.0 tools to integrate technology into their lesson plan.

Year Two (2013-2014) ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Continue to conduct a needs assessment with staff to determine basic staff development needs. Continue to integrating technology into curriculum content areas using nextk12 learning management system Filtering objectionable materials using web 2.0 tools. Using nextk12 system for homework and classroom updates to parent communication Introducing educational Internet resources using nextk12 system Continue to protects children on-line Teach staff about the school network, which can be used for students, teachers and administrators and the application of those standards in daily practice. Continue to teach staff how to create their own web pages for their classes using nextk12 system

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

! ! ! ! ! !

Continue to teach selected staff to be tech coaches in the area of curricular integration. Continue to teach staff to use new curriculum guide. Continue to teach staff to use new technology curriculum based on skill acquisition for each grade level. Continue to train staff in extended access to appropriate forms of technology. Continue to train staff to use the portable projector with smart board technology. Understanding e-mail, news, and spam

Year Three (2014-2015) ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Integrating technology into curriculum content areas Conduct a needs assessment with staff to determine advanced staff development needs. Having a advance classroom webpage Teach staff about the school network, which can be used for students, teachers and administrators and the application of those standards in daily practice. Teaching Science lessons using the resources on the internet Teaching Mathematics using the resources on the internet Teach selected staff to be tech coaches in the area of curricular integration. Teaching language arts and research projects using the Internet. Teach staff to use the new curriculum guide with imbedded technology components. Teach staff to use the new technology curriculum based on skill acquisition for each grade level.

( !"#$%&'()?( !-..&+$%'6(+"!&-+#"!( Varieties of resources are utilized to support the technology program at Riverside Academy and can be categorized into three groups: human, print and electronic resources. At present, Riverside Academy has a one Network Administrator/Computer teacher, one media specialist, and five members on the Technology Task Force who act as supporting resources for professional development, curricular integration and technical assistance. These people work with staff in a variety of areas, including troubleshooting, instruction, locating and providing resources and conducting in-services. ISD and REMC personnel are also valuable resources: they have conducted staff in-services in software and instructed staff in use of the online video lending library. The REMC provides us with

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

valuable services: a Cooperative Bid Catalog for technology purchases, access to a pilot program in video streaming, a large lending video library, and classes for training in technology. Many software and technology integration manuals are available for staff checkout in the school library. Handouts from past technology in-services are also on file. The library maintains a collection of single-copy software available for staff to install on classroom computers. A selection of educational videos are also available, to supplement the REMC collection. Riverside Academy’s website provides the school enrollment application, registration checklist, staff e-mail addresses and information about Cycle 6 E-rate offering. Students may also access their current grades through the website. Human resource additions are planned, in the form of technology coaches, or teams of one or two teachers/media specialists, who are trained to assist staff in curricular integration and skills acquisition. We plan on adding two or three tech coaches each year. Key additions to our technology print resources will be development of a curriculum guide to technology integration and a specific technology curriculum based on skill acquisition. The two may be merged at a future date. Riverside Academy’s website will be used as the primary means to provide information to parents and students. A parent handbook and all policies and procedures will be placed on the school’s website, as will the school’s curriculum. Remote access to the library’s catalog and free databases from the State of Michigan’s E-library will be provided. Technology training and troubleshooting manuals will also be placed on our website. Our school newsletter will have an online version and each grade will have pages devoted to classroom activities and curriculum guides. Riverside Academy will use a variety of resources to support the Technology Plan. Resources that will support our plan include: ! School district policies and procedures for technology purchase, inventory, maintenance, and evaluation, and use of an acceptable use policy/technology use agreement; ! Access to REMC CD-ROM and other technological materials; ! The development of a school informational website; ! Purchase and use of instructional software and record keeping software to track student progress and meet record keeping/grading requirements; ! Involvement of Central Michigan University, Eastern University, and other institutions of higher education; and ! Activation of various other community and funding resources in this endeavor. ! Solicitation of grant funds through the Federal E-Rate and other funding opportunities to maximize spending.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

!"#$%&'())( %'@+4!$+-#$-+"( Goal: The major infrastructure goal of the school is to provide an infrastructure which supports the school mission, goals and strategies outlined in this technology plan. The school continuously evaluates its current infrastructure and seeks to determine the need for updates.

#-++"'$(!$4$-!( The riverside East Academy Campus has a local area network (LAN) with Internet access. Currently, the school has 300 data drops and a 5 VM ware servers. Network. The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local area network (LAN) is built on Ethernet. This allows all classrooms and offices to access the Internet. Each classroom has one Core Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz for teacher use and five for student use . The school also has one computer lab with 30 computers with Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz All school computer systems are running Windows 7. The school has VIOP Avaya Voice Mail System in place. Each classroom is equipped with a telephone. The academy is working with other academies to develop Global Educational Consortium of Charter Schools and submit Funding request to SLD for 2012-2013. The objectives of the SLD funding request are to: 1. Provide wiring for each classroom with three additional data drops and one voice and video drop. This includes All the necessary hardware and software such as switches and routers. For riverside west campus each class need at least two data drops and one voice and video. 2. All the necessary hardware and software to provide Email, Web, Proxy, DNS, DHCP functionality. 3. Provide telecommunication services (Local and Long Distance Telephone Service, Cell Phone Service, Centrex Service for each campus. 4. Internet Access with T1 Link 5. Firewall 6. Provide Basic Maintenance and Technical Support for the building which requires an average of 30 Hours/Week for each Campus

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

!$+4$"6%"!(&@("A-%.*"'$(%'$"+&."+43%0%$1( 1. The technical staff provides onsite support for the hardware and software problems with all computers, printers, and audio/video equipment. 2. Make the best use of school funds by contacting the Manufactory provider for broken or inoperable equipment under warranty, instead of purchasing new equipment. 3. Replace any equipment if it is not fixable and not under warranty. 4. Keep our equipment up to current technology by replacing our hardware on the following schedule: ! Provide on-going technical support and professional development that will enhance the curriculum and improve student learning. (Daily) ! Continue updating and maintaining existing technology. (Daily) ! Upgrade antivirus software on all computers (Monthly) ! Purchase software to enhance the ability to integrate technology in the content areas. (Yearly The technical staff will be responsible for ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Information technology resources are continuously updated. Equipment receives regular inspection and routine maintenance on at least an annual basis. A comprehensive security system is in place to safeguard the school's information technology resources. The school maintains an up-to-date inventory of its information technology resources. The roles and responsibilities of the management and coordination of the use of information technology resources throughout the school are clearly defined. The school's insurance policy provides adequate coverage for materials and liability. Professional development is provided for school personnel responsible for providing technical support and training.

Support procedure The staff will request help by filling the support form or using voice mail and also the email system.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

( ( ( !"#$%&'()B( %'#+"4!"(4##"!!( The school has recognized the need for personnel to be devoted to technical assistance in order to gain a fair return on dollars invested in technology hardware, software and infrastructure. In response to this need, the school has employed a technology specialist with the following responsibilities: ! Coordinate and maintain instructional hardware and software as well as network implementations ! Support and lead training in all areas of technology. ! Develop standards and practices for acquisition and maintenance of educational technologies ! Establish a process to monitor and keep interested school individuals informed of evolving technologies and their implications and costs ! Review and investigate violations of computer security procedures ! Develop and implement security policies and procedures for the school ! Supervise and maintain the school’s communications network ! Refer major hardware problems to service personnel for correction ! Advise administrators and board on technology budget ! Supervise, in concert with building principals, technology instruction and teachers.

Description of hardware, network infrastructure to improve student learning. • • • • • • • • • • •

Develop a curriculum to organize and plan for instruction and application at each grade level. (2012-2013). Add 1 class room workstations for student use (2012-2013) Replace 40 workstation (2013-2014) Every class room will have new projector (2013-2014). Upgrade our server to current technology(Continuous) Add more network drop for class room with managed switches(Continuous) Purchase content filter or firewall (2013-2014) Add 2 network laser color printer for each campus (2013-2014) Add 2 laser printer for each campus (2013-2014) Add 1 laser printer for each campus (2012-2013) Add 10 wireless access points for each school. (2013-2014)

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

$"#/'&0&61(!$4@@(+"!.&'!%3%0%$%"!( The technical staff will be responsible for ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Support procedure The staff will request help by filling the support form or using voice mail and also the email system.

!$+4$"6%"!($&(%'#+"4!"(4##"!!($&($"#/'&0&61( Strategies to increase access to technology for all students and all teachers The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local area network (LAN) provides internet access to all computers in the school network and computer lab. Our school operates at 4:1 student to computer ratio and our goal to increase the number of computer to be 3:1 for the next three years which give the student wide range to access to the computers in the school. We are also working in involving the parent to increase their ability to access the computer in the school by providing computer training and technology newsletters. Bi-lingual paraprofessionals are hired by the school to help in translating for ELL students that may not understand computer function and directions given in English. In order to keep parents informed who also may not peak English, all technology newsletters sent home with students will also be translated into the other main dialect of the area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Arabic.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

!"#$%&'()7( 3-,6"$(( The Budgets may need to be revised based on all of the following: qualification for USF discounts, change in the technology need, cost of products and services, and the total amount of additional funding received through other grants. However, the budgets do continue to allow for allocations that support collaborative activities aimed at seeking and assisting new members with all activities that would be required to join the group. On-going funding for the project will be pursued through a number of avenues, including the following sources: ! No Child Left Behind (NCLB) ! Universal Service Fund (USF) ! Academy contribution from State Aid ! Title 1, Title II, and Title IV ! Coordination with Title I and At-Risk Funding ! Private foundations and donations ! Academy fund-raising activities Table below shows the three years projected budget of Riverside Academy

RIVERSIDE ACADEMY- YR1 BUDGET 2012-2013

Item Salaries and benefits for personnel to provide on-site technical support Contracting services to for educational, technical, and assessment support

Total

Grants: SLD, Planning/Im Academy pl. contribution

Training and professional development Hardware, curriculum and software cost Internet access fees and dues Maintenance and technical support Wiring and network installation and setup

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Telecommunications: Local Phone service, Long Distance, ISDN, Distance Learning, and cell phone services Total

RIVERSIDE ACADEMY- YR2 BUDGET 2013-2014

Item Salaries and benefits for personnel to provide on-site technical support Contracting services to for educational, technical, and assessment support

Total

Grants: SLD, Planning/Im Academy pl. contribution

Training and professional development Hardware, curriculum and software cost Internet access fees and dues Maintenance and technical support Wiring and network installation and setup Telecommunications: Local Phone service, Long Distance, ISDN, Distance Learning, and cell phone services

Total

RIVERSIDE ACADEMY- YR3 BUDGET 2014-2015

Item Salaries and benefits for personnel to provide on-site technical support Contracting services to for educational, technical, and assessment support

Total

Grants: SLD, Planning/Im Academy pl. contribution

Training and professional development

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Hardware, curriculum and software cost Internet access fees and dues Maintenance and technical support Wiring and network installation and setup

Telecommunications: Local Phone service, Long Distance, ISDN, Distance Learning, and cell phone services Total

!"#$%&'()9( #&&+,%'4$%&'(&@(+"!&-+#"!( The Academy will coordinate the resources from different funding federal and state grants such as Title I, Title II, and Title IV , and At-Risk. The Academy will apply for the USF funding to support the cost of Internet connection, wiring, maintenance, and telecommunication. Resources will be coordinated among all of the programs and funding sources identified in the plan. The school plans on applying for a comprehensive school reform grant in the next few years. The school will budget monies from this grant for professional development in technology. The management company for the school actively seeks grants to generate more revenue. The local ISD schedules many training courses in technology throughout the school year. Many of these sessions are free of charge or low budget trainings. The school will eventually be eligible for school wide status. At that time, all teachers will be eligible to benefit from professional development in technology.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

( ( !"#$%&'():( *&'%$&+%'6(4',("840-4$%&'( A general description of the process by which the evaluation will be conducted is included. The Technology Plan will be evaluated twice a year by both the Principal and the Technology Committee. The Principal is responsible for the following; administering school wide surveys to evaluate effectiveness of the technology plan, meeting with teachers and staff to set information technology goals and review technology plan, Administering annual surveys to teachers and staff to gauge competencies in information technology skills, supervise and evaluate personnel who support technology in the school, gather information from teachers, staff, students and community members on equipment needs and use of technology in the school, and evaluate the value and implementation of the technology plan twice a year. The Technology Plan will be evaluated throughout the year by the Technology Committee in the following ways. The Technology Committee will be responsible for the following; evaluating the value and implementation of the technology plan twice a year, administering surveys to faculty and staff to evaluate the success of the technology plan, meeting monthly to review and update the goals and objectives of the technology plan, consider amendments to the technology plan in order to maintain it as a current and relevant guide for the school, and surveying the success and performance of teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of technology. The Evaluation section indicates what measures will be used and how success will be determined. The Technology plan will be evaluated regularly for success. Success will be determined by a strict rubric, which will be created upon completion of the technology plan. The rubric will include all those aforementioned aspects of the Technology plan. Each previously mentioned section of the technology plan will be evaluated by both the Technology Committee as well as the Principal. Students and Teachers will be surveyed less frequently for further consideration of specific goals. The rubric will work as a starting point to discuss and evaluate the various objectives mentioned in the Technology Plan. Consideration will be made to those aspects of the Plan that are categorized as lacking in success. Frequency of Evaluations:

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

Evaluations will occur on an ongoing basis throughout the school year. The Principal, the Technology Committee, and the Faculty will conduct the evaluations. Rubrics will be established for each evaluating party and will be administered on a regular basis. The Principal will present a formal evaluation to the Technology Committee and Faculty in December and May of each school year. The Technology Committee will present a formal evaluation of the Technology plan to the principal and staff in January and June. The Faculty will present a formal evaluation of the Technology plan in November and May. Persons Responsible for Evaluations: The entire school community is responsible for evaluating the success of the Technology Plan. However the bulk of the responsibility is with both the Principal and the Technology Committee. Faculty and community members will be responsible for providing feedback that will be used to further analyze the success of the Plan. Strategies describing how unmet goals will be addressed: Unmet goals will be identified at the two meetings each year held by the Technology Committee. Prior to this the Faculty and Principal will have provided feedback on strengths and weaknesses within the Technology plan. The January and June meetings will provide an opportunity for the Technology Committee to review the strengths and weaknesses identified by the Principal and Faculty. Within the framework of the Committee, individuals will consider strategies that are available to address the concerns mentioned. These concerns will then be addressed in a meeting with the principal and suggestions will be made on how to remedy the unmet goals. Goals will be continually amended as the Principal, Technology Committee, or Faculty see fit. All Amendments will have to be approved by both the Technology Committee and Principal. Those Goals that are net addressed sufficiently according to the rubric will take center stage during the period of time in between meetings. Strategies for addressing improvements to these unmet goals will be identified and shared with the school community.

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

!"#$%&'();( !$-,"'$(%'$"+'"$2#&*.-$"+(4##".$430"(-!"( .&0%#1( Internet Use Policy Internet users are expected to use the Internet as an educational resource. The following procedures and guidelines are used to help ensure appropriate use of the Internet at the Academy. Student Expectations in Use of the Internet a. Students shall not access material that is obscene, pornographic, "harmful to minors," or otherwise inappropriate for educational uses. b. Students shall not use Academy resources to engage in "hacking" or attempts to otherwise compromise system security. c. Students shall not engage in any illegal activities on the Internet. d. Students shall only use electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications for Academy-related purposes. e. Students shall not disclose personal information, such as name, address, and telephone number outside of the Academy network. f. Students and their parents are required to sign onto the Internet Any violation of Academy policy and rules may result in loss of Academy-provided access to the Internet as outlined in the contract. Additional disciplinary action may be determined in keeping with existing procedures and practices regarding inappropriate language or behavior. When and where applicable, law enforcement agencies may be involved. The Academy uses a technology protection measure that block or filters Internet access to block access to some Internet sites that are not in accordance with the policy of the Academy. Student Signature____________________________________Date_________ Parent Signature_____________________________________Date_________

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015

!$4@@(%'$"+'"$2#&*.-$"+(4##".$430"(-!"(.&0%#1( Internet Use Policy Internet users are expected to use the Internet as an educational resource. The following procedures and guidelines are used to help ensure appropriate use of the Internet at the Academy Staff Expectations in Use of the Internet a. Staff shall not access material that is obscene or pornographic. b. The technology protection measure that blocks or filters Internet access may be disabled by the Academy staff member for legitimate research purposes by an adult. c. An Academy staff member may override the technology protection measure that blocks or filters Internet access for a student to access a site with legitimate educational value that is wrongly blocked by the technology protection measure that blocks or filters Internet access. d. An Academy staff member will monitor students' use of the Internet, either through direct supervision, or by monitoring Internet use history, to ensure enforcement of the policy. All teachers, staff members, and administrators are required to sign the Internet Use Policy contract. Any violation of Academy policy may result in loss of Academy-provided access to the Internet. Additional disciplinary action may be determined in keeping with existing procedures and practices. When and where applicable, law enforcement agencies may be involved. Staff Signature____________________________________Date_________ Printed name and position________________________________________

Short Description of Filtering Efforts: Riverside Academy has purchased and has installed Content filter. This Server is used to filter inappropriate materials from the Internet. Computers are also checked on a regular basis to ensure that students are not visiting or bookmaking sites that are deemed inappropriate for their viewing. The academy filtering is in alignments of The Children's Internet Protection Act( CIPA)

Riverside Academy Tech Plan 2012-2015