Page 2 | October 20, 2011
www.chaskaherald.com | Chaska Herald
WHY ARE YOU … Thankful for local veterans? Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and the southwest area is home to hundreds of veterans. We want to know: Why are you thankful for veterans? Maybe you are a veteran yourself who was inspired by a family member serving in the military. Maybe you are a parent, spouse, sibling or child of someone in the military who knows firsthand what veterans have done for the country. Share your thoughts with Chaska Herald readers; send your essay, no longer than 200 words, to Editor Mark Olson, editor@ chaskaherald.com, before noon on Friday, Oct. 28. Include your name, city of residence, and a daytime phone number. We’ll run some submissions online at chanvillager.com and some in the Nov. 10 Herald print edition. E-MAIL: editor@chaskaherald.com PHONE: (952) 345-6471
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The system is one technology tool with research indicating its use helps students perform better. Multiple studies across the country as far back as 1993 indicate elementary and middle school students perform better on tests in audio-enhanced classrooms. Sam’s teacher, Barb DeCou, said she didn’t think she needed the system at fi rst. “I have a very loud voice, but the kids really respond to me when I’m using it,” she said. “I have some quiet kids and the system really helps their confidence when they’re reading out loud.” Sam said he likes using the microphone. “I was real nervous the first time I had to stand up in front of anyone and use it,” he said. “But it really helps everyone hear your louder voice.”
RESPONDERS Another item in the 10-year plan is student responders, which allows a classroom of students to individually answer quizzes or teacher questions electronically. The teacher can then receive the student answers on a computer to gauge how well students know the subject matter. “There are many examples indicating students perform better when their progress is checked periodically, compared to just a test at the end,” said Andrew Kothenbeutel, District 112 coordinator of secondary instructional technology. “So if we can use the responders to help facilitate those checkpoints, their performance should be better.” Chaska High School teacher Tim Koschinska said the responders are an excellent tool. “Getting feedback to all my students on a quiz right away is not practical when grading a handwritten quiz,” he said. “With the responders, I see immediately what the students know and can review what they don’t know and not waste time on what they do.” The district currently has one or two sets for most of its schools and would like more. “We don’t need one set for every classroom, but we definitely could use more,” said Diane Kaiser, district director of information technologies. A set of responders for one classroom costs $1,750. It is part of the “Classroom Tools” portion of the district 10-year plan, which includes $160,000 each year for the responders and other tools such as interactive whiteboards and videoconference equipment.
PHOTO BY CHUCK FRIEDBAUER
Second-grade students at Jonathan Elementary perform a skit with the aid of a sound reinforcement system. From left, Kaden Bendel, Lucas Bishop, Jaylee Prathoumthong, Owen Hasting and Sam Doolittle use a microphone hooked into the classroom speaker system.
District 112 10-Year Technology Plan The total 10-year plan equals $27,943,212, of which the technology referendum would supply approximately $19,830,000. The district would need to decide each year if money would be taken out of the general fund or another fund, or not do certain parts of the plan. For year-by-year breakdowns of the plan, visit www.district112.org. Item PC Replacement Course 1 to 1 Classroom Tools PLTW Existing Sci./Tech Reading Tablets Classroom Projectors Wireless Infrastructure Teacher Laptops/Tablets Sound reinforcement Bring-Your-Own Device Innovation Grants Network Core Operations hardware PLTW Biomedical Network Storage Network building Video IP Internet Access Web Hosting
Total cost $8,371,700 $2,310,000 $1,600,000 $1,587,852 $1,500,000 $1,428,600 $1,411,000 $1,317,600 $1,300,000 $1,004,000 $1,000,000 $990,000 $960,000 $824,000 $750,000 $750,000 $598,000 $200,000 $40,000
Description 4,200 devices replaced every five years. One set of tech. devices for one class in five secondary buildings. Responder sets at $1,750 each; interactive whiteboards. 325 devices replaced every 3.5 yrs. No replacements year one. 13 sets of 16 tablets for first 3 yrs. Replace every three years. LCD projector replacement cycles. Controllers, licensure, upgrades for wireless access in schools. 80 devices replaced every 3.5 years at $1,800 per device New sound reinforcement systems; replacement. Virtual Desktop to allow students to access school software. Innovation selection process School upgrades System servers on five-year replacement cycle. Equipment and replacement; assumes no new lab space. Lease Ten-year replacement cycle for building network switches. Installation, ongoing maintenance and repair of video system. Additional internet bandwidth from ISP. Web presence.
Source: District 112
COMPUTERS FOR EACH STUDENT? The district’s 10-year technology plan does not include purchasing a computer for each student. “First and foremost, we just do not have the resources to do a one-to-one student initiative,” said Superintendent Jim Bauck. Even if the resources did exist, that is not the approach the district wants to take, said Kaiser. “Our motto is that one size does not fit all,” she said. The district would like to spend about $231,000 each year on a program called “Course 1-to-1,” which would provide a device, like a netbook or iPad, instead of a textbook for each student in one class section at the five secondary schools. Students would be able to bring the devices home, but would have to return it to the school at the end of that class. “Textbook companies all agree the near future will not look the way it does now, in terms of textbooks for classes,” said Kaiser. “This would test how well it works with our students.”
NEW CURRICULUM New programs started with
the secondary redesign just a few years ago have specific technology requirements. One example is the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) engineering and biomedical courses. While there is no funding slated in the first year of its 10-year plan, the district would like to replace equipment for those courses at $176,428 each year after that. “These classes are very popular, provide college credit and we expect that popularity to expand,” said Kaiser. “And those classes have very tight specifications for peripheral equipment, software and computers, which would need to be replaced over time.”
INFRASTRUCTURE With an increase in technology tools, district officials said schools will need an increase in the network infrastructure and wireless capability to use those tools. “Our high schools have about 90 percent wireless coverage, middle schools are at 60 percent, but our elementary schools are down around 40 percent coverage,” said Kothenbeutel. The district would like to spend a total of approximately $700,000 in the fi rst three years
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of its plan on wireless infrastructure. “Many of our items in the plan would be useless if a student or teacher doesn’t have a wireless connection,” said Kaiser.
INNOVATION GRANTS The district also has included an annual $100,000 amount for innovation grants. “We want our teachers to explore ideas and fi nd new solutions to support our district goals,” said Kothenbeutel. “This is a way to pilot an idea before we work it into the curriculum.” “Over the years, we’ve had teachers fi nd interesting possibilities, but we’ve never had the means to help those ideas grow,” said Kaiser.
ALTERNATIVES District officials paint a bleak picture if the technology referendum does not pass. Without dedicated technology funding, difficult choices would be have to be made each year between technology and other requirements, said Kaiser. “Each year, items would be put on the budget table and choices would have to be made between replacing computers or roofs, which is tough because they’re both important,” said Kaiser.
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