Is Plan Descriptor Revised?

The LEA will participate, if selected, in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The LEA and selected schools will use results from this assessment along with other data in the planning process to determine professional development focus and revision to the instructional process. Homeless children and youth at selected schools will be assessed using the same assessments as non-homeless students. Students with disabilities will be assessed using the same assessments as students without disabilities. Our principals and assistant principals have been trained to use the NAEP Website and new school leaders will be trained as a cohort.

The district shares information on progress with teachers, parents, students and the community in the following ways:

• 
  Parent teacher organizations (PTA, PTSA, PTO) Meetings
  
• 
  Academic Parent Teacher Team (APTT) meetings at East Broad Street School and will include Hodge Elementary and Brock Elementary in 2015-2016
  
• 
  Open Houses
  
• 
  Parent Conferences
  
• 
  Saturday Family Academic Strategy Time ( FAST)
  
• 
  Newsletters
  
• 
  District and school Websites
  
• 
  Parent Access
  
• 
  Newspaper
  
• 
  Letters
  
• 
  Phone conferences
  
• 
  E-mail
  
• 
  Televised Board Of Education (BoE) Meetings
  
• 
  Representation at civic/community meetings
  
• 
  Parent University
  
• 
  Early Learning College
  
• 
  Community in Schools
  

Communication and Marketing Plan

STRATEGIES:

• 
  Develop process to summarize components of the technology plan to ensure stakeholders know what is included.
  
• 
  Highlight successful technology project implementations and awards.
  
• 
  Develop process to summarize current status on meeting the goals. This process could include presentations, demonstrations, or written information.
  
• 
  Develop projects that encourage stakeholder membership or involvement in planning, design and implementation.
  
• 
  Conduct technology fairs to highlight student achievement and the integration of technology into instruction.
  
• 
  Provide information on successful uses of technology by students and staff (i.e. online testing, distance learning, anyplace anytime learning platforms)
  

• 
  Administrators, media specialists, technology coordinators, school support staff, district office staff, teachers, board members, business partners
  
• 
  Board members, executive management team, teachers, students
  
• 
  External stakeholders
  

• 
  Planned presentations, posting information to the district’s Website, user group meetings
  

• 
  Board meeting recognitions, local media, technology integration demonstrations, newsletter
  
• 
  Parent University, Parent teacher organizations’ advertisement on their web page
  

Intra-system collaboration between the technology department and system-level staff development, instruction, Title I, Special Education, and ESOL exist. Collaborative meetings are held on defining technology deficiencies, creating strategies, funding sources, and deployment logistics. Furthermore, the technology road map is discussed in the Superintendent’s Chiefs meeting, Council meeting, and Senate meetings. These groups include district leaders, teachers, students, parents, community faith-based organizations, and businesses.

1. 
   The LEA provides several additional educational assistance strategies to disadvantaged students, migrant students, limited English proficient (LEP) students, students with disabilities, and other groups that need help in meeting the State academic standards. Strategies coupled with personnel to implement the strategies provided by the LEA include, but are not limited to:
   

• 
  Class size reduction with Title I funded teachers
  
• 
  Title I funded resource teachers in the area of Reading, Writing and mathematics at various schools
  
• 
  Flexible grouping
  
• 
  Supplemental instructional personnel for specific groups such LEP students
  
• 
  Materials, books, equipment and commercial programs designed to address specific student needs
  
• 
  Multi-media equipment (e.g. Computers On Wheels (COWs), , interactive white-board devices, digital cameras, document readers, iPads, E-Readers, student response systems, probeware)
  
• 
  Computer assisted programs
  
• 
  Parent programs that involve parents in their student’s education
  
• 
  Co-teaching and supportive instruction
  
• 
  Itinerant and related services personnel for low incidence areas
  
• 
  Looping
  
• 
  Differentiated instruction
  
• 
  Specially Designed Instruction for students with disabilities
  
• 
  Transition Coaches in some high schools
  
• 
  Cluster centers for LEP students
  
• 
  Specialized personnel
  
• 
  Content area Program Managers
  
• 
  Literacy Coaches in one Priority high school
  
• 
  Graduation Coach in one Priority high school
  
• 
  Senior Director of Compensatory Programs
  
• 
  Program Managers (Title I and SPED)
  
• 
  Flexible Learning Program Specialist (Focus and Priority Schools)
  
• 
  Response to Intervention Specialists
  
• 
  Behavior Analysts
  
• 
  Transition Case Manager
  
• 
  Autism specialists
  
• 
  Math and Literacy Professional Learning Coaches
  
• 
  21^st Century Community Learning Centers
  
• 
  Data teams in all schools
  
• 
  Extensive focused professional development
  
• 
  Middle Grades Twilight Program for over-aged students
  
• 
  Positive Behavior Support training/implementation at thirty-five schools
  
• 
  Behavior Interventionists
  
• 
  Occupational and Physical Therapy services to identified students with disabilities
  
• 
  Adaptive Physical Education for identified students with disabilities
  
• 
  Assistive Technology Consultant
  
• 
  Braille and Orientation and Mobility Services
  
• 
  Interpreting for deaf education
  
• 
  Adaptive Curriculum - Unique Learning System
  
• 
  Transition Specialists
  
• 
  Community-Based Vocational Instruction
  
• 
  Pre-school Intervention Services and Child Find
  
• 
  Tiered levels of support for special education including lead teachers at each site and District Staffing Specialists
  
• 
  Parent and Community Liaisons
  
• 
  System wide Response to Intervention
  
• 
  Universal screening
  
• 
  A+ Online Course Software
  
• 
  International Baccalaureate (IB) program at two elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools
  
• 
  Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at the two Priority high schools
  
• 
  Fresh Start Alternative Elementary School
  
• 
  Twilight High School Program
  
• 
  Overage Middle School program
  
• 
  Early Intervention Program (EIP)
  
• 
  Remedial Education Program (REP)
  
• 
  DODEA Reading Grant for 4 sites with over 15% of students identified from military connected families
  

Strategies include:

• 
  Data disaggregation by Data Teams during preplanning each year and ongoing data analysis in our Professional Learning Communities throughout the year
  
• 
  District Data Team meetings
  
• 
  Regularly held tutorials for elementary, middle and high school students
  
• 
  Retired teachers hired as tutors to work with students including the students housed in the neglected and delinquent facilities
  
• 
  Full time ESOL teachers provide services to English Language Learners at 6 cluster schools (3 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high school) and three high LEP population elementary schools.
  
• 
  82% of Students with Disabilities are educated in regular education classrooms 80% of the day
  
• 
  All special education teachers attend the same professional development training as regular education teachers. Regular education teachers attend special education trainings .
  
• 
  Special education teachers are included in all curriculum workshops and are expected to use the same GSE/GPS standards as their counterparts in regular education
  
• 
  The number of co-taught classrooms has increased to ensure that students with disabilities have the same opportunity to learn as other students
  
• 
  Focus on the evaluation of teachers in co-taught classrooms
  
• 
  School Social Workers
  

• 
  School Counselors
  

Site-based school counseling plans are annually developed to reflect district and school level improvement plan goals and school site data such as attendance, student well-being, and parent involvement. Professional School Counselors provide comprehensive, developmental support in the areas of academic, personal/social, and college & career development to all students.

• 
  Response to Intervention
  

• 
  Assistive Technology
  

• 
  TIENET
  

2. 
   It is the district’s desire to provide students a learning environment that is not only engaging, relevant, and rigorous, but also challenging, interactive, and ubiquitous. Twenty-first century tools open the door to limitless learning by providing access to global information and resources. The following vision statements will help communicate and guide the district in addressing specific areas of improvement.
   

• Provide equitable access to a variety of technology resources for all students.

• Capture, analyze and provide meaningful data to support Decision Making for Results.

• Provide teachers, administrators, and students’ ubiquitous access to district digital content and online resources.

• Ensure quality of service and support is maintained during the instructional time period.

• Utilize technology resources to engage parents, businesses and the community.

• Enhance the instructional and administrative processes through the use of technology tools.

• Identify, monitor, and leverage funding sources to ensure fiscal responsibility and effective resource stewardship.

• Improve and maintain the district’s electronic resources to support a safe and secure environment for students and staff.

• Provide opportunities for all students to develop and master 21st century skills.

• Provide adaptive technology for students with diverse learning styles and needs.

• Communicate effective use of technology district-wide and throughout the community.

• Establish a technology modernization life cycle to be reviewed and maintained annually.

• Establish district technology standards and update them annually.

• Establish 21st century standards for classrooms, media centers, and business offices.

• Create digital citizenship in all our students.

• Apply for grants, like Title IID, in order to participate in research and the development of emerging technology for instructional integration.

• Enhance and maintain a central resource for collaboration and the sharing of information.

3. 
   The LEA will take specific steps to utilize available funds (State and Federal) to support after-school programs (including before and after-school and summer school) and school-year extension programs
   

• 
  Regularly held tutorials for elementary, middle and high school students
  
• 
  Summer School sessions held for students who have failed the math and/or reading portion of the state assessment
  
• 
  Credit recovery sessions held at middle and high schools during the day, before/after-school, and/or during the summer
  
• 
  Extended School Year Services for special education students as identified in the IEP
  
• 
  Funds from Title I, Instructional Extension and other resources are used to support the before and after-school and summer school programs
  
• 
  The 21st Century Community Learning Center programs provide additional resources for after-school and summer remediation for disadvantaged, at-risk, and students with disabilities. The 21st CCLC provides academic assistance in the areas of Reading and Mathematics. Enrichment activities are provided to expose students to opportunities that would not be possible in the traditional school/home setting. The identified 21st Century CLC schools for the 2014-2015 school year in Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) are were Brock Elementary, Butler Elementary, Gadsden Elementary, Haven Elementary, Low Elementary, Pooler Elementary, Port Wentworth Elementary, Shuman Elementary, Thunderbolt Elementary, White Bluff Elementary, East Broad Street K-8, Godley Station K-8, DeRenne Middle, Hubert Middle, Groves High & Jenkins High. For the 2015-2016 school year, the following sites will be served by the 21^st Century Community Learning grant:Rice Creek School, Shuman Elementary, Thunderbolt Elementary, White Bluff Elementary, DeRenne Middle, Hubert Middle, Groves High, Jenkins High, Butler Elementary, East Broad Street School (Elementary/Middle), Gadsden Elementary, Godley Station School, Gould Elementary, Haven Elementary, Hodge Elementary, Juliette Gordon Low Elementary, and Pooler Elementary
  

The vision within SCCPSS is to create a Data-driven Decision Making (D3M) culture. Georgia’s recent College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) has made data collection, analysis, and reporting into critical instruments for measuring and improving student achievement.

Horizontal Integration: This area covers Data Management, Data Security, Systems Management, and Infrastructure Management. These components deal with the collection of district data, creating standards, ensuring quality, and interconnecting systems together for greater management of efficiency and effective use of resources.

• 
  To improve academic achievement
  
• 
  To ensure fiscal responsibility and effective resource stewardship
  
• 
  To provide a safe and secure environment for students and employees
  
• 
  To engage parents and other community stakeholders
  

Vision for Technology Use

It is the district’s desire to provide students a learning environment that is not only engaging, relevant, and rigorous, but also challenging, interactive, and ubiquitous. Twenty-first century tools open the door to limitless learning by providing access to global information and resources. The following vision statements will help communicate and guide the district in addressing specific areas of improvement.

• 
  Provide ongoing professional development training for the successful support and use of technology within the instructional and administrative systems.
  
• 
  Provide equitable access to a variety of technology resources for all students.
  
• 
  Capture, analyze and provide meaningful data to support Decision Making for Results.
  
• 
  Provide teachers, administrators, and students’ ubiquitous access to district digital content and online resources.
  
• 
  Ensure quality of service and support is maintained during the instructional time period.
  
• 
  Utilize technology resources to engage parents, businesses, and the community.
  
• 
  Enhance the instructional and administrative processes through the use of technology tools.
  
• 
  Identify, monitor, and leverage funding sources to ensure fiscal responsibility and effective resource stewardship.
  
• 
  Improve and maintain the district’s electronic resources to support a safe and secure environment for students and staff.
  
• 
  Provide opportunities for all students to develop and master 21^st century skills.
  
• 
  Provide adaptive technology for students with diverse learning styles and needs.
  
• 
  Communicate effective use of technology district-wide and throughout the community.
  
• 
  Establish a technology modernization life cycle to be reviewed and maintained annually.
  
• 
  Establish district technology standards and update them annually.
  
• 
  Establish 21^st century standards for classrooms, media centers, and business offices.
  
• 
  Create digital citizenship in all our students.
  
• 
  Apply for grants, like Title IID, in order to participate in research and the development of emerging technology for instructional integration.
  
• 
  Enhance and maintain a central resource for collaboration and the sharing of information.
  
• 
  Remove barriers and provide opportunities for innovative technology-driven solutions that meet the needs of today’s teachers and students.
  

Vision for Instructional Technology

• 
  Direct instruction with student participation
  
• 
  Student iterative concept modeling and self-actualized engagement
  
• 
  Targeted learning for acceleration and differentiation
  

• 
  Identify learning needs and strategies
  
• 
  Track class progress to ensure all GSE/GPS and elements are being covered
  
• 
  Predict individual, class and school success on key exams
  
• 
  Support teacher learning communities and continuous improvement programs
  
• 
  Feed management ‘dashboards’ to alert teachers and administrators of developing issues
  

In this context, the strengths of the computer usage are:

• 
  Highly visual instruction (leading to improved long-term retention)
  
• 
  Individualized instructional pacing and delivery
  
• 
  Non-judgmental interaction with the student
  
• 
  Unobtrusive assessment
  

Based on SCCPSS research, lesson plans that integrate technology to deliver instruction that is highly visual and engaging with integrated assessment tools produce marked improvement in knowledge retention and performance on standardized tests.

However, this model requires extensive professional development. Key skill sets addressed were:

• 
  Effective technology utilization and external sources
  
• 
  Student performance analysis and corrective strategies
  
• 
  Data teams and professional learning communities
  

Further, formative assessment materials correlated to the GSE/GPS were developed that reinforced the link between visually delivered material and standard question types on the state assessments.

Other technology application models include accelerated learning labs in which commercial packages such as Study Island, A+ Software, and SuccessMaker are used as examples of individualized instructional delivery. All of these products produced exceptional results in reading and science when the assessment data was aggressively used in a well-managed learning environment.

Based on the 2015 inventory, the following technology hardware is available for classroom instructional use:

Interactive whiteboards: 973

Interactive slates: 1031

Multimedia projectors: 2346

Document cameras: 855

Student response devices: 23,045

Four printing solutions are in place for instructional and administrative printing:

1. Central Print Shop

Networked digital production devices

Quantity: 2

Primary use: Books & Manuals, Collateral, and Binding

100+ b/w ppm

Cost per page: $0.0103

Networked mid production color digital printer

Primary use: Collateral, Photo Publishing, Books & Manuals, Direct Mail, and Brochures.

70 color ppm

Cost per page: $0.0142

Offset two-color printing presses

Quantity: 3

Primary use: Brochures, Booklets, Calendars, Letterhead, Pocket Folders, and Labels.

Cost per page: $0.05

2. Networked Multifunction Device Copiers

Quantity: 172

Copier allocation was based on historical use and building layout.

Number of copier models: 9

Minimum standard per school site:

Front office copier ranging from 33 or 35 ppm

Teacher copier ranging from 33 to 110 ppm

Cost per page: $0.016

3. Networked laser and inkjet printers

District wide: 3,746

More than 200 models are in use.

Cost per page ranges from $0.018 to $0.173 depending on printer model.

4. Locally connected printers – distributed budget

Purchased by site or donated

Not district supported

Used for convenience

Cost per page: $0.13 to $0.18 depending on the brand

The district has approximately 22,000 computers and laptops that are used for instructional and administrative purposes. More than 1,000 laptops are housed in mobile carts. The district maintains a standard for the age of its computer fleet. As of SY 2013-14, a total of about 19,000 computers are considered to be modern classroom computers and available for instructional use. Based on these numbers and a life cycle of six years, the district has maintained a student-to-computer ratio of approximately 3-to-1.

Based on a 3-to-1 student-to-computer ratio, 35,000 students, and a life cycle of five years, a recurring minimum annual budget of approximately $1.9 million would be required to refresh and maintain an inventory of modern computers. This budget is based on the following calculation:

Replacement of 2,333 electronic devices annually at $700 per computer = $1.9 million a year.

Currently, 24% of the computer fleet is more than six years old. This information was retrieved from the district’s internal inventory system, Workstation Reporting and Data System (WRAD), and from the State Technology Inventory Report (STIR). STIR counts handheld devices, Title I computers, Perkins (CTAE) computers, and other administrative computers, while the WRAD report excludes these categories when calculating the student-to-computer ratio. The exclusion of these computers when calculating the ratio ensures that the district does not violate federal guidelines.

Below is a WRAD summary report that includes all computers in the district regardless of age, location, or funding source.

WRAD SUMMARY REPORT:

Total Computers tracked 24,564

Average Computer Age 3.416

Checking-in regularly 10,638

Computers under Warranty 13,475

Computers under Support 20,404

Vision for Administrative Technology
It is generally accepted that when routine processes are automated, they become more efficient and effective. What is more appreciated is that additional data can be collected and presented that allows administrators to make better, more sound decisions. This data becomes the critical component that makes it possible to create and support a culture of data-driven decision making, fiscal responsibility, and academic excellence.

In the morning, when a principal logs on to his computer, a portal webpage can be launched displaying information about critical issues and trends that need immediate attention. This page displays cyclical events that are critical to the operations of the school system. For example, the principal might see:

• 
  Opening of School – Enrollment count per grade, by year, by subgroups, staff allocations, and vacancies
  
• 
  Day to Day - Student and staff attendance, discipline issues, substitutes within the building, and financial status
  
• 
  FTE Count – Segment reports; edit reports, class size, and yearly trend
  

The value of this design and reporting is to become more intuitive in helping the schools see information that is meaningful and relevant to the task at hand. This will help to move us forward in building a culture of accountability and fact-based decision-making. Automation and workflow will also be used to eliminate manual forms and data entry. In addition, we have replaced hand-written time cards – and all of the administrative headaches that go with manual processes – with an automated time recording system. Staff now swipe identification cards upon entering and leaving school. After a manager reviews the information online, the data is automatically uploaded into the payroll system. This process reduces data entry errors and ensures the employees are paid on time.

Vision for Parent/Community

The vision for parent/community uses of technology is directly linked to the SCCPSS School Board’s District Accountability Plan which includes a specific goal to engage parents and other community stakeholders. This goal focuses on improving our accountability to the community and work to achieve continuous, meaningful communication and partnerships between us and parents, staff, students, board members, citizens, businesses, the military, employees, and community service agencies. In order to more fully engage the total community, we will provide all community stakeholders with greater access to their respective schools through the full facilitation of technology to more fully engage the total community. Our vision includes the following:

• 
  Parents will have greater ability to monitor student performance and attendance through the district’s web access for parents.
  
• 
  Enable parent conferences with teachers and school staff using electronic mail and virtual web meetings.
  
• 
  Access district, school, and classroom information via the public Website.
  
• 
  Continually work to update, streamline and improve the school system’s Website providing customer friendly, customer focused ease of use and improved navigability, to include aggregating Online Calendars, and to archive and inventory media releases.
  
• 
  Provide parents the opportunity to participate in surveys related to school climate and/or specific topics within the school system (Ex. Proposed redistricting, evolving specialty programs, K-12 Reorganizations, district wide/school safety or other time-specific topics.
  
• 
  Increase accessibility for the public through wireless web connectivity to provide parents and community members/businesses access the Internet while visiting the school or working with their students in the media centers.
  
• 
  Provide an increasing number of Webcasts of school board and school-related events, i.e. graduations, award ceremonies, academic competitions, through continued greater collaboration with local media outlets.
  

Parents have access to system-wide notifications and receive calls/emails from their respective schools and from central office. Parents are automatically included in the database to receive call outs and email notifications upon student registration. Contact information provided at the time of registration is used for parent notification. Areas of Community Outreach, Emergency Notifications, Attendance Updates, and Survey Notifications are communicated through this channel with the highest occurrence in the Attendance and Community Outreach categories. In a typical district wide call to the entire contacts database, approximately eighty percent of the total contacts reported are listed as successful deliveries.

This portal provides the district’s more than 35,000 families access to grades, assignments, comments, and information provided by our teachers. Any parent with access to online resources may utilize the Parent Access function. Parents who do not have online access are encouraged to use public computers found in community locations such as the public library. Between August 12, 2013 and July 9, 2014 the total number of sign-ins by parents and students in the mobile apps log ins was 83, 022. In the parent access web portal the number of access was 627, 509. 24.6% of student records were accessed through this portal.

Any parent/community stakeholder with access to the Internet may utilize the district’s public Website- www.sccpss.com. Web sections offer users a wealth of information with specific sections dedicated to administrative departments, helpful information for parents and students, and important district news, meeting notices, and access to the board agenda.

Schools also have their own web pages that are controlled and managed by staff at each site. Their pages contain information about the school, events, employee contact information, programs that are offered, and news announcements. The links to these sites are provided through the district Website at www.sccpss.com.

Teachers are also providing Web pages through their school’s public Website. Teachers have the ability to post schedules, assignments, links, files, and videos for student and parent access.

The district also maintains an Intranet Website (ACORN) that provides a robust informational vehicle for supplying the internal community with up-to-date information, access to documents, forms, discussion board, file sharing, events, and important announcements.

eBoard

eBoard is a cloud-based online solution that provides the management of board policies and regulations. Any parent/community stakeholder with Internet access may access, search, and review board policies and regulations. The site is easily navigated and contains a vast amount of quality information. It is easily found on the home page of the district’s Website. The district also placed 6^th in a national survey conducted by the Center for Digital Education and National School Boards Association (NSBA). The survey showcases exemplary uses of technology to govern the district, communicate with students, parents, and the community. This award also recognizes the impact made on the district by integrating technology into classroom instruction and business offices.

BoardDocs is a cloud-based online solution that provides a paperless environment for managing every aspect of preparing and distributing board packets to board members. Any parent/community stakeholder with Internet access can access board announcements, agendas, past meetings information, and resolutions. The site is easily navigated, contains a vast amount of quality information, and is found on the home page of the district’s Website.

Objective: To improve the overall perception of the district by parents, business partners, and community as measured by an annual climate survey.

Each year the school district strives to improve the school environment by gathering input from parents and other community stakeholders. This annual climate survey is conducted through the district’s Website with awareness created through the district-wide call out/email notification system. In SY 2013-14, the district implemented new surveys for business partners and the community at large, in order to solicit a wider range of external feedback. The number of respondents varies each year among the targeted audience and provides a basis for the perceptions parents and community members hold regarding the services Savannah-Chatham schools provides. In addition, other surveys are conducted in the same manner throughout the school year by departments and schools. In the 2014 spring survey, 37 Business Partners, 389 community members, and 6,527 parents responded. In general, parent responses revealed a more positive perception of SCCPSS than the business partners or the community members. The action items the district is focused on are:

• 
  Utilize strategic communications plan to expand reach through additional communication channels
  
• 
  Enhanced Business Partner Program with development of toolkit for schools
  
• 
  Expanded Community Partnerships with Chamber of Commerce and SEDA
  
• 
  Regular delivery of E-Newsletter “SCCPSS Education Update” for key communicators
  

All PTA presidents are provided district email addresses within the school system in order to facilitate greater communication between principals, PTA presidents, and district administration.

Other related events that occur are:

• 
  Parents and community stakeholders are invited to participate in Web-based surveys related to specific topics, proposed changes and/or improvements to our school system. Topics could include school climate, redistricting, and school calendars. These surveys provide exceptional data and input related to perceptions and management of the school district.
  

• 
  Utilizing the district’s successful Parent University, the Communication’s Office and representatives from the school system’s Website administrative team make presentations during these very popular community meetings. These presentations are designed to educate those in attendance about the information that can be found on the web and the locations in their community where it can be accessed without cost.
  

• 
  The Office of Communications and Community Engagement positively communicates with all local media outlets, providing a constant stream of information related to students and schools through the use of press releases and personal interaction with reporters, editors, and news directors. Because of the collegial atmosphere created locally with our media, the school system and its individual schools enjoy a wealth of positive press coverage.
  

• 
  ACORN, the school district’s intranet, will continue to expand the district’s ability to disseminate information to the district’s internal audience and create discussion groups for cohort groups that exist in multiple schools/offices.
  

Vision for Leadership

Staff and students participate in e-Learning through many programs such as Destination Reading/Math, Study Island, Renaissance Place, Discovery Education, Compass Learning, Brain Pop, and Edmodo. These sites provide learning scenarios, new skills reinforcement, interactive lessons, and exercises for students.

• 
  Tandberg Video Systems
  

• 
  Edmodo
  

The Department of Instructional Technology has successfully piloted an online professional development course using Edmodo and plans to continue adding courses for teachers and administrators. Training has also been provided to Professional Development staff for expanding its use for teacher training.

• 
  A+nywhere Learning System (A+LS)
  

The Savannah Chatham County Public School System provides support for all its staff members by assisting them with technology, curriculum, and other professional learning needs. The SCCPSS currently emphasizes using technology in effective ways to create new opportunities for learning and to promote student achievement For the 2014-2015 school year, the Professional Learning Department was led by a director with the support of a lead professional learning coach, a recruiter/professional learning coach, a classified personnel professional learning coach, seven literacy professional learning coaches, seven math professional learning coaches, two science professional learning coaches, and two social studies professional learning coaches for elementary, middle and/or high schools.

Professional development on using hands-on technology by our teachers is highly requested in our district. Curriculum-specific application must be delivered to our teachers so they can link their professional development with the curriculum being taught in the classrooms. Each teacher will be able to employ their technology skills with their specific content area based on the needs and learning styles of their students.

New teachers entering in our district are required to expand their ideas of being a teacher and to accept their new role as being a facilitator in the classroom and acquiring 21^st century skills. Professional learning provided by the district will provide opportunities for our teachers to become comfortable and effective in these new roles as teachers in our district.

The Department of Instructional Technology along with the Professional Learning Department will continue to provide training classes, video tutorials, and webinars on a continuous basis to attain growth and to achieve student success. Various methods and strategies for using technology will enhance learning and provide hands-on training of emerging technologies in accordance with the Georgia Performance Standards and National Educational Technology Standards (NETS). The success of training classes, video tutorials, and webinars dictate the failures and successes of performance in the classroom. Training is the most effective, subtle and passive method of overcoming resistance to change and represents the most viable approach to cultivating new philosophies and values in employees. The Department of Instructional Technology provides training during school hours and after-school. Each teacher can also request individual training by submitting a helpdesk request.  Professional Learning also provides training for our teachers. Teachers can also register on the district training Website called Electronic One-Line Registration (ERO). These classes are offered during and after-school hours for the teachers. Teachers can meet their continuing education requirements by registering and completing professional development activities offered through the district.

Instructional Technology Support

The Department of Instructional Technology provides professional development to district faculty and staff to support the academic curriculum. Technology integration into the classroom and media centers refers to the routine use of digital tools and resources in the planning and delivery of teaching, the development of instructional environments, and the evaluation and assessment of student performance. Digital tools and resources may include, but are not limited to, computers and computer peripherals, software applications, the Internet, handheld devices, presentation or projection devices, online or video distance learning tools, network-based communications systems, learning management systems and software, content management systems, online databases, content repositories, graphics, multimedia or videos, as well as other related materials, equipment, and infrastructure in support of technology integration.
Eight Instructional Technology Coaches provide training and support for all schools. They provide professional development for teachers and staff focused on integrating 21^st century technology tools into instruction to improve teaching and learning. The following services are provided:

Web 2.0 Courses
21st century teachers and students continuously seek new tools to assist with teaching and learning. With the increase of teachers and students using blogs, wikis, networking sites, and a variety of other online tools, there is a continuous demand for tools that are more efficient and easier to use. The purpose of this course is to introduce teachers to a variety of Web 2.0 tools that they can quickly incorporate into their curriculum.

Social Networking
Social media encourages student collaboration and communication. It is useful in creating a sense of community within the school and classroom. The district has provided access to several social networking sites. One in particular is Edmodo, a secure social learning network for teachers and students. Edmodo provides a rich, online environment that blends social networking and collaboration in a safe and secure setting. Edmodo allows teachers the opportunity to communicate with their students online, participate in online discussions, post quizzes and student assignments, and retain this information in an online gradebook that can be imported into PowerTeacher. Teachers have the ability to give parents access to their child’s postings and grades.

Additional Information on Edmodo:

• 
  The CTAE Twilight Program uses Edmodo as its online learning environment.
  
• 
  The Department of Instructional Technology successfully piloted an online professional development course using Edmodo and plans to continue adding courses for teachers and administrators.
  
• 
  The Department of Instructional Technology provided Edmodo training to the Department of Professional Development.
  

Both Professional Learning and Instructional Technology Coaches request the completion of an online survey to evaluate the session, information provided and skills of the instructor. The SCCPSS Professional Learning Evaluation is built into the ERO system. This is the system used to register for Professional Learning sessions. The goal of the above evaluation is to clearly provide the most effective training to ultimately meet the needs of and enhance the learning environment of the students. Success in the training sessions will also encourage, support and improve the skills of the staff who participate.

Funding for technology professional development is provided through a variety of sources: LEA general funds, Title I, Title II, Title IID, Title III, Title IV, Title V, IDEA, and Grants.

 Professional Development for Access to Technology:

• 
  Technical staff is provided with hands-on training as needed to keep certification current
  
• 
  Training of Technology Support Staff on the installation and support of wireless networks and technologies
  
• 
  Training of staff to operate digital technology including interactive whiteboards and wireless slates
  
• 
  Training of staff to operate mobile wireless labs (COWs)
  

• 
  Provide technology integration training for district standard technology equipment such as projectors, multimedia computers, interactive whiteboards, CPS, etc.
  
• 
  Enhance social studies and science curriculums by using web resources (such as Discovery Education steaming, GaDOE resources, and Thinkfinity).
  
• 
  Provide technology integration training for all content areas to support differentiated instruction, formative assessment, data-driven decisions and online course presence.
  
• 
  Provide technology integration training in the use of multimedia equipment and software to media specialists and teachers to enhance project-based learning.
  
• 
  Provide an online certification course for teachers interested in implementing Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) in their classrooms with their students
  

• 
  HR Management system vendor will provide “Train-the-Trainer” workshops on new system
  
• 
  Dashboard training for administrators will be provided
  
• 
  Media Specialists will receive training by their Library Media Technology Coach for Destiny – the library media management system
  
• 
  Training of records management personnel for imaging systems
  
• 
  Provide access to technology and information needed for teaching, planning, decision-making and evaluation
  
• 
  Benchmark Assessment training on data interpretation
  
• 
  Training for executive directors, principals and building administrators, curriculum specialists, academic coaches, instructional techs, media specialists on Examview, On-Line Assessments, EOCT on-line, and GA DOE secure portals
  
• 
  Training for test coordinators on national, state and local assessments, rules, regulations and processes
  
• 
  Training for administrators and executive directors on CCRPI trends and data interpretation
  
• 
  Training for K-12 School Counselors on the SLDS assessment reporting program, and TIENET
  

• 
  District staff will provide information and training through Parent University, FAST (Family Academic Strategy Time), and through select Title I events
  
• 
  New teacher workshops and review classes will be provided on the parent portal
  
• 
  Schools will provide workshops for parents on how to use the parent portal, compass learning, and other district supported technology where appropriate
  

• 
  Train administrators to use and develop instruments that support technology use:
  
  • 
    Provide awareness in technology leadership and vision
    
  • 
    Educate on using technology based instructional strategies
    
  • 
    Educate on using technology for improving professional practice and productivity
    
  • 
    Educate on the social, legal, and ethical issues related to technology
    

• 
  Technology certifications and training
  
• 
  Monthly learning sessions provided by vendors
  
• 
  Attend yearly technology conferences
  

• 
  Hardware technology and its integration into the curriculum:
  
  • 
    Multimedia editing workstation
    
  • 
    Document cameras
    
  • 
    Broadcast equipment
    
  • 
    Student response systems
    
  • 
    COWs (mobile laptop labs)
    
  • 
    Interactive whiteboards and slates
    
  • 
    eBook readers
    
  • 
    Audiobook devices
    
  • 
    iPods/MP3 players for podcasting
    
  • 
    Google Chrome Books
    
  • 
    IPads
    
• 
  Software and its integration into the curriculum
  
  • 
    eBooks
    
  • 
    Audiobooks
    
  • 
    Subscription databases
    
  • 
    Renaissance Place (Accelerated Reader)
    
  • 
    Computer management software
    
• 
  Library management software (Destiny)
  
• 
  21^st Century skills
  
  • 
    Big6 contemporary literacy skills
    
  • 
    Web 2.0 tools
    
  • 
    Digital citizenship and cyber safety
    
  • 
    eLearning
    
  • 
    Information literacy
    
  • 
    Visual literacy