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HAPPENINGS AT DEBUSK |
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HAPPENINGS AT DEBUSK |
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Technology Report for Fall 2007: The technology team has met three times during the school year as of the end of November, and they work diligently to keep abreast of technology happenings at DeBusk and in the Greene County School System.
Mr. Louis Hankins, has worked diligently to upgrade teacher workstations 512 megs of RAM. This upgrade was necessary for the installation of Office 2007 which was purchased by the county with the Microsoft settlement.
Teachers are taking advantage of the four
after-school
in-service sessions provided by the technology coach. Sessions
were held each month on different technology topics such as Classroom
Performance System (CPS) - the upgrade, Examview, Interwrite Pads,
Excel 2007, Word 2007, and Publisher 2007. Most teachers attended
a session on the new email program, Microsoft Outlook, which all were
required to start using as of September 1st.
Mr. Hankins and Mrs. Carol Adams are conducting morning and afterschool
sessions of Reading Coach, which was provided by the Niswonger
Foundation. Reading Coach is a tutorial computer software program
that helps readers of all ability levels improve on personalized skill
deficiencies. Teachers are also using this software program to
assist in their everyday Reading instruction. Second grade has
exclusively used this program the first semester of the 2007-2008
school year and the second semester will focus on first grade students
receiving tailor made, individualized instruction. Reinforcement
is provided by the teacher to further improve identified phonics
deficiencies.
Students are working on projects in the computer lab
to master skills that their Thinklink tests have shown as areas of
weakness. Projects such Power Points on Pythagorean Theorem with
eighth grade students, Kidspiration projects covering various Science
and Social Studies SPI's. The first ThinkLink assessment was
given and the second will be given in December. The final
ThinkLink assessment which is a paper based test will be given in the
Spring of 2008. The middle school English department has been
working on composing essays in preparation for the annual Writing
Assessment given to fifth and eighth grades. Various topics of
interest for their essays have been Fall Season, Influential Adult, and
Time Machine. Students work on organizing ideas and thoughts
using Thinking Maps and then compose the essays either handwritten or
using Microsoft Word during their computer lab times. The
wireless lab has also been utilized to help the students improve their
writing skills. Many groups worked hard to create PowerPoint
presentations for the Veteran's Day program held on November
12th. The fourth grade students created informational slides on
each branch of the United States armed forces. The eighth grade
provided insight into the wars in which our country has been
involved.
Technology Report for Spring 2007: The technology team has met eight times during the school year, and they work diligently to keep abreast of technology happenings at DeBusk and in the Greene County School System.
Teacher workstations will soon be upgraded to 512 megs of RAM. This upgrade is necessary for the installation of Office 2007 which has been purchased by the county with the Microsoft settlement. With school funds, we recently purchased two additional document cameras for use in Kindergarten. We also purchased three flat screen monitors for the secretaries and Mrs. Adams. After three years of use, we are also having to purchase replacement bulbs for the projectors.
Many teachers took advantage of the four after-school in-service sessions provided by the technology coach. Three sessions were held the week after each Thinklink Formative test was given. Teachers were able to use the data from the tests to develop Probes and make adjustments to their curriculum. One session covered updating teachers' webpages; those in attendance received many tips to make regular updating of their pages much easier.
Our new technology coach for next year, Jennifer Whitson, attended training for Microsoft Office 2007. She will be conducting training during the summer and next year to share what she learned and to make using Office 2007 more effective for teachers.
Teachers have been using the wireless lab and free times in the computer labs to complete class projects. The seventh and eighth graders worked through the process of writing research papers, and they discovered the benefits of using word processing. Gaggle, and the Internet's Citation Machine to make their job easier. Fourth through sixth grade students have been creating PowerPoint projects and developing personal web pages.
Students spent a week learning about Internet safety.
Technology Report for Fall 2006:
This was our year to receive twenty-five new Dell computers for the
main
computer lab. With remaining Orbit funds we also purchased six
Gateway
computers. We now have thirty-five workstations in the main
computer
lab. Funds earned by recycling printer cartridges and cell phones
enabled us to buy Office 2003 Professional to install on the new
computers.
We had enough Food City receipts to get a projector and a presentation
cart. We now have a presentation cart in all 1-8
classrooms. Students continue to have access to GaggleTn.com,
Nettrekker,
Mightybook.com, and United Streaming Videos.
Technology Report for Spring 2006: Our school was featured in the Greeneville Sun as being the showcase for technology in the Greene County School System. Our teachers and students enjoy using technology, and they know how to use it! Teachers recently completed a one-half day training conducted by Nashvilles Media Services on the use of the InterWrite Student Pad. Most professional development, however, is on a one-to one basis either in the classroom during the school day or after school.
Each month a teacher is named DO IT (Do Integrate Technology) Teacher of the Month based on student use and teacher integration of technology into the curriculum. Winners to date have been Carol Adams, Myra Waddle, Holly Goodrich, Amy Luttrell, and Christy Hoeke. Each teacher receives a $25 gift certificate to Staples and is featured on the DO IT webpage.
GaggleTn, a safe student email program, was purchased for the remainder of this year and next year. All students in grades 3-8 are able to email their peers and their teachers. There is also a safe chat room for each grade and message boards for each teacher to post assignments, news, etc. Office 2003 was purchased for the thirty-one main lab computers making this lab compatible with the minilab, the wireless lab, teacher workstations, and all presentation laptops.
Quality headphones were purchased for the main lab and the mini lab. Many programs are audio dependent, and headphones are a necessity. Academy of Reading , a remedial reading program, is being renewed for next year. We have also renewed our subscription to Enchanted Learning.com, a super site for teachers and students.
Students, with their own user names and passwords, will continue to be able to search safely on netTrekker.com and do interactive math story problems at MathStories.com. Younger students can enjoy reading along and singing along with a myriad of illustrated books at MightyBook.com.
We continue to be involved in a three-year scientific research study to see what effect the use of technology has on learning.
A Technology Fair featuring student projects is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 16.
We are continuing our after-school computer enrichment classes which will meet weekly. There are three separate classes this year: grades K-2, grades 3-5, and grades 6-8. Moreover, communication between school and home will be enhanced with PhoneMaster.
As a recipient of the Launch 2 and Orbit Grants, our school has been able to purchase additional technology equipment and supplies: seven new presentation carts with laptop/projector/CPS/ StudentPads, toner for our network color laser printer and our five area laser printers. netTrekker, ThinkLink P.A.S.S., Type to Learn 3, nine XP workstations, and fourteen surge strips.
Technolgy Report for Spring 2005: Technology is alive and well at DeBusk. Students are using technology as a tool for learning, and teachers are using technology as a tool for teaching. Since all classroom teachers received five days of job-embedded training learning to integrate technology into the curriculum, they have the skills they need to feel comfortable using the many facets of technology. Besides the job embedded training, most of the teachers received 70 to 110 hours of professional development before and after school hours. The six teachers who achieved the 110 hour goal received Dell Laptops and became On-site Mentor Teachers. Fifteen teachers completed the Intel Teach to the Furture Essentials Course and became Master Teachers who will be teaching 150 participant teachers this summer. Click here to learn more about the Master Teachers.
Because we wanted to share our successes, we applied for and received the Orbit Grant. As the orbit center for our consortium, we will help provide professional development opportunities and mentoring for our four satellite schools - Mosheim in Greene County, Cosby High School in Cocke County, Lincoln Heights Middle School in Hamblen County, and Hawkins County Elementary School in Hawkins County. Much of the funding from this grant will be used to purchase additional software, hardware, and supplies. Teachers will continue to have added professional development opportunites. Several teachers will share what they have learned by facilitating after-school enrichment classes for students, teaching workshops for our satellite schools, judging best practices, and providing email mentorships. Jennifer Whitson will serve as the Orbit Commander, and Judy Collins will continue as Technology Coach. Click here to learn more about the Orbit Grant.
The majority of the funding, however, is being used for both job embedded and after school professional development. Twenty-four teachers are taking online courses, all teachers are registered for three courses sponsored by Life Touch, fifteen teachers are participating in the Intel Teach to the Future Program, the majority are participating in weekly DO IT classes, most teachers are planning to attend a Saturday webpage creation workshop, and fourteen teachers are attending TETC. Already 28 teachers have spent a Saturday learning to effectively use Inspiration and Kidspiration as learning tools. Seven teachers attended NECC, four received United Streaming Video training, two went to the CPS workshop, four went to the Advanced Reading Renaissance Seminar, and everyone spent a day with their mentor teacher at New Center Elementary School in Sevierville.
In addition, students and community members are benefiting from after school computer classes held each and every week; and families without a home computer are borrowing Windows 95 computers. Teachers from other Greene County schools are invited to attend any or all of five two-hour workshops.
Students are the real benefactors of Launch 2. As teachers learn to design lessons that integrate technology into the curriculum, students are using technology as tools for their learning.
As part of receiving the Launch 2 grant, we are participants in a scientific research study being conducted by the University of Memphis. All of the Launch 1 and Launch 2 schools have been paired with schools with similar characteristics but no technology coaches and no extensive professional development programs. The government is researching to see if these make a difference in student achievement. This will be a three-year study, and we will share the results as we receive them.
You can learn more about Launch 2 by visiting our Launch 2 website.
In addition the the Launch 2 Grant, the Technology Team received a $1000 Walmart Grant.
We are anxiously waiting to hear about the Launch 2 grant. Only 84 of the 136 schools that submitted letters of intent actually completed their applications; so we have a 15 percent chance of receiving the grant or a 30 percent chance of receiving the grant or being a control group in the research project. The announcement is supposed to be made April 30. Even if we do not receive the grant, the grant writing process has helped us develop a new School Technology Plan and given us lots of new ideas. If we do receive the grant, teachers will receive job-embedded professional development to teach them how to better integrate technolgy into the curriculum to improve academic achievement and technology literacy.
Our students and community saved $309,983 in Food City receipts. Two Lexmark E322 laser printers, two DVD players, a Canon 2R65 Mini DV camcorder, and an I-Omega Predator External CD-RW Drive are being purchased with these receipts.
With Title funds, we have received a new update of Cornerstone's math, language arts, and reading vocabulary. These will be installed during spring break.
During our April 13 staff development day, the three teachers who took online technology courses will be sharing what they have learned. Barbara Carter took a course in troubleshooting, Vanessa Gallihar took a course in integrating technology into the K-8 curriculum, and Jean Ottinger took a course in web page development.
Wendy Hankins of Chuckey Elementary found an online
digital photography course that is free. If you want to learn
more about digital photography, check it out.
Technology Report for February 2004:During our Technology In-service, teachers learned to use the CPS, laptop, LCD projector, and StudentPad; and they may now check out the "presentation cart" for use in their classrooms. (The third grade teachers have become our resident experts.) Teachers also previewed two software products that we are considering for purchase - Inspiration and Kidspiration.
The Technology Team is working diligently to complete our application for Launch 2. The deadline for receipt in Nashville is March 15. Wish us luck! There were 136 schools from 48 systems that filed an electronic intent form, and only 13 schools will receive the grant.
Symantec's Norton Anti Virus 8.0 has been installed
on
all of our Windows 98 and Windows XP computers. Students
are
learning the countries of different continents and their capitals
with
fun and educational map puzzle games. These "Map Puzzles"
are
freeware which can be downloaded at http://www.yourchildlearns.com/owlmouse.htm.
We have installed these map puzzles in our main computer lab.
Learn
Letters, Letter Sounds, and Letter Sounds 2 have been installed in our
minilab.
The grader program for language arts and reading is now
resident on our Xitami server, and middle school teachers find this
program
useful for both pretest and posttest data.
Technology Report for December 2003:
Those attending the TETC have planned the January
2004 inservice. The teachers won a $2500 CPS
(Classroom
Performance System) and will receive 6 hours of training by Nashville's
Media Services on December 19. With state award money, we have
purchased
a Mitsubishi LCD projector, a StudentPad (handheld whiteboard), and a
laptop
computer. These items will be on a portable cart and may be
checked
out from the media center.
Technology Report for November 2003: Three teachers were radomly selected to receive online professional development offered by the Institute of Computer Technology, Sunnyvale, CA. Each course is four weeks in duration and can earn 2 professional development units. Jean Ottinger will be taking Developing Web Pages for K-12 Classrooms from 1-26-04 through 2-22-04. Vanessa Gallihar will be enrolled in Using the Internet in Education from 2-2-04 through 2-29-04. Barbara Carter will be learning Basic Computer Troubleshooting from 2-2-04 through 2-29-04. These teachers will share their learning experience with the faculty in March.
Glenda Ayres (K-2), Barbara Carter (6-7), Judy Collins (special classes), and Jennifer Whitson (3-5) will be attending the TETC in December. They will be responsible for planning and implementing the January 2004 technology in-service.
We migrated our network programs and data to our new file server. The clients on all networked computers were updated.
Judy Collins, Title I Technology and Academic
Remediation
Specialist, presented the first of five grade appropriate internet
i-SAFE
lessons to students in grades K-8. All teachers have now
published
a web page, and many keep it updated regularly. The faculty
decided
to apply for the Launch II professional development grant.
Technology Report for October 2003: We would like to nominate Carol Adams, 7th grade language arts and geography teacher, to the Greene County Schools 2003-2004 Technology Hall of Fame. Carol sees the benefits of integrating technology into the curriculum and is willing to help others by sharing what she has learned and what she does... (Click here to see the entire nomination.)
The Technology Team has submitted a plan for
improving
educational technology with available Title II Part D funding.
You
can see the plan at debuskplan.htm.
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On October 4, DeBusk hosted an i-SAFE internet
safety
education professional development seminar for law enforcement
officers,
board members, and teachers from DeBusk, Camp Creek, Chuckey, Chuckey
Doak,
Glenwood, Nolichuckey, and South Greene. On October 16 at 7:00 to
8:00, we are hosting the county-wide Parent
Information Night on internet safety. Then on October 17, we
will host the
Community
Awareness and Launch
of i-SAFE. Founded
in
1998, i-SAFE America is an Internet Safety Education Foundation
empowering
kids and teens with knowledge on how to act responsibly and safely
online.
Designed as a dynamic, prevention oriented, Internet safety awareness
program,
i-SAFE is committed to teaching our nation’s youth how to use the
Internet
with confidence and responsible behavior, solidifying the foundation's
focus towards the investment in our future—the kids and technology of
tomorrow.
Technology
Report for September 2003: During the summer 30 Dell
Optiplex
computers with Windows XP were delivered. Our main computer lab
now
has 26 Dell XP workstations; and students in grades 4 through 8 receive
thirty minutes of instructional computer time four days each
week.
Judy Collins, Title I Technology and Academic Remediation Specialist,
is
the teacher. While doing their lessons which are correlated with
the classroom curriculum, students are learning and demonstrating
the standards for technology literacy. You can visit Ms.
Judy's Technology Page to see the daily lesson plans for each
class,
interactive educational links, and grade appropriate technology
standards.
With the additional computers, we were able to create a Primary Minilab with 17 workstations and provide each classroom with three or four networked computers. Students in grades K-3 go to the Minilab for thirty minutes daily with their classroom teacher. Office, Type to Learn Jr., Kidpix Deluxe, Daisy Math (Freeware), Sebran's Math (Freeware), Learning Letters (Freeware), Learning Sounds (Freeware), Netscape Communicator, and Knowledge Works are the main programs they use.
Our old IBM I-Class computers were moved to the small in-school classroom. The kindergarten aide can take a group of 8 students at a time to work on the Write to Read and Heartsoft software that is loaded on that server.
Our school improvement plan has been revised to include actions steps that provide more opportunities for professional development with plans to send more teachers to the TETC in December and other conferences as funds become available. These teachers will then present sessions for our staff.
DeBusk will be the Tennessee Launch School on October 2 for i-SAFE. Founded in 1998, i-SAFE America is an Internet Safety Education Foundation empowering kids and teens with knowledge on how to act responsibly and safely online. Designed as a dynamic, prevention oriented, Internet safety awareness program, i-SAFE is committed to teaching our nation’s youth how to use the Internet with confidence and responsible behavior, solidifying the foundation's focus towards the investment in our future—the kids and technology of tomorrow.
The Technology Team is in the process of developing a plan for improving educational technology with available Title II Part D funding. They are also evaluating nominations for the 2003-2004 Technology Hall of Fame.
Technology Report for Spring 2003: The DeBusk Technology Team applied for and received a $1,000 Walmart Grant. The funds were used to purchase 11 Office XP licenses, a PC to monitor converter for the lab, 4 new switches, and power strips. After the end of school, we received 30 new Dell XP computers. Our main lab for grades 4-8 now has a laser printer, big screen TV, DVD player, 27 modern workstations with Office 2000, Type to Learn, and networked software. (Students will receive 30 minutes of instruction/computer time four days each week.) Our minilab for grades 1-3 has a laser printer, TV, and 12 modern workstations with Office XP and networked software. (Students will go to the lab with their teacher for 30 minutes each day.) Our IBM I-Class lab will be used by kindergarten students. All classrooms now have at least 4 computers on the network. In many of the classrooms, stand alones are still used to run old quality DOS programs. Since we are not a Title I school, we have a Title I Technology and Academic Remediation Specialist. The Technology Team continues to encourage and help teachers to use integrate technology into the curriculum.
Technology Report for Winter 2003: DeBusk Elementary School is one of two Greene County schools approved to apply for the EdTech Launch I Grant. The Technology Team has worked diligently to develop our project proposal and is in the process of revising our plan. Awards will be announced in mid-March. If we receive this grant, teachers will receive professional development to learn how to integrate technology into the curriculum to improve achievement and technology literacy.
Funds made available through TITLE II PART D (EdTech) "No Child Left Behind ActT" were used to bring the research based Reading Renaissance Seminar to Greeneville.This seminar taught educators from DeBusk, Glenwood, and Ottway the 10 most important things they can do to improve reading skills using Accelerated Reader. They learned practical classroom-tested ways to keep students on task, monitor progress, and intervene effectively to ensure success for every student. They also learned how to manage and assess increased amounts of accountable reading practice, to dramatically improve reading levels and test scores, to reduce paperwork and create more one-on-one time with students, to start each student reading and succeeding at just the right level of challenge, and to turn every student into a successful reader. Click here for a picture essay of teachers and principals learning new and exciting ways to use Accelerated Reader in their schools and classrooms. (Pictures may take a few minutes to download.)
Technology Report for Fall 2002 Ten new computers replaced older models which were moved to the first grade classrooms, while the first grade computers were moved to Kindergarten and the middle-school pod. Guttering to hold and protect the wiring was installed on all computer tables during the summer. The Winnebego automated circulation system and new computer/printer equipment were installed at the end of last school year. Teachers had a technology in-service on August 2 to review the school's technology procedures, policies, and networked softare.
We applied for funds from TITLE II Part D Staff Development Funding for Greene County Schools in September and were approved along with Ottway and Glenwood in October. We made a joint request for funding to sponsor a Renaissance Reading Seminar at the Central Office on January 20, 2003. Teachers from all three schools will benefit from this staff development. You can go to the following site to see our plan. htttp://www.debusk-es.greene.k12.tn.us/collins/DebGlenOtt.htm
Our Technology Team has also requested that DeBusk be allowed to submit an application for the Launch I grant being offered by the Tennessee Department of Education. We are working diligently to develop a plan that will adopt these goals:
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Technology Report for Spring 2002 The DeBusk Technology Team applied for and received the $5000 grant in a competition with local schools. (The money for this grant was donated by DTR Tennessee.) The funds were used to purchase STAR Early Literacy and three Gateway Computers. Students are being tested each six weeks, and teachers utilize diagnostic reports on individual progress of the 41 basic reading skills. This information is used to plan instruction.
Technology Report for Winter 2002 On Monday, January 21, teachers met in the school computer lab for a technology inservice day. There will be several mini-sessions. Overview of Outstanding Internet Sites - Judy Collins, Updating Teacher Webpages - Judy Collins, Teacher Management of Cornerstones Software - Judy Collins, Internet Word of the Day - Amy Luttrell, Using Accelerated Reader and STAR Reader to Enhance Your Reading Program - Carlyn McMillian, Title I and Technology - Title I Conference Attendees.
The Librarian Aid, teachers, and students worked diligently to get the library ready for the new automated library inventory and circulation system to be installed this spring. Out-dated books are being removed from the shelves and will be given to students, new books are being ordered, and the card catalogue is being converted. As new books arrive, labels indicating the Accelerated Reader level and point value will be attached.
Myra Waddle, Nominee to the 2001-2002 Technology Hall of Fame It is not just the "techies" who make technology happen in our schools. The classroom teacher is the one who must use what he/she has learned to actually utilize and integrate technology into the curriculum.
Technology Report for Fall 2001 Terry Baker, TST, has been assigned to our school on a part time basis. Every Tuesday, we have his services. Teachers can request assistance through totalTRAC. Bob Franklin, Technician, is at DeBusk each Monday to repair and maintain our technology. Since we lost a couple of members who are no longer with our system, the Technology Team has been reorganized for the 2001-2002 school year. New members are Cindy Shelton, Ronnie McAmis, and Terry Baker. The team decided to upgrade Accelerated Reader to version 6.1, to purchase the Star Reading component, and to add to our AR library. Also, the publisher of our new reading series is furnishing the practice tests for all of the leveled readers. Netscape 4.76 and Client 3.1 upgrades have been installed on all networked computers.
Seven new Gateway computers were delivered in August and set up to create a mini-lab in the sixth grade and make it possible for all teachers to have a modern work station. Teachers are to have a web page which is updated a minimum of two times a year, although they are encouraged to update more regularly. Integration of technology into the curriculum is being emphasized. Making the Grade is once again being used for our record keeping and grade reporting. Lunch and Attendance Reports are transmitted via the Internet.
Technology Report for March 2001 The Technology Committee decided to purchase Office 2000 for each of the teachers' workstations. Teachers are encouraged to update their web pages, integrate technology into the curriculum, and use technology to make their jobs easier. Two help pages have been added for teachers: Teachers' Procedure for Setting up Maintenance Wizard for Windows 98 and Technology Request Procedure. Feel free to visit these sites.
Teachers Integrate Technology Teachers were asked to share how they have integrated technology into their curriculum during the 1999-2000 school year. Visit Teachers Integrating Technology to get some ideas by reading what worked for them.
Office 2000 Students now have access to Word, Powerpoint, Publisher, and Excel when they go to the computer lab. Many will be using these programs to do word processing and to create graphs and charts for their science fair exhibits.
Updated 5=7-07
