Technology Plan - Pine Bush Central School District

PINE BUSH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY PLAN
7/1/2018- 6/30/2021
Pine Bush Central School District
156 Route 302
Pine Bush, New York 12566
(845) 744-2031

Contacts: Co-Directors of Technology Task Force

John Hicks~ Director of Technology
john.hicks@pinebushschools.org
Phone: (845) 744-2031 ext. 4040
Fax: (845) 744-3895

Lisa Hankinson~ Principal Circleville Middle School
lisa.hankinson@pinebushschools.org
Phone: (845) 744-2031 ext. 5601
Fax: (845) 361-3811

Table of Contents

Executive Summary
Mission Statement
About us
Vision Statement
District’s Goals
Technology Vision Statement
Technology Goals
Curriculum Integration
Student Achievement
Technology Delivery
Parental Communication and Community Relations
Collaboration
Internet Safety
Professional Development
Supporting Resources
Infrastructure, Hardware, Technical Support, and Software Technology and Related Services
Increase Access
Funding and Budget
Budget and Timetable
Monitoring and Evaluation
Policies
References

Executive Summary

The following technology plan represents the collaborative efforts of various
stakeholders in the Pine Bush Central School District and its surrounding communities.

It is a living document, or work in progress, that will be consistently revisited,
reevaluated and revamped to meet the needs of our students, staff, family and
community members in relation to the emerging technologies as we strive for success in the 21st century.

This plan encompasses a three year time frame and will serve as the driving force to guide our decision-making with regard to ensuring that our District’s mission, vision, and goals for the technological experiences our students and stakeholders experience are met with success.

To meet these ends, we have amassed a group of individuals who comprise our district-wide Technology Task Force and serve as the “instruments” of change necessary for creating personalized 21st century learning environments in which technology remains vital:

Tim Mains, Superintendent
Michael Pacella, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services
Donna Geidel, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
John Hicks- Director of Technology and Co-chair of Technology Task Force
Lisa Hankinson- Middle School Principal and Co-chair of Technology Task Force
Ryan Reed- Executive Director of Human Resources and Data
Brian Miros – High School Assistant Principal
Eric Winter- Elementary Principal
Brian Breheny- Elementary Principal
Chris Mummery- High School Assistant Principal (STARS Academy)
Rick Girgenti- Elementary Assistant Principal
Joseph Prestianni- Elementary Assistant Principal
Casey Grey – Instructional Technologist
Darcy Kocsis- Instructional Technologist
Lisa Ruyack- Library Media Specialist
Sharon Demetriou- Computer Teaching Assistant
Cindy Russell- Assistive Technology Specialist
Judy Parsells- Parent Liaison
John Tobin- Middle School Teacher
Gwen DeFazio- Elementary Teacher
Darcy Kocsis- Elementary Teacher
Sarah Levato- Elementary Teacher

In addition, members of our Technology Task Force worked with our volunteer
Technology Strategic Planning Committee for Technology comprised of the following stakeholders:

Christina Gabriele
Ann Harper
John Hicks
Brian Miros
Eleanor Dana
Jillian Crawford
John Anthony
John Parsells
John Tobin
Lisa Hankinson
Matthew Schomber
Michael Sturm
Michelle Reiser
Peter Agro
Robert Pawson
Scott VanPelt
Skyler VonDeben
Tim Rubino

These individuals are working collaboratively to fortify our commitment to effectively integrate technology into classrooms that are no longer confined to four walls.

Mission Statement

The Pine Bush Central School District’s visions is to empower students to dream big, think globally, value diversity and achieve personal success. Our mission is to provide real world, state-of-the art, innovative educational strategies that prepare our students for higher education and career pathways. Each student will be prepared to become a contributing member in an ever-changing world.

About Us

The Pine Bush Central School District is nestled at the base of the Shawangunk Mountains approximately 20 miles west of the Hudson River and 75 miles north of New York City. It encompasses seven townships located in portions of Ulster, Sullivan, and Orange counties.

Established in 1938, the district is comprised of seven schools: Pine Bush High School (9-12), Crispell and Circleville Middle Schools (6-8), Circleville Elementary, E.J. Russell Elementary, Pakanasink Elementary and Pine Bush Elementary Schools (PreK-5). It has a student enrollment of approximately 5,000 and a current budget of $116.1 million. The district serves a diverse socio-economic population made up of 0.26% American Indian, 10.03% African American, 2.15% Asian, 16.43% Hispanic, 68.85% White, and 2.15% Multi-Racial. Of its student population, 44% are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Post-Secondary plans for graduates attending a four-year college are 37%, with 44% attending two-year colleges. Currently, the district employs approximately 800 employees of which 380 are teachers.

We, the Pine Bush Central School District, pride ourselves as being an integral component of the community, bringing together our students, residents, local
businesses and public services while orchestrating exceptional educational experiences for our students.

Vision Statement

Our school community establishes a learning environment that maximizes each student’s achievement and prepares students for their own success as contributing members of a global and changing society.

District’s Goals

DISTRICT MISSION AND VISION

The Pine Bush Central School District’s vision is to empower students to dream big, think globally, value diversity and achieve personal success.
Our mission is to provide real world, state-of-the-art, innovative educational strategies that prepare our students for higher education and career pathways. Each student will be prepared to become a contributing member in an ever-changing world.

VALUES AND BELIEFS

A district-wide commitment to the following values and beliefs is vital at all levels of the organization if we are to fully realize our vision and mission:

STUDENTS MUST ALWAYS COME FIRST.

We believe it is essential to place the interests of students above all others in
every decision we make.
We believe that students should feel a strong connection to school and havepositive relationships with the adults in our schools.
We believe that the core work of the district is supporting student learning.
We believe it is our responsibility to do whatever it takes to ensure that every
child, regardless of challenges or circumstance, be supported and expected to
achieve at his or her highest level.

HIGH–QUALITY TEACHING AND LEARNING ARE KEY TO STUDENT SUCCESS.

We believe that all children can learn and excel, and that we have an
obligation to uncover the best ways to make that happen.
We believe in high expectations for all students and staff built on a culture
that includes fair treatment, honesty, openness and respect.
We believe high-quality instruction is key to our students’ success and is built
on a rigorous and relevant curriculum that is aligned to high standards,
measurable outcomes, appropriate professional development and equitable
access to educational opportunities.
We believe that we will need to operate in perpetual learning mode, seeing
professional growth as an ongoing responsibility for all.

POSITIVE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL GROWTH PROVIDES A STURDY FOUNDATION FOR ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL SUCCESS.

We believe schools are the heart of our communities and are committed to
providing healthy, safe and caring school environments.
If we want children to be successful in school and in life, we believe they must
possess strong social skills plus emotional self-awareness and self-control.
We believe that students want to know what is expected, and we have an
obligation to tell them.
We believe structured opportunities outside of the classroom can provide rich
experiences that foster positive social/emotional development and responsible behavioral choices.

STRONG LEADERSHIP, EFFECTIVE SYSTEMS AND RELIABLE MEASURES ARE NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS.

We believe that leadership is essential. It should be developed and distributed
within every constituency and throughout the organization.
We believe that routine review of how we do business will help us to maintain
effective and efficient systems that support our core business of teaching and
learning.
We believe that a continuous improvement cycle can most effectively be
maintained by the routine collection and analysis of data.
We believe that data should help us refine our approaches within our
classrooms and in the systems that support those classrooms.

OUR EFFORTS WILL REQUIRE US ALL TO WORK TOGETHER.

We believe we must partner effectively with our parents and tap community
resources.
We believe students are far more likely to be successful in school when their
families share in the commitment to that school success.
We believe that teachers and other staff must maintain a collaborative spirit
and be willing to share both resources and ideas.
We believe positive relationships are key to accomplishing our goals. This
includes relationships between and among staff, between teachers and
students, between administrators and teachers, and among school staff,
families, community and the Board of Education.

Technology Vision Statement

We, the Pine Bush Central School District, will engage our students in personalized learning experiences that showcase technology as the essential ingredient for mastering 21st century skills. We will form collaborative partnerships with students, faculty, staff, family, and community members to meet this end as we prepare students for success in the global workforce.

Technology Goals (2018-2021)

We are intentional in orchestrating a system in our technology plan that: implements curriculum and instruction that does not merely meet the standards but exceeds them, emphasizes proficiency in 21st century learning skills and integrates them across the content areas, provides personalized learning experiences, offers ongoing and sustainable professional development opportunities for our staff, collaborates with all stakeholders, and fosters a culture that nurtures each individual’s learning potential.

Goal 1
Learning and Engagement Goal

Integrate technology as an instructional support to engage all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status and diverse abilities, in personalized learning experiences that nurture the whole child while emphasizing 21st century learning and skills that addresses all related standards

Goal 2
Data Goal

Engage in data-driven decision-making to enable all stakeholders to track student progress to improve student achievement in their personalized learning environments

Goal 3
District Infrastructure and High Tech Security Goal

Support personalized learning and ensure student safety by analyzing our current infrastructure and tool capacity to ensure optimal use of current inventory and plan for future needs

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

Curriculum Integration

With the support of all stakeholders and through the district-wide Technology Task Force, integrating technology into Pine Bush Central School District’s instructional programs will remain a priority.

The task force will continue to conduct staff needs-based surveys and take inventory of the district’s present hardware and software resources, identify their strengths and weaknesses and brainstorm ways of better utilizing existing programs and equipment. Information gleaned from the analysis of past surveys has revealed that key to the implementation of relevant technology integration into our curricula will be creating an ISTE, NETS, National and NYS Standards-based technology program. We must continue to formulate a curriculum map and scope and sequence integrating Information and Communication Technology Skills for grades Pre K-12. While this may
prove to be a daunting task, we must continue to include sustained professional development for administrators, teachers, library media specialists and teaching assistants to familiarize them with the above mentioned technology standards. We must continue to offer training that demonstrates how to effectively integrate these standards and skills into teachers’ daily repertoires as a support to increase student achievement. Therefore, continued professional development for all related staff members on these standards will prove critical as we continue with our technology
strategic planning.

While we move forward in our plan to create and sustain 21st century learning
environments that integrate technology into our curricula as a support, we will
continuously develop, adopt and evaluate new methodologies in the learning sciences to improve student achievement and provide support to encourage STEAM career choices for our students.

We will focus on the following goals to ensure the seamless integration of technology into our curricula:

Goal 1
Learning and Engagement Goal (Personalized Learning)

Goal 2
Data Goal

Engage in data-driven decision-making to enable all stakeholders to track student progress to improve student achievement in their personalized learning environments

Major Tasks and Activities

2018-2019

❖Continue analyzing the ISTE, NETS, P21, National Technology Plan, NYS Technology Plan and all related learning standards with related resources and
align with scope and sequence/curriculum maps for Pre K-5, 6-8, 9-12 students in Information and Communication Technology Skills (ICT)
❖ Ensure student access to technology devices and resources throughout the
school day and continue to explore ways to provide access beyond the school
day by: exploring increased access to school library media centers after school
and possibly weekends for students to have access to WiFi and devices
❖ Collaborate with Hudson Valley Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network to
ensure that we are differentiating instruction with technology for our ELLs
❖ Collaborate with our Special Education Department to ensure that we are
differentiating instruction with technology for our SWD
❖ Provide for home use through Chromebook Loaner Programs

❖ Provide consistent use of effective technology devices and resources to ensure
students remain engaged in their personalized learning environments through
research and related cutting edge technology to support
❖ Continue to work with grade level and department level committees to
collaborate on the selection and acquisition of technology resources to enhance
instructional objectives based on scope and sequence/curriculum maps
❖ Create opportunities for students at all grade levels to engage in STEAM
problem-based learning by:

exploring and researching STEAM initiatives nationwide for future
integration
implementing Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Partnership
Response in Manufacturing Education (PRIME) Initiative
exploring Virtual Reality (VR) technology at all levels
piloting VR through Google Expedition at the HS level
expand Engineering is Everywhere curriculum kits in elementary and
middle schools throughout the school year, as well as during summer
school
expanding STEAM coaches to the secondary level
Continue high school engineering academy and access the needs for
further STEAM-related curriculum
Continue to integrate middle school STEAM classes and continue middle
school STEAM clubs
Continue to expand STEAM Academies- Year 2 of incoming 9th grade
Summer STEAM Academy

❖ Explore and expand Blended Learning and Flipped Classrooms at all levels
❖ Pilot Flipped Classrooms at PBHS in various math courses
❖ Provide focused professional development workshops on above cited standards
and skills in collaboration with our PDP committee and through the use of the
district technology integration specialists
❖ Share and seek out best practices in technology within our district, as well as
with other school districts
❖ Share any and all devices in summer school learning environments at all levels

2019-2020

exploring and researching STEAM initiatives nationwide for future
integration
maintaining Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Partnership
Response in Manufacturing Education (PRIME) Initiative and related
curricula
increasing number of kits/school based on Virtual Reality (VR) technology
expanding Engineering is Everywhere curriculum kits in elementary and
middle schools throughout the school year, as well as during summer
school
expanding STEAM coaches to the secondary level
continuing high school engineering academy and access the needs for
further STEAM-related curriculum
maintaining middle school STEAM classes and middle school STEAM clubs
expanding STEAM Academies- Year 3 of incoming 9th grade Summer
STEAM Academy

❖ Provide consistent use of effective technology devices and resources to ensure students remain engaged in their personalized learning environments by:
implementing personalized learning and related cutting edge technology to
support
❖ Continue to collaborate with Hudson Valley Regional Bilingual Education
Resource Network to ensure that we are differentiating instruction with
technology for our ELLs
❖ Continue to collaborate with our Special Education Department to ensure that we are differentiating instruction with technology for our SWD
❖ Expand Chromebook Loaner Program at all buildings
❖ Build upon the curriculum maps that are inclusive of STEAM integration and
maintain collaboration with grade level and department level committees
❖ Expand Blended Learning and Flipped Classrooms at all levels
❖ Maintain focused professional development workshops based on cited standards and initiatives
❖ Evaluate and revise curriculum maps ❖ Assess the implementation of the high school and middle school STEAM initiatives

2020-2021

❖ Continue analyzing the ISTE, NETS, P21, National Technology Plan, NYS
Technology Plan and all related learning standards with related resources and
align with scope and sequence/curriculum maps for Pre K-5, 6-8, 9-12 students in Information and Communication Technology Skills (ICT)
❖ Continue to provide for home use through Chromebook Loaner Program
❖ Continue to provide consistent use of effective technology devices and resources to ensure student remain engaged in their personalized learning environments by: researching personalized learning and related cutting edge technology to support
❖ Collaborate with Hudson Valley Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network to ensure that we are differentiating instruction with technology for our ELLs
❖ Collaborate with our Special Education Department to ensure that we are
differentiating instruction with technology for our SWD
❖ Continue to build upon the curriculum maps inclusive of STEAM integration and maintain collaboration with grade level and department level committees
❖ Expand Blended Learning and Flipped Classrooms at all levels
❖ Maintain focused professional development workshops based on cited standards and initiatives
❖ Evaluate and revise curriculum maps
❖ Continue to assess the high school and middle school STEAM initiatives

Resources

❖ District technology budget
❖ Smart Schools Bond Act
❖ Technology Integration Specialists
❖ Superintendent’s Conference Days
❖ Release time for staff members to implement activities through the Technology Task Force and its related subcommittees and at the individual building levels
❖ Faculty meetings
❖ Building level Meetings
❖ Model Schools Days
❖ Mid-Hudson Teacher Center
❖ BOCES
❖ Grant opportunities- GE/PRIME

Indicators of Success

❖ Assessments- alternative/authentic (digital portfolios), data analysis
❖ Attendance at professional development opportunities
❖ Surveys
❖ Workshop evaluations
❖ Supervision and Evaluation

Student Achievement

According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills: “As the United States continues to compete in a global economy that demands innovation, P21 and its members provide tools and resources to help the U.S. education system keep up by fusing the three Rs and four Cs (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation). While leading districts and schools are already doing this, P21 advocates for local, state and federal policies that support this approach for every school.”
(http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php)

This organization, in collaboration with ISTE and NETS, describes the skills, knowledge and expertise students must master for success in our global workforce. We look to these organizations to provide the necessary elements that include what our students should know and be able to do, supported by technology, in the 21st century.

We believe that our Goal 2 specifically pertains to the Framework for 21st Learning with regard to student skills/outcomes and support systems. We will align all state and national standards, assessments, curriculum, instruction, professional development and learning environments in support of this goal.

Goal 2
Data Goal

Engage in data-driven decision-making to enable all stakeholders to track student progress to improve student achievement in their personalized learning environments

All students will have the opportunity to use technology to access and analyze information in ways that develop higher level thinking skills, increase their ability to use these resources to solve problems and support the confident use of technology skills they will need in the future. Additionally, teachers and administrators will be provided with the necessary tools and resources enabling them to identify the extent to which students meet higher standards of technology literacy.

Our quest to explore technology as an instructional tool for 21st century learners will continue with the emergence of new technologies and in an effort to continually differentiate instruction for our diverse students’ needs.
As we move forward in our data-driven decision making (D3M) initiatives to increase student achievement, our district has already begun to utilize many common software programs and will continue to research and expand accordingly. We have already introduced several exciting new instructional technology tools district-wide. Some of the most significant technology initiatives and the potential they have to impact student achievement are as follows:

Chrome Books: The district began rolling out Chromebooks in the spring of 2013 to be used for guided reading groups and for activities fostering 21st
century learning skills across all content areas. The district continues to make a significant investment in Chromebooks each year. Currently, we have 1:1 initiatives in grades 1-8. All PreK and K classes have access to chromebooks in their various learning environments. In addition, all students have access to chromebooks across content areas in our high school.
Tablets: both Android and Microsoft Surface Pros are utilized at the middle and high school levels.
Virtual Reality: We have purchased Google Expedition kits for all seven schools. Currently, this example of experiential education through technology is being piloted at PBHS. Students and staff members will be able to visit places that would be impossible to visit without this technology.
GE Additive/Polar 3D Printer: Several of our elementary and secondary schools will receive a 3D printer and related curricula as grant recipients. (See page 29 for description)

Major Tasks and Activities

2018-2019

❖ Continue to provide support to educators in the use of data to drive continuous improvement
❖ Collaborate with Hudson Valley Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network to ensure that we are differentiating instruction with technology for our ELLs
❖ Collaborate with our Special Education Department to ensure that we are
differentiating instruction with technology for our SWD
❖ Deliver an interconnected feedback system of relevant data for all stakeholders beginning at the secondary level through the use of SchoolTool
❖ Expand parents’ access to their child’s academic records via the School Tool
Parent Portal
❖ Explore the use of School Tool to capture elementary students’ grades as new learning standards are implemented
❖ Continue the use of STAR Assessments for Reading and Math in grades K-8
❖ Continue subscriptions to online programs and provide technical support for our staff members utilizing these programs
❖ Continue to purchase, train and evaluate the effectiveness of above mentioned technology tools to increase student achievement
❖ Continue to offer Support Seminars at the building level, before and after school, as Technology Integration Specialists, administrators and other in-house experts share their craft knowledge through the professional learning communities established
❖ Increase access to related data to those staff members providing instruction and instructional support
❖ Increase student access to their own academic records by:

providing HS students with an interactive interface of their current and
historical academic data
creating a more engaging online student course catalog for HS students
allowing HS students to enter course requests into School Tool
allowing HS students to create an electronic academic portfolio to house
formative and summative assessments

❖ Research additional resources and evaluate their potential for increasing student achievement specifically Learning Management Systems that address all current and future stakeholders’ needs

2019-2020

providing MS and HS students with an interactive interface of their current
and historical academic data
implement a more engaging online student course catalog
allowing students to continue to enter course requests into School Tool
allowing MS and HS students to create an electronic academic portfolio to
house formative and summative assessments

❖ Analyze the use of online subscriptions and related professional development will continue on an as needed basis
❖ Continue to purchase, train and evaluate effectiveness of above mentioned
technology tools to increase student achievement
❖ Increase access to related data to those staff members providing instruction and instructional support
❖ Continue to offer Support Seminars at the building level, before and after
school, as Technology Integration Specialists, administrators and other
in-house experts share their craft knowledge through the professional learning communities established
❖ Research additional resources and evaluate their potential for increasing
student achievement especially Learning Management Systems that address all current and future stakeholders’ needs

2020-2021

❖ Continue to provide support to educators in using data to drive improvement
❖ Collaborate with Hudson Valley Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network to ensure that we are differentiating instruction with technology for our ELLs
❖ Collaborate with our Special Education Department to ensure that we are
differentiating instruction with technology for our SWD
❖ Build upon an interconnected feedback system of relevant data for all
stakeholders with concentration at the middle and high school levels
❖ Maintain support to educators in using data to drive continuous improvement
❖ Maintain an interconnected feedback system of relevant data for all
stakeholders at the middle and high school levels and explore expansion to the elementary level
❖ Expand parents’ access to their child’s academic records via the School Tool
Parent Portal
❖ Conduct longitudinal analyses of the academic growth of individual students and cohorts through STAR and evaluate its effectiveness
❖ Online subscriptions will continue and professional development will be made available on an as needed basis.
❖ Continue to purchase, train and evaluate effectiveness of above mentioned
technology tools to increase student achievement
❖ Continue to offer Support Seminars at the building level, before and after
school, as Technology Integration Specialists, administrators and other
in-house experts share their craft knowledge through the professional learning communities established
❖ Research additional resources and evaluate their potential for increasing
student achievement especially Learning Management Systems that address all current and future stakeholders’ needs

Resources

❖ District budget
❖ Technology Integration Specialists
❖ Subscriptions
❖ Superintendent’s Conference Days
❖ Release time for staff members to implement activities through the Technology Task Force and its related subcommittees and at the individual building levels
❖ Faculty meetings
❖ Model Schools Days
❖ Mid-Hudson Teacher Center
❖ BOCES
❖ Grant opportunities

Indicators of Success

❖ Create surveys based on the perceived needs and comfort levels of the district’s teachers and staff;
❖ Evaluations of any connections between student achievement and technology implementation;
❖ Data from Adequate Yearly Progress and Valued Added Growth through STAR
❖ Data from state assessment results for math and ELA.

Technology Delivery

Strategies for the delivery of specialized or rigorous courses and curricula through the use of technology, including distance learning technologies currently being used to enhance instruction and increase student achievement include the utilization of various resources provided by NYS and supplemented with additional resources cited on page 41 of this plan. We will continue to utilize the Internet and interactive video. We will also continue to research and explore integrating more online courses and or other appropriate technologies for distance learning to promote 21st learning opportunities to
ensure the success of our diverse student population.

Additionally, we provide supplemental services through our STARS Academy, designed to provide at-risk and or disaffected students with a non-traditional school learning community to meet their academic, social and emotional needs while they work towards promotion and graduation. Participants engage in student-centered pedagogy infusing technology through the use of personal, networked laptops and Chromebooks to use in online learning environments. They also have opportunities for credit recovery through
the use of Pearson’s Gradpoint Program. This software program is currently being used by students for credit recovery in elective and foreign language courses.

We are currently researching the infusion of additional Credit Recovery Programs, videoconferencing technologies and virtual learning communities through free and paid resources to foster 21st learning skills to meet the following goals:

Goal 1
Learning and Engagement Goal

Goal 2
Data Goal

Engage in data-driven decision-making to enable all stakeholders to track student progress to improve student achievement in their personalized learning environments

Goal 3
District Infrastructure and High Tech Security Goal

Support personalized learning and ensure student safety by analyzing our current infrastructure and tool capacity to ensure optimal use of current inventory and plan for future needs

Major Tasks and Activities

2018-2019

❖ Continue to use web-based resources via the Internet
❖ Continue to research Credit Recovery Programs, distance learning and virtual communities
❖ Research creating online communities for students, staff, parent and community members
❖ Create professional development opportunities based on distance learning,
virtual communities and utilizing free and paid resources
❖ Collaborate with Hudson Valley Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network to ensure that we are differentiating instruction with technology for our ELLs
❖ Collaborate with our Special Education Department to ensure that we are
differentiating instruction with technology for our SWD
❖ Examine current infrastructure and expand as funding permits

2019-2020

❖ Expand the use of web-based resources via the Internet
❖ Integrate virtual learning environments to our staff and students
❖ Create online communities for students, staff, parent and community members
❖ Provide related professional development opportunities based on distance
learning, virtual communities and utilizing free and paid resources
❖ Examine current infrastructure and expand as funding permits

2020-2021

❖ Expand, evaluate and assess above tasks and activities as needed to ensure
student achievement and remain current with emergent technologies

Resources

❖ District technology budget
❖ Smart Schools Bond Act
❖ E-Rate
❖ Technology Integration Specialists
❖ Release time for staff members to implement activities through the Technology Task Force and its related subcommittees and at the individual building levels
❖ Faculty meetings
❖ Building level Meetings
❖ Model Schools Days
❖ Mid-Hudson Teacher Center
❖ BOCES
❖ Grant opportunities

Indicators of success

❖ Authentic assessments completed by students
❖ Create surveys based on the perceived needs and comfort levels of the district’s teachers and staff, as well as other stakeholders
❖ Evaluations of any connections between student achievement and technology implementation.

Parental Communication and Community Relations

We believe that forging a collaborative partnership with our parents, families and community members is critical to student success. We will continue to encourage their active participation in our school community. In support of this, effective communication will remain vital to maintaining this relationship. We fully support the NYS Education Department’s Statewide Educational Technology Plan Goals which includes:

All New Yorkers can obtain and understand information to assess teaching
and learning.

New Yorkers would have easy access to information, be able to
understand it, and be able to draw independent conclusions about it. All
leaders, teachers, students, and parents will be able to access data-driven
information that forms their decisions. The successes and continuing needs of education statewide will be documented through such portals as the P-16 data system. (Attachment B- NYS ED Draft Technology Plan, May 2009)

At our district level, we include our goal that specifically addresses the overall vision and goals at the state level and what we will continue to offer to demonstrate improvement in this area as described in the following:

Goal 1
Learning and Engagement Goal

Major Tasks and Activities

2018-2019

❖ Rollout new district web page that is user-friendly on all devices and is ADA
compliant
❖ Maintain online grading system through SchoolTool™ at the middle and secondary levels
❖ Continue to provide quarterly district newsletter both in hard copy and in
electronic format
❖ Design, disseminate, and analyze parents’ needs assessment surveys
❖ Maintain use of notification system as a cost-effective communicative tool to deliver timely information to our school communities
❖ Utilize our various Parent Teacher Organizations and Associations to actively recruit its members to serve on building and district level committees
❖ Continue to encourage and recruit community and parent representatives to serve on our Technology Task Force
❖ Continue to offer parent workshops to encourage their active participation in their child’s technology-based learning experiences
❖ Continue to offer technology-based workshops to our community members in an after-school or evening setting

2019-2020

❖ Continue to update and enhance district web page
❖ Maintain online grading system through SchoolTool™ at the secondary level
❖ Continue to explore and expand communication resources to encourage
collaboration with all stakeholders
❖ Continue to provide quarterly district newsletter both in hard copy and online
❖ Continue to design, disseminate, and analyze related stakeholders’ needs
assessment surveys
❖ Maintain use of notification system as a cost-effective communicative tool to deliver timely information to our school communities
❖ Sustain membership from our various Parent Teacher Organizations and
Associations to actively serve on building and district level committees
❖ Sustain membership from community and parents to serve on our Technology Task Force
❖ Continue to offer parent workshops based on their needs to encourage their active participation in their child’s technology-based learning experiences
❖ Continue to offer technology-based workshops to our community members and senior citizens in an after-school or evening setting

2020-2021

❖ Continue to update and enhance district web page
❖ Provide online grading system through SchoolTool™ at the secondary level
❖ Continue email communications between staff and family members
❖ Continue to provide quarterly district newsletter both in hard copy and online
❖ Continue to integrate free and paid resources based on needs assessments
❖ Design, disseminate, and analyze community needs assessment surveys
❖ Maintain use of notification system as a cost-effective communicative tool to deliver timely information to our school communities
❖ Continue to utilize our various Parent Teacher Organizations and Associations to actively recruit its members to serve on building and district level committees
❖ Sustain community and parent representatives to serve on our Technology Task Force
❖ Expand parent workshops based on their needs to encourage their active
participation in their child’s technology-based learning experiences
❖ Expand technology-based workshops to our community members in an
after-school or evening setting

Resources

❖ District technology budget
❖ Technology Integration Specialists
❖ Release time for staff members to implement activities through the Technology Task Force and its related subcommittees and at the individual building levels
❖ Superintendent’s conference days
❖ Faculty meeting
❖ Building level committees
❖ Model Schools Days
❖ Mid-Hudson Teacher Center
❖ BOCES
❖ Grant opportunities

Indicators of Success

❖ Increased parental attendance at various related school/district sponsored
workshops and activities
❖ Analysis of surveys
❖ Possibility of tracking website activity/hits
❖ Teacher/parent email volume

Collaboration

Quality Continuing Education Programs in the Pine Bush Central School District include varied instruction for students ranging from pre-school children to adults. Typical courses include: Academic, Driver’s Education, Music, Foreign Language, Arts, Dance, Business, and Athletic Instruction. These are fully self-funded programs with all expenses and staff financed through tuition.

In addition, our high school provides several themed enrichment learning academies during the school year and throughout the summer that include: Excelsior, Engineering, STEAM, Leadership and Law, Literacy and Education, Science, Medical, Performing Arts, and Aviation academies. Many of these academies are inclusive of collaborations with state, county and local law enforcement agencies, U.S. Military Academy, Air National Guard, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Cortland, Sullivan County Airport and numerous other community-based businesses. These academies are funded primarily through the result of these collaborations and partnerships. Technology tools and resources are imbedded in each component from inception to implementation.

For example, several schools at the elementary and secondary levels are grant recipients of the General Electric (GE) Additive/Polar 3D Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education (PRIME) Initiative. As a result, these schools will participate in a collaborative learning community and have been designated Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) PRIME SCHOOLS. This initiative is designed to encourage “Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education (PRIME).” Through this experience, each school will receive:

● 3D Printer
● Premium Polar Cloud Account
● Participation in creation of a new SME PRIME Polar Farm (3D Printing)
● Complimentary ToolingU-SME Additive Manufacturing course content
● Complimentary access for every instructor to achieve the
SME/AmeriaMakes/MSOE Additive Manufacturing Credential
● STEM Activities and Curricula for younger students

The overall mission from GE Additive is to have our students participate in opportunities in “growing a world with limitless potential.”

Goal 1:
Learning and Engagement Goal

Major Tasks and Activities

2018-2019

❖ Design, disseminate, and analyze community needs assessment surveys
❖ Design/create continuing education opportunities and expand technology-based workshops for our community members in an after-school or evening setting
❖ Identify service providers as partners to develop programs and services
❖ Explore and advocate for funding to build and enhance comprehensive,
system-wide community school literacy services
❖ Explore possible funding alternatives and community partnerships to support outreach services
❖ Maintain existing grants and related partnerships and explore new options

2019-2020

❖ Continue to design, disseminate, and analyze community needs assessment surveys
❖ Maintain continuing education opportunities
❖ Collaborate with identified partners to develop programs and services
❖ Advocate for funding to build and enhance comprehensive, system-wide
community school literacy services
❖ Implement funding alternatives and community partnerships to support outreach services
❖ Maintain existing grants and related partnerships and explore new options

2020-2021

❖ Continue to design, disseminate, and analyze community needs assessment surveys
❖ Increase continuing education opportunities
❖ Collaborate with identified partners to develop programs and services
❖ Advocate for funding to build and enhance comprehensive, system-wide
community school literacy services
❖ Increase funding alternatives and community partnerships to support outreach services
❖ Expand existing grants and related partnerships and explore new options.

Future collaborations may include forging and expanding partnerships with:

Orange-Ulster BOCES – Adult Education – www.ouboces.org
Literacy Partners of Orange County, NY, Inc. – www.literacyorangeny.org
Literacy Volunteers of Eastern Orange County, Inc. – www.rlhwebsites.net/lveoc/
Literacy Volunteers of Sullivan County – www.literacysullivan.org
Ulster Literacy Association
SUNY Orange, New Paltz and Cortland
U.S. Military Academy
State, county and local law enforcement agencies
Sullivan County Airport

Resources

❖ Research grant funding
❖ Tuition
❖ Volunteers.

Indicators of success

❖ Increase in number of participants in programs; programs and services available to meet needs; strong partnerships developed; grants.

Internet Safety

In order to be in compliance with E-Rate regulations, CIPA, and specifically, NCLB LawSubpart 4. Limitation on Availability of Certain Funds for Schools SEC. 2441 as well as INTERNET SAFETY and NYS Education Law – Section 814, we must provide students in grades K-12 with “…instruction designed to promote the proper and safe use of the Internet.” (NYSED)

New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act took effect on July 1, 2012. The district does not tolerate the discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and/or bullying of students. This includes any discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and/or bullying done through the use of technology.

The following pages represent our plan on Internet safety designed to educate, engage and empower staff, students, and parents about the safe and appropriate use of technology. All stakeholders will be introduced to these concepts and will be provided with ongoing reinforcement. Our overall goal is to provide the Pine Bush Central School District with a comprehensive Internet safety educational program utilizing available Internet safety curriculums.

The Internet safety curriculum we plan to use specifically addresses the following goals cited:

Goal 1
Learning and Engagement Goal (Personalized Learning)

Goal 3
District Infrastructure and High Tech Security Goal

Support personalized learning and ensure student safety by analyzing our current infrastructure and tool capacity to ensure optimal use of current inventory and plan for future needs.

Major Tasks and Activities

2018-2019

❖ Maintain DASA coordinators at all buildings
❖ Provide professional development for all staff members on Internet safety
❖ Integrate Internet safety in grades K-12 with related curriculum mapping
❖ Integrate “October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month” and “June is Internet Safety Month” celebrations district-wide
❖ Offer related parent workshops
❖ Offer related student workshops
❖ Invite guest speakers
❖ Create PTA/PTO collaborations/workshops
❖ Provide Internet resources in electronic form and in hard copy
❖ Foster a collaborative partnership with local law enforcement agencies: Orange County District Attorney’s Office and NYS Police Cyber Crimes Unit
❖ Design, disseminate and analyze staff, parent and student surveys.

2019-2020

❖ Maintain DASA coordinators at all buildings
❖ Continue to provide professional development for all staff members on Internet safety
❖ Continue to integrate Internet safety in grades K-12 with related curriculum
mapping
❖ Maintain “October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month” and “June is Internet Safety Month” celebrations district-wide
❖ Continue to offer related parent workshops
❖ Continue to offer related student workshops
❖ Expand guest speakers
❖ Implement PTA/PTO collaborations/workshops
❖ Update Internet resources in electronic form and in hard copy
❖ Continue to foster a collaborative partnership with local law enforcement
agencies
❖ Analyze needs of all stakeholders through related surveys.

2020-2021

❖ Maintain DASA coordinators at all buildings
❖ Continue to provide professional development for all staff members on Internet safety
❖ Continue to integrate Internet safety in grades K-12 with related curriculum
mapping
❖ Maintain “October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month” and “June is Internet Safety Month” celebrations district-wide
❖ Continue to offer related parent workshops
❖ Continue to offer related student workshops
❖ Expand guest speakers
❖ Continue to implement PTA/PTO collaborations/workshops
❖ Continue to update Internet resources in electronic form and in hard copy
❖ Continue to foster a collaborative partnership with local law enforcement
agencies
❖ Analyze needs of all stakeholders through related surveys.

Resources

❖ District technology budget
❖ Smart Schools Bond Act
❖ E-Rate
❖ Technology Integration Specialists
❖ Superintendent’s Conference Days
❖ Release time for staff members to implement activities through the Technology Task Force and its related subcommittees and at the individual building levels
❖ Faculty meetings
❖ Model Schools Days
❖ Mid-Hudson Teacher Center
❖ BOCES
❖ Center for Missing and Exploited Children
❖ Local Law Enforcement Agencies

Indicators of Success

❖ Increased parental attendance at various related school/district sponsored workshops and activities;
❖ Analysis of surveys;
❖ VADIRS, Disciplinary Referrals and DASA complaints- decline in each building in Internet safety or telecommunications related incidents.

Professional Development

What does it mean to teach and learn in the 21st Century? Cheryl Lemke, CEO and Ed Coughlin, Senior Vice President of Metiri Group, a nationally recognized educational technology consulting firm, offer the following for us to be mindful of as we move forward in our technology-based professional development plans for our staff members:

Technology is empowering 21st century learners in four key ways:

Change Agent 1: Democratization of Knowledge – In its simplest sense, this
refers to how much information our students have access to every day and the impact this has on tapping into a student’s prior knowledge. Educators need to continually assess students’ prior knowledge and design instruction that differentiates to build students’ self-directed learning skills.

Change Agent 2: Participatory Learning– Our students are used to interacting with and having a voice in everything they do- and that includes learning. Research on collaboration has shown that it contributes significantly to academic learning and is more powerful than competitive or individual learning.

Change Agent 3: Authentic Learning– Today’s society is fraught with economic, environmental, social and political challenges. Students are eager to learn in the context of these real-world issues. Research suggests that such authentic learning increases their engagement and the depth of their learning.

Change Agent 4: Multimodal Learning– Students need to be prepared not only to interpret and analyze media, but also to compose and produce communication using such media.

SEDTA recommends that the following key components of effective professional development for teachers be included:

Leadership–effective schools and district leaders who guide continuous
instructional improvement;
Knowledge–a deep understanding of the subject-matter content;
Resources–access to resources and tools necessary to implement learning
strategies appropriate to the goals of teaching and learning;
Collaboration–participation in professional learning communities;
Evaluation–use of data to improve instructional approaches, improve
student achievement, and evaluate teacher effectiveness; and
Sustainability–ongoing and sustainable professional development for
improving teaching practices.

Goal 1
Learning and Engagement Goal (Personalized Learning)

Goal 2
Data Goal

Engage in data-driven decision-making to enable all stakeholders to track student progress to improve student achievement in their personalized learning environments.

Major Tasks and Activities

2018-2019

❖ Collaborate with our Professional Development Task Force to support Goals 1 and 2
❖ Collaborate as a professional learning community to improve student learning and achievement
❖ Develop workshops using the district’s Technology Integration Specialists that immerse administrators, teachers, library media specialists and teaching
assistants in 21st century learning that infuses technology and identifies best
practices
❖ Collaborate with Hudson Valley Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network to ensure that we are differentiating instruction with technology for our ELLs
❖ Collaborate with our Special Education Department to ensure that we are
differentiating instruction with technology for our SWD
❖ Continue to implement ISTE and NETS standards for administrators, teachers and students
❖ Continue technology professional development calendar
❖ Continue to provide staff development in the use of Google products
❖ Continue to use MyLearningPlan as a platform to increase professional
development
❖ Provide technology support seminars in before or after school settings
❖ Design professional development opportunities that encourage STEAM
initiatives
❖ Offer professional development during Superintendent’s Conference Days,
faculty meetings, study groups, and Technology Support Seminars
❖ Research grant opportunities.

2019-2020

❖ Expand above to include emerging technologies as needed
❖ Evaluate success of professional development through surveys for staff and students, attendance, and observations of classroom integration
❖ Collaborate with Hudson Valley Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network to ensure that we are differentiating instruction with technology for our ELLs
❖ Collaborate with our Special Education Department to ensure that we are
differentiating instruction with technology for our SWD.

2020-2021

❖ Expand above to include emerging technologies as needed
❖ Evaluate success of professional development through surveys for staff and students, attendance, observations of classroom integration and plan for
expansions as necessary.

Resources

❖ District budget
❖ Technology Integration Specialists
❖ Superintendent’s Conference Days
❖ Release time for staff members to implement activities through the Technology Task Force and its related subcommittees and at the individual building levels
❖ Faculty Meeting Time
❖ Model Schools Days
❖ Mid-Hudson Teacher Center
❖ BOCES.

Indicators of Success

❖ Professional Development Task Force feedback
❖ Surveys
❖ Attendance
❖ District Supervision and Evaluation Policies
❖ Authentic Assessments.

Supporting Resources

The district uses all resources at its disposal to support the learning environment. The district makes a significant investment in a variety of resources that support the curriculum, assess student learning, provide learning reinforcement opportunities, provide learning enrichment opportunities, facilitate communication between district employees and parents, communicate with parents about student progress and
attendance and engage students in learning. These resources support the following goals:

Goal 1
Learning and Engagement Goal (Personalized Learning)

Goal 2
Data Goal

Engage in data-driven decision-making to enable all stakeholders to track student progress to improve student achievement in their personalized learning environments The resources we utilize are evaluated each year to determine whether the subscription should be renewed based on its effectiveness, whether the need still exists or whether a better resource has become available. The list of resources that are available to students, staff and parents continues to grow as needs are identified and additional resources become available.

Resources

❖ Accelerated Reader, Star Reading and Math (elementary and middle schools)
❖ BrainPop including BrainPop Jr. and BrainPop Espanol (all schools)
❖ Castle Learning (secondary schools)
❖ SchoolTool Gradebook (secondary schools)
❖ District Web site – https://www.pinebushschools.org (all schools)
❖ EBSCO Middle Online Package with Novelist K-8 (middle schools)
❖ EBSCO Primary Online Package with Novelist K-8 (elementary schools)
❖ EBSCO Ultra Online, Magill Literature and Novelist (high school)
❖ edHelper (secondary schools and one elementary school)
❖ Examgen for Science and Math (high school)
❖ Gale Student Resources in Context (high school)
❖ Gradpoint (STARS Academy)
❖ World Book Online Encyclopedia Deluxe Package (all schools)
❖ Scholastic GO! Grolier 6 database package (elementary schools)
❖ FactCite Lincoln Library 8 Database Bundle (all schools)
❖ GMail Email (all schools)
❖ Google Classroom
❖ Mobimax
❖ Lexia
❖ Proquest Culture Grams and Professional Education Collection (all schools)
❖ SchoolMessenger Notification system
❖ Raz-Plus (Reading A-Z and RAZ Kids) (all schools)
❖ Capstone Pebble Go databases (elementary schools)
❖ National Geographic Kids (elementary schools)
❖ SIRS Knowledge Source Bundle (high school)
❖ Teaching Books (all schools)
❖ TumbleBook Cloud (middle schools and high school)
❖ TumbleBook Premium (elementary schools)
❖ Turnitin Plagiarism Prevention (middle schools and high school)
❖ United Streaming (all schools).

Partnerships

❖ Orange-Ulster BOCES
❖ Mid-Hudson Regional Information Center
❖ Mid-Hudson Teacher Center
❖ SUNY New Paltz.

Infrastructure, Hardware, Technical Support, and Software Technology and Related Services

Due to the current economy and budget constraints, we are consistently challenged with seeking cost-effective ways to best utilize the technology we currently have to support instruction and learning.

Goal 3
District Infrastructure and High Tech Security Goal

Support personalized learning and ensure student safety by analyzing our current infrastructure and tool capacity to ensure optimal use of current inventory and plan for future needs.

Our plan for the next three years related to Goal 3 consists of the following:

Major Tasks and Activities

2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021

❖ Continued ongoing replacement strategies for servers (virtualization), network infrastructure, workstations and Chromebooks
❖ Increase wireless density in all schools
❖ Replace fiber optic backbone between wiring closets in all district buildings and replace/add campus fiber between several district campuses
❖ Relocate a wiring closet in one of the district’s middle schools
❖ Continue to investigate and purchase appropriate software for all grade levels
❖ Upgrade outdated intrusion detection systems in all school buildings and connect to door access control system
❖ Upgrade analog phone systems to add security features
❖ Upgrade mass notification system in the district’s seven schools
❖ Investigate energy saving equipment, Going Green Initiatives.

Increase Access

We fully support SETDA’s recommendations to guide us in formulating strategies to increase access to technology for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status and diverse abilities. We reference their Student Bill of Rights:

Each student has the right to feel safe in and proud of a school.
Each student deserves an engaging educational experience that provides
opportunities for learning and for the future, including the acquisition of 21st
century skills required for the global workforce.
Each student deserves to have highly qualified and effective teachers that have the necessary support in terms of resources, professional development, planning time, and leadership.
Each student deserves an individualized learning experience addressing his or her abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.
Each student has a right to the tools, technology, and resources needed for
developing into lifelong learners and creators of knowledge.

Moreover, to ensure that all teachers have access SETDA recommends:

“…all teachers to have access to ongoing and sustainable professional
development–including virtual learning opportunities to further their development, such as online communities and education portals.

Online learning communities, education portals, and coaching and mentoring are some of the proven methods for providing sustainable professional development for our teachers.”

We have outlined how we will meet these ends as described in all other required elements included in this plan. One specific example is our subgroup of students needing assistive technology. Assistive technology will be integrated into the classroom using Universal Design principles and assistive technology devices, when appropriate or required for students with disabilities as determined in an IEP.

Assistive Technology Software currently being used is as follows:

Laptops, touchscreen Chromebooks, Android tablets, iPads, Braille Notetaker, adapted keyboards and mice, wireless mouse, graphing calculators, talking scientific calculator, money/talk calculators, ACC devices and APPS, digital/electronic books, digital recorder, Eye Gaze equipment, Forbrain, dynamic sound field systems, personal FM systems, scanners, speech recognition software, word prediction, text to speech, Braille translator software, OCR software, screen reader, CCTV, Braille embosser.

We will continue to provide maximized use of our current inventory of technology resources, tools and support with plans to expand as funding increases to ensure equity for all of our students and staff members.

Funding and Budget

The district utilizes a variety of funding sources in order to purchase and support educational and administrative technology. These funding sources include the district’s annual budget, E-Rate, grants and the Smart Schools Bond Act.

The district’s annual budget includes state aided money to purchase both hardware and software, purchases made through BOCES and purchases that it makes directly with vendors for hardware, software and services.

E-Rate funding has been used to upgrade the district’s network infrastructure. In 2017-2018, E-Rate money was used to upgrade the district’s firewall and core switches in the district’s MDF (main wiring closet). In 2018-2019 the district will use E-Rate money to upgrade the wireless controllers to improve the district’s wireless infrastructure. In 2019-2020 the district hopes to upgrade the fiber optic modules to increase the speed between its buildings and wiring closets. The district will continue to evaluate its network infrastructure and explore upgrades for the 2020-2021 school year.
These upgrades are contingent on Smart Schools projects being approved and completed.

The district is designated to receive $5,050,017 in Smart Schools Bond Act money. The district has decided to do five Smart Schools projects of approximately $1,000,000 each. The original plan was to do one project (or phase) each year, but the delays in the approval process have made it difficult to determine when each phase will be approved and completed. At the writing of this plan, the Phase 1 project has been completed, Phase 2 is awaiting approval from the Smart Schools Review Board and Phase 3 was recently submitted to the Review Board. The focus of the Smart Schools projects is to improve the district’s infrastructure and install High Tech Security in all of
the district’s buildings.

The first phase of the Smart Schools projects (completed in the summer of 2018) upgraded the video surveillance system in all of the district buildings, installed a lockdown notification system in all district buildings, grounded wiring racks in all district wiring closets and did some some wiring closet and cabling work.

The second phase of the Smart Schools projects is slated to replace intrusion detection system is all district buildings, replace fiber optic cable between wiring closets throughout district, replace fiber optic cable between some of the district buildings, run new fiber optic cable between campuses in Circleville, add some doors to card access control system, replace the mass notification system in high school and replace analog phones in the elementary and middle schools to add security features. The district hopes that this project will be approved by the Smart Schools Review Board and that
the work will be completed during the 2018-2019 school year.

The third phase of the Smart Schools project is slated to complete wiring closet work at one of the district’s middle schools, install upgrades to the video surveillance systems at the high school and one of the district’s middle schools, replace the mass notification systems in the elementary and middle schools and to replace the analog phones in high school to add security features. The district hopes that this phase of the Smart Schools project will be approved in time so that the work can be completed during the
2019-2020 school year.

The district will continue to work with all stakeholder groups to identify the work to be done in phases four and five of the Smart Schools project. The district has contracted with an architectural/engineering firm to help analyze existing systems and recommend improvements to the district’s infrastructure and high tech security systems.

The district takes full advantage of any partnerships that it has been able to foster. These partnerships have assisted the district in the delivery of professional development. Some of the organizations that the district has formed partnerships with include the Mid-Hudson Teachers’ Center and SUNY New Paltz. The district continues to look for additional funding sources and partnerships.

Budget and Timetable

Technology Budget	2018-2019	2019-2020	2020-2021
Telephone Includes all phone lines (including trunk lines, digital circuits and fax lines), maintenance agreements on phone system.	$135,000	$135,000	$135,000
Copier Agreements and Maintenance	$125,000	$125,000	$125,000
Contractual Expenses Includes maintenance agreements on network equipment and software, consultant fees, training for technology dept. staff	$316,869	$316,869	$316,869
Materials and Supplies Includes all forms, materials and supplies used by the department and projector bulbs, speakers, headphones, etc. for district	$52,000	$52,000	$52,000
BOCES Services – Orange-Ulster BOCES Includes co-ser fees, library automation, professional reference library, online subscriptions and audio-visual equipment repairs	$333,207	$333,207	$333,207
Equipment Non-Instructional computers and peripherals	$177,000	$177,000	$177,000
NY State Aided Computer Hardware Instructional computers and peripherals	$102,000	$102,000	$102,000
NY State Aided Computer Software Instructional computer software	$118,000	$118,000	$118,000
BOCES Services – Orange-Ulster BOCES Includes co-ser fees, Internet access for district, wide area network connections for district, Internet filtering for district, network printers/copiers purchased through BOCES and instructional technology purchased through BOCES	$533,118	$533,118	$533,118

Total Technology Budget	$1,892,194	$1,892,194	$1,892,194

Monitoring and Evaluation

In an effort to track the progress and successful implementation of the activities cited for our goals, our Co-chairs of the Pine Bush Technology Task Force will be charged with preparing a summary report at the end of each school year to be analyzed by our Technology Task Force and presented to our Board of Education. This report will be a collaborative effort of the Technology Task Force as we continually reevaluate this working document as needed throughout the school year in an effort to adapt to our district’s changing circumstances.

Some of the specific evaluation components are as follows:
● Through the use of surveys, interviews, informal meetings of staff, students, family and community members, our team will continually assess our plan and demonstrate forward thinking in our decision making based on data analysis.
● As the Technology Task Force revisits each goal to ensure that it is met, our Task Force will conduct a yearly survey of parent and community members’ experiences with communications related to our District as described in our yearly targeted activities and initiatives.
● We will also create a database of our indicators of success to track the growth of technology usage by our stakeholders over time.
● The Technology Task Force administrative representatives at each building level will be charged with collecting and analyzing incidents/occurrences of inappropriate behavior and or unsafe practices related to technology.

Our Technology Task Force will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders as we analyze implementation of ISTE and NETS Standards for administrators, teachers and students to ensure that our curricula are aligned and that we are moving toward fulfillment of creating 21st century learning environments for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status or diverse abilities, so that each can experience success.

Policies

The district has a student acceptable use policy (AUP) that was originally adopted by the Board of Education on September 22, 1998. This policy outlines the acceptable use of the district’s computer system (DCS) which consists of software, hardware, computer networks and electronic communications systems (email and Internet). Included with the policy are the regulations which specifically identify the acceptable and unacceptable uses of technology (including the Internet) and were last updated in February, 2010. The district also has a staff AUP and regulations that were adopted November 2010.

The district has taken the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) very seriously. The district has filtered Internet access to all students and staff since Internet access was first introduced to the classrooms. All computers that are connected to the district’s network (wired or wireless – including guest wireless access) go through the Internet filter. Over the years, the Internet filtering technology has been upgraded numerous times. Mostly recently the filtering solution was upgraded in January 2013. The district is currently using Lightspeed’s Next-Gen Internet filtering appliance. One of the primary reasons for the upgrade in January was to move to a filtering solution that was able to handle increased bandwidth.

The district has full control over configuring the filter for district use. The filter works by categorizing websites. The district starts by filtering all web based email, chat rooms, pornographic (including child pornography), sexually explicit, R-rated, obscene, offensive and social networking websites. District staff is permitted to make requests to both block and open websites. These sites are reviewed by the technology department and changes are made to the filter as necessary.

Over the years, this district has had numerous presentations for students, staff and parents on Internet safety. The district has used staff and law enforcement for these presentations. The district purchased Internet Safety curriculum from i-SAFE during the 2010-2011 school year. This curriculum includes professional development to all administrators, teachers, library media specialists and teaching assistants.

The Pine Bush Central School District will provide access to technology for all students. The district will do all in its power to ensure that the technology (including the Internet) will be used in a safe manner that is in compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

The district also has adopted and revised policies in recent years in support of legislation like the Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security. These policies include the following:
● Confidentiality of Computerized Information (policy 3320)
● Information Security Breach and Notification (policy 5672)
● Student Records: Access and Challenge (policy 7240)
● Student Data Breaches (policy 7243)
● Children’s Internet Protection Act: Internet Content Filtering/Safety Policy (policy 8271)

Policy 7322 Adopted / September 22, 1998

Students

SUBJECT: STUDENT USE OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION RESOURCES
The Board of Education will provide access to various computerized information resources through the district’s computer system (“DCS” hereafter) consisting of software, hardware, computer networks and electronic communications systems. This may include access to electronic mail, so-called “on-line services” and the “Internet.” It may include the opportunity for some students to have independent access to the DCS from their home or other remote locations. All use of the DCS, including independent use off school premises, shall be subject to this policy and accompanying regulations. Further, all such use must be in support of education and/or research and consistent with the goals and purposes of the School District.
One purpose of this policy is to provide notice to students and parents/legal guardians that, unlike most traditional instructional or library media materials, the DCS will allow student access to external computer networks not controlled by the School District where it is impossible for the District to screen or review all of the available materials. Some of the available materials may be deemed unsuitable by parents/legal guardians for student use or access. This policy is intended to establish general guidelines for acceptable student use. However, despite the existence of such District policy and accompanying guidelines and regulations, it will not be possible to completely prevent access to computerized information that is inappropriate for students. Furthermore, students may have the ability to access such information from their home or other locations off school premises. Parents/legal guardians of students must be willing to set and convey standards for appropriate and acceptable use to their children when using the DCS or any other electronic media or communications. The District respects the right of each family to decide whether or not to apply for independent computer access.
Generally, the same standards of acceptable student conduct which apply to any school activity shall apply to use of the DCS. This policy does not attempt to articulate all required and/or acceptable uses of the DCS; nor is it the intention of this policy to define all inappropriate usage. Administrative regulations will further define general guidelines of appropriate student conduct and use as well as proscribed behavior.
District students shall also adhere to the laws, policies and rules governing computers including, but not limited to, copyright laws, rights of software publishers, license agreements, and student rights of privacy created by federal and state law.
Students who engage in unacceptable use may lose access to the DCS and may be subject to further discipline under the District’s school conduct and discipline policy and the Student Discipline Code of Conduct. The District reserves the right to pursue legal action against a student who willfully, maliciously or unlawfully damages or destroys property of the District. Further, the District may bring suit in civil court against the parents/legal guardians of any student who willfully, maliciously or unlawfully damages or destroys District property pursuant to General Obligations Law Section 3-112.
Student data files and other electronic storage areas will be treated like school lockers. This means that such areas shall be considered to be School District property subject to control and inspection. The computer coordinator may access all such files and communications to insure system integrity and that users are complying with the requirements of this policy and accompanying regulations. Students should NOT expect that information stored on the DCS will be private.
Students acknowledge that in the course of using the DCS, there may occur interruption(s) in service beyond the control of the district, which may result in the loss of data, information, or files. The district disclaims any and all responsibility for loss of data, information, or files caused by such service interruptions.
The Superintendent or his/her designee is authorized to establish regulations as necessary to implement the terms of this policy.

Regulations 7322R Adopted / September 22, 1998
Students

Policy Adopted / September 22, 1998 – Regulations updated February 2010

SUBJECT: STUDENT USE OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION RESOURCES /
ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Students will have the right of using technology to complete assigned work and projects; perform research and other uses as assigned by their teacher. The following list includes, but is not limited to, what is considered to be acceptable use of technology in the Pine Bush Central School District. The technology should be treated like all other school property and the use of it should not be abused. The same policies which apply to acceptable student behavior pertain to the use of technology. The student is responsible for adhering to this code and may be required to sign a statement to that effect.

1) LOGGING INTO THE SCHOOL NETWORK:

a. Students will use only their assigned “Login Name” to log into the school network.
b. Students will not share their Login Name and Password with others. If a student believes that another student has their Login Name and Password, they should immediately notify their teacher or the system administrator.
c. If a student shares a Login Name and Password, they may be held responsible for unacceptable use of the district’s computer resources.
d. Attempts to log into the system as another student or as a teacher or system administrator may result in immediate cancellation of user privileges.

2) STUDENT FILES:

a. Student will only save their work to their network storage area (drive G:) or to a floppy diskette (drive A:).
b. Students will not access, vandalize or remove files owned by other users. Students will only remove their own files from the network or any school computer.
c. All data must be scanned for viruses prior to being used on a school computer.
d. Files stored by the student in their directory are NOT confidential. The system administrator or other authorized school official may, at any time, review the subject, content and appropriateness of the file, and report any violation of the rules to the building principal or his/her designee. If warranted, such files may be removed.

3) STUDENT MENUS AND ACCESS RIGHTS:

a. Students will not stray from, or change the menu assigned by their teacher and/or system administrator.
b. Students will only use the programs assigned by their teacher.
c. Students will have only those access and system rights assigned by the system administrator.
d. Students will not attempt to change their rights or attempt to gain access to unauthorized resources or entities.

4) COMPUTER SOFTWARE:

a. Students will not upload or install any programs (including, but not limited to games) to the school network (including student’s H: drive) or any school computer.
b. Executable programs are not permitted to be run from floppy diskettes, CDs, DVDs or flash/USB drives.
c. Students must respect all copyright issues regarding software and attributions of authoring. The unauthorized copying or transfer of copyrighted materials may result in the suspension or cancellation of a student’s account.
d. Students are not to post, send, transmit, publish, download, upload, copy, print, or otherwise disseminate information that contains defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane, pornographic, material not age-appropriate and/or otherwise offensive materials through the school network or any school computer. This includes any form of cyber bullying.
e. Students are not to post, send, transmit, publish, download, upload, copy, print, or otherwise disseminate information containing any advertisement or solicitations of other persons to use goods and services that are not for school-related purposes. Students shall not use their account to conduct business or activities which are prohibited by law. The district shall not be responsible for any financial obligation that may arise from a student’s unauthorized abuse of the school computers/network.

5) NETWORK SECURITY AND INTEGRITY:

a. The school uses Security and Anti-Virus software on the network and school computers.
b. Students are not permitted to disable any Security or Anti-Virus software.
c. Students are not permitted to drop to a Command Prompt from a menu, Windows or any other program.
d. Students will not change any Windows’ setups (including, but not limited to Windows XP/7 or later Desktop and Icons), control panels, system files, or any other software configurations.
e. Students will not use computer programs to decode passwords or access control information.
f. Students will not engage in any activity that might be harmful to the school computers, school network or to any information stored thereon, such as creating or propagating viruses, disrupting services, or damaging files. Students will not knowingly introduce a virus into a district computer, network or the Internet.
g. Students will not waste computing resources (including but not limited to intentionally placing a program in an endless loop, printing inappropriate or excessive copies of documents or pictures, sending messages to other users, and spamming.).

6) VANDALISM:

a. Computers and related technology equipment are owned by the school district and should be used and treated appropriately.
b. Students shall not destroy, modify, copy, damage or abuse computer hardware and software in any way.
c. Computers and related technology equipment must stay in the classroom or lab.

7) THE INTERNET:

a. Students will use the Internet for education and research related to the curriculum, career planning or college search activities.
b. Students will accept the responsibility for all material received and make sure that none of the material received via the Internet is copyrighted.
c. Internet access is provided with the understanding that the school district cannot control the content available on the Internet. The school district makes no guarantees as to the accuracy of the information obtained from the Internet.
d. The district filters all Internet access from school computers and any computer connected to the school network. This includes all computers used by students and/or staff. However, no filtering technology can guarantee that staff and students will be prevented from accessing all inappropriate sites. The Internet filter is configured to block all obscene pictures and language, including pornography and child pornography.
e. The district does not provide email for students and the Internet filter is configured to block all web based email and chat rooms.
f. Students will not use the Internet to post, send, transmit, publish, download, upload, copy, print, or otherwise disseminate information that contains defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane, pornographic, material not age-appropriate and/or otherwise offensive materials.

8) VIOLATION OF ACCEPTABLE USE:

Students who are suspected of using school computers in a manner that would violate this policy or any other district policy, rule and/or regulation, or would violate any state or Federal law or regulation, will be notified of the alleged violation and provided with an opportunity to respond. Parental notification will also be given. If students are found guilty of such violation, students may have their account suspended or canceled for any length of time, up to and including a permanent cancellation. Where appropriate, students may be referred to law enforcement officials when such activities are suspected to be illegal. Students may also be subject to school disciplinary action consistent with the student code of conduct and state and federal law.

Policy 6470 – Personnel

SUBJECT: STAFF USE OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION RESOURCES

The Board of Education will provide staff with access to various computerized information resources through the District’s computer system (DCS hereafter) consisting of software, hardware, computer networks and electronic communications systems. This may include access to electronic mail, so-called “on-line services” and the Internet. It may also include the opportunity for some staff to have independent access to the DCS from their home or other remote locations. All use of the DCS, including independent use off school premises, shall be subject to this policy and accompanying regulations.
The Board encourages staff to make use of the DCS to explore educational topics, conduct research and contact others in the educational world. The Board anticipates that staff access to various computerized information resources will both expedite and enhance the performance of tasks associated with their positions and assignments. Toward that end, the Board directs the Superintendent or his/her designee(s) to provide staff with training in the proper and effective use of the DCS.
Staff use of the DCS is conditioned upon written agreement by the staff member that use of the DCS will conform to the requirements of this policy and any regulations adopted to insure acceptable use of the DCS. All such agreements shall be kept on file in the District Office.
Generally, the same standards of acceptable staff conduct which apply to any aspect of job performance shall apply to use of the DCS. Employees are expected to communicate in a professional manner consistent with applicable District policies and regulations governing the behavior of school staff. Electronic mail and telecommunications are not to be utilized to share confidential information about students and other employees.
This policy does not attempt to articulate all required and/or acceptable uses of the DCS; nor is it the intention of this policy to define all inappropriate usage. Administrative regulations will further define general guidelines of appropriate staff conduct and use as well as proscribed behavior.
District staff shall also adhere to the laws, policies and rules governing computers including, but not limited to, copyright laws, rights of software publishers, license agreements, and rights of privacy created by federal and state law.
Staff members who engage in unacceptable use may lose access to the DCS and may be subject to further discipline under the law and in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements. Legal action may be initiated against a staff member who willfully, maliciously or unlawfully damages or destroys property of the district.

Privacy Rights

Staff data files and electronic storage areas shall remain District property, subject to District control and inspection. The computer coordinator may access all such files and communications to insure system integrity and that users are complying with requirements of this policy and accompanying regulations. Staff should NOT expect that information stored on the DCS will be private.

Implementation

Administrative regulations will be developed to implement the terms of this policy, addressing general parameters of acceptable staff conduct as well as prohibited activities so as to provide appropriate guidelines for employee use of the DCS.

Adopted by B.O.E. – 11/23/2010

Policy 6470R 2010- Personnel

SUBJECT: STAFF USE OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION RESOURCES /
ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Staff will have the right of using technology to perform duties associated with their positions and assignments. The following list includes, but is not limited to, what is considered to be acceptable use of technology in the Pine Bush Central School District. The technology should be treated like all other school property and the use of it should not be abused. The same policies which apply to acceptable staff behavior pertain to the use of technology. The staff is responsible for adhering to this code and may be required to sign a statement to that effect.

1) LOGGING INTO THE SCHOOL NETWORK:

a. Staff will use only their assigned “Login Name” to log into the school network.
b. Staff will maintain the privacy of their own password.
c. Staff will not use another person’s login name and password.
d. Staff will be responsible for all activities on their assigned account.

2) STAFF FILES:

a. Staff will only access files and data which are their own, which are publically available or to which they have been given access.
b. Staff will not access another person’s files or data without permission.
c. All data must be scanned for viruses prior to being used on a school computer.
d. Files stored by staff on the school network or computer are NOT confidential. The system administrator or other authorized school official may, at any time, review the subject, content and appropriateness of the file, and report any violation of the rules to school officials. If warranted, such files may be removed.

3) COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND RESOUCRES:

f. Staff will use computer software and resources for authorized purposes, following established procedures.
g. Staff will use only legal versions of copyrighted software which have been purchased by the district.
h. Staff will not use computers for personal communication and game playing.
i. Staff will not post, send, transmit, publish, download, upload, copy, print, or otherwise disseminate information that contains defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane, pornographic, material not age-appropriate and/or otherwise offensive materials through the school network or any school computer.
j. Staff will not post, send, transmit, publish, download, upload, copy, print, or otherwise disseminate information containing any advertisement or solicitations of other persons to use goods and services that are not for school-related purposes. Staff shall not use their account to conduct business or activities which are prohibited by law. The district shall not be responsible for any financial obligation that may arise from a staff member’s unauthorized abuse of the school computers/network.

4) NETWORK SECURITY AND INTEGRITY:

a. Staff will not attempt to circumvent or subvert system security measures.
SUBJECT: STAFF USE OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION RESOURCES /
ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY (Cont’d.)
b. Staff will not use computer programs to decode passwords or access control information.
c. Staff will not engage in any activity that might be harmful to the school computers, school network or to any information stored thereon, such as creating or propagating viruses, disrupting services, or damaging files. Staff will not knowingly introduce a virus into a district computer, network or the Internet.
d. Staff will not change screensavers, wallpapers, monitor calibration or any computer settings.
e. Staff will not waste computing resources (including but not limited to intentionally placing a program in an endless loop, printing inappropriate or excessive copies of documents or pictures, sending messages to other users, and spamming).

5) VANDALISM:

a. Computers and related technology equipment are owned by the school district and should be used and treated appropriately.
b. Staff will not destroy, modify, copy, damage or abuse computer hardware and software in any way.
c. Computers and related technology equipment must stay in the classroom or lab.

6) THE INTERNET:

a. Staff will use the Internet for education and research.
b. Staff will accept the responsibility for all material received and make sure that none of the material received via the Internet is copyrighted.
c. Internet access is provided with the understanding that the school district cannot control the content available on the Internet. The school district makes no guarantees as to the accuracy of the information obtained from the Internet.
d. The district filters all Internet access from school computers and any computer connected to the school network. This includes all computers used by students and/or staff. However, no filtering technology can guarantee that staff and students will be prevented from accessing all inappropriate sites. The Internet filter is configured to block obscene pictures and language, including pornography and child pornography.
e. The district provides email accounts for staff. Staff should use their district email account for all school related communications. The district Internet filter is configured to block all web based email and chat rooms.
f. Staff will not use the Internet to post, send, transmit, publish, download, upload, copy, print, or otherwise disseminate information that contains defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane, pornographic, material not age-appropriate and/or otherwise offensive materials.
g. Staff will not copy files, data or programs from the Internet without permission.

7) VIOLATION OF ACCEPTABLE USE:

Staff who are suspected of using school computers in a manner that would violate this policy or any other district policy, rule and/or regulation, or would violate any state or Federal law or regulation, will be notified of the alleged violation and provided with an opportunity to respond. If a staff member is found guilty of such violation, they may have their account suspended or canceled for any length of time, up to and including a permanent cancellation. Where appropriate, staff may be referred to law enforcement officials when such activities are suspected to be illegal.

Related Policy Adopted by B.O.E. – 11/23/2010

References

Attachment B- NYS Ed Draft Technology Plan:

http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2009Meetings/May2009/0509brd2.htm

DefinedSTEM: https://www.definedstem.com/

International Society for Technology in Education: http://www.iste.org

Lemke, Cheryl and Coughlin, Ed (Sept. 2009). The Change Agents: Technology is Empowering 21st century students in four key ways. Educational Leadership.
Volume 67 No. 1. Page 54.

Maximizing the Impact: The pivotal role of technology in a 21st century education system (2009) available: http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/p21setdaistepaper.pdf

National Education Technology Standards for Administrators, Teachers and Students
http://www.iste.org/

New York State Learning Standards. available: http://usny.nysed.gov/teachers/learning.html

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009) Tuscon, Az: available: http://www.p21.org

Pausch, Randy. (2008). The Last Lecture. New York. Hyperion. p.130

Stansbury, Meris. (Nov. 2008) Ten ways to boost learning with technology. eSchoolNews. available:
http://www.eschoolnews.com/

State Education Technology Directors Association: http://www.setda.org

Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology- National Technology Plan. (2010) Washington, D.C. available: https://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf.

Whom to Contact and When 2023-2024 Pre-K Application

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Executive Summary

Mission Statement

About Us

Vision Statement

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Technology Vision Statement

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Major Tasks and Activities

Resources

Indicators of Success

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Major Tasks and Activities

Resources

Indicators of Success

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Resources

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Major Tasks and Activities

Resources

Indicators of Success

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Major Tasks and Activities

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Major Tasks and Activities

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Major Tasks and Activities

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Resources

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Policies

Policy 7322 Adopted / September 22, 1998

Policy Adopted / September 22, 1998 – Regulations updated February 2010

Policy 6470 – Personnel

Policy 6470R 2010- Personnel

References