Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the technology toolkit?
- The technology toolkit was developed as an outgrowth of the District’s recent three-year self-study process of the technology curriculum. Through this study, members of the District’s administration and Technology Curriculum Committee worked to develop the Technology Improvement Plan to enhance the District’s current integration of technology into the curriculum. The toolkit outlines a three-phase approach for adding new mobile devices at every school level in order to provide transformative learning opportunities for all students across all content areas. By the third phase of the plan, Clayton High School will implement a one-to-one (device-to-student) program to further support student learning with the current curriculum. Additionally, the toolkit outlines a plan for upgrading the District’s wireless internet infrastructure and increasing its internet bandwidth to support the new devices.
- How was the technology toolkit developed?
- The technology department, the office of teaching and learning and the Technology Curriculum Committee identified several areas for improvement within the District’s current integration of technology in our classrooms as part of the three-year self-study of the technology curriculum. The Committee developed a plan to address those areas for improvement that includes not only devices and organization of those devices, but also curriculum, infrastructure and a professional learning plan to support the toolkit.
- How is the technology toolkit being funded?
- The technology toolkit will be funded by the annual funds allocated to the District’s technology operating budget and the Technology Improvement Plan (TIP) budget. In order to implement the technology toolkit and provide for future infrastructure improvements, the Board of Education approved an $100,000 increase in the TIP budget in fiscal year 2018, plus a two percent annual increase in fiscal years 2019 and 2020. In addition, an annual contingency budget of $50,000 will be available for unforeseen issues that may arise beginning in fiscal year 2018.
- Why is the District making such a significant investment in technology?
- Although the Technology Curriculum Committee began its work as a part of the regular curriculum review cycle, technology integration has been identified as an area of improvement in the District for the past several years. It became evident that the District needed to be engaging in more conversations about moving our technology infrastructure and fleet of devices forward to better support and enhance our current curriculum. Investing in technology is critical to providing transformative learning opportunities for all of our students while ensuring they have the skills needed to be successful in a 21st century workforce.
- What is the timeline for launching the toolkit?
- The District has developed a three-phase plan for launching the technology toolkit in order to ensure the toolkit is implemented in the most effective way for students and staff. Phase 1 will begin in the spring of 2017, Phase 2 will take place during the 2017-2018 school year and Phase 3 will begin in the fall of 2018. This plan will allow the District to maximize its existing resources while providing appropriate professional development opportunities for staff. The three-phase rollout also gives the District the flexibility to make adjustments to the toolkit based on evolving technology and the needs of each school. View a detailed version of the rollout timeline.
Devices- What devices will be added to each school?
- Every school in the District will see the addition of devices during the three phases of the technology toolkit rollout. These devices will replace many of the existing devices currently utilized in each school and will include, but are not limited to, iPods, tablets, Chromebooks and laptops. The quantities and types of devices will vary based on the curricular needs at each school level. Learn more about the devices.
- Are devices being taken away from each school?
- As new devices are added to each school, existing student devices will be phased out. The building leadership at each school will identify the timeline and locations within the building from which the existing devices will be removed. The transition from permanent desktops in classrooms and labs to mobile devices on carts will allow schools to reconfigure the current location of devices throughout the school to best meet the needs of students and staff.
- Will my child have access to fewer devices?
- The complete rollout of the toolkit will give students access to more devices than ever before. The addition of iPods, tablets, Chromebooks and laptops at schools throughout the District will nearly double the number of current devices available, providing students with more access to a greater variety of devices.
- What is the replacement plan for the different devices?
- When determining the cost projections for the implementation of the toolkit, District administrators factored in the estimated lifespan of each device to ensure the technology plan could be sustained beyond the initial three-year rollout plan. As technology continues to evolve, the District will evaluate how the current devices are meeting the needs of students and staff and make necessary modifications in the future.
- Is the District taking into consideration evolving technology?
- Yes, evolving technology and the changing needs of our students and staff is one reason why the District has developed a three-phase timeline for the rollout of the toolkit. This timeline will allow the District to make adjustments to the toolkit to ensure it is implemented in the most effective way for our students and staff.
- Will the wireless network be capable of supporting all of the new devices?
- The Technology Department is making infrastructure upgrades to the wireless internet and the internet bandwidth at all District schools as part of Phase 1 in the spring of 2017. These upgrades will support the increase in devices that will be added during the toolkit rollout while providing faster internet service.
Staff- How will the District support staff in the transition to the new devices?
- The District will be providing staff with multi-year professional learning opportunities beginning in the summer of 2017 to gain a greater depth of understanding on the integration of new technology in the classroom. These assured and differentiated experiences will include training on the new devices that will be added to each school during all three phases of the technology toolkit rollout and effective integration of technology in the teaching and learning process. Learn more about the toolkit professional development.
- Are staff devices included in the technology toolkit?
- The toolkit does not currently include a component regarding devices for staff. Beginning next school year, the District will be working to identify the technology needs for staff and their classrooms.
- How will the process of upgrading the wireless network impact my class?
- The District has compressed the project timeline for installing the new wireless internet system so all work will take place during spring break, from March 17-24, 2017. This new timeline will alleviate disruptions to student learning and will minimize the impact of the wireless outages on staff.
Students- Why is the District changing student logins and email addresses?
- The new student account naming conventions will help users differentiate between student and staff email addresses. Additionally, the new account names will provide an added level of security for students and their educational data by following best practices for naming conventions.
- Will I lose any of my data or emails when my account name changes?
- No, students will maintain the same School District of Clayton Google account they have now. The only change will be the naming convention of the students’ email addresses.
One-to-One Program- When will the one-to-one program be launched at Clayton High School?
- The one-to-one program will be launched at the start of the 2018-2019 school year. Students will have the opportunity to check out a CHS Chromebook for use both at school and at home during the school year. The details of the one-to-one program will be finalized and communicated to parents and students closer to the program launch date.
- Why isn’t the District implementing a one-to-one program at other schools?
- The decision-making process for implementing a one-to-one program solely at Clayton High School was guided by the curricular needs of our students. Due to the nature of the high school curriculum and its reliance on utilizing the internet and word processing for work during and outside of the school day, the District determined a one-to-one program would be most beneficial for the students at CHS. While other schools will not have a formal one-to-one program, the number of devices available for student use will significantly increase over the course of the three phases of the toolkit rollout.
