Technology Upgrades on Schedule

When school opened last fall, Lake Washington School District staff was using a hodgepodge of old and older computer equipment that was sprinkled throughout the District. Now every staff computer has been upgraded. Yes, every one of them.

This amazing feat in a District with 2,500 employees was made possible, in part, by Proposition 2, which received voter approval for $27.5M to be used for technology improvements including network upgrades, computer hardware and peripherals, training, software and development. The levy provided the money; the District provided the people with the expertise and desire to make the most of this opportunity.

Project Manager Bob Siemers worked with a Technology Advisory Board including representatives from each school site, classified staff, and interested members of the community to help develop the plan to implement technology improvements in the District.

Network upgrades completed

A major accomplishment during this first year of the levy was to upgrade all local networks to Ethernet. Simply stated, Ethernet is a local area network used for connecting computers, printers, workstations, terminals, etc., within the same building or campus.

Approximately half of the District schools already had Ethernet in place; an assortment of local talk networks was used in the rest. Schools using local talk networks didn’t have the ability to have PC upgrades, so it was essential that the network upgrades be completed as quickly as possible. Ethernet is now the standard for school networks in the Lake Washington School District, and all the schools have been upgraded to the new District standard.

Out with the old; in with the new(er)

Eighty percent of the certified (teaching) staff were using Macintosh SEs and Classics — computers that were great when they were introduced 10 to 12 years ago, but are barely adequate today. With the exception of the few who chose Macintosh, the certified staffs’ computers were upgraded to Compaq — much more powerful workstations than they had been using. Staff had a choice between a Compaq desktop or notebook design. Ninety percent chose a notebook computer for its easy portability and convenience.

Unboxing parties

Imagine the logistics of shuffling hundreds of computers among dozens of buildings. Details such as loading software into the computers, recording inventory numbers, and much else was handled with Siemers and a team of technicians working at Redmond El.

The fun part happened when the computers arrived at the schools. Before a computer was assigned, the recipient had to participate in a two-hour “unboxing party” that was offered in each school. Not only were the computers unboxed and installed, introductory training prepared staff to begin using their new computers. The training was offered by computer-proficient “information mentors” in each building who are able to teach other staff members.

In understanding the complexity of the computer upgrades it’s important to understand that everyone didn’t get a new computer. Instead, they got an upgrade over the computer they already had. For example, someone with an old Mac got a newer PC. The person who formerly had the replacement PC got a newer PC. Everyone ended up with a computer upgrade, but only the very oldest computers were retired. And the number of new computers was kept to a minimum. By the end of February, the last upgrade was completed.

Training is key

Getting new equipment is just part of the story. Knowing how to use it is the rest. The District is intent on everyone becoming proficient computer users, and has given everyone 18 months to gain core competency in operating systems, word processing, electronic mail, Internet and one other software program valuable to their jobs (e.g. Power Point, Excel or Access).

In order for staff to become proficient, the District is offering a series of classes, self-paced instruction (including videotapes, CDs, online training) mentoring and practice. Passing a series of tests will give the user the required certification.

The next step in competency is to become an “information integrator,” one who uses their technological proficiency in the classroom. Teachers have begun immersion training to help them earn this certification. Rather than concentrating on the software, teachers (as students) were given one and a half hours training (during a seven-day course) on Power Point, Kid Picks Studio and Hyper Studio, then asked to use one of the softwares on a project during the rest of the class. The purpose: to propel and inspire learning.

“The computer and software is secondary,” stresses Siemers, a former teacher with 20 years experience. “It’s like pencil and paper. Just tools they must learn to use effectively to be better teachers.”

What’s next?

With the new networks in place, staff computers upgraded and staff training well underway, the District has turned its attention to technology upgrades that are student focused.

“People often think we’re only talking about computers when we discuss technology upgrades,” says Siemer, “but that’s not the case. Upgrading technology for students includes printers, video, digital cameras, computers, digital and still photography, scanners, VCRs, TVs and video editing.”

The District wants to get new technology in the hands of students as soon as possible. A recognition of everything that has been accomplished in the first year of the levy makes one realize that students are close to having the latest available technology at their fingertips. And all thanks to the voters of the Lake Washington School District.