Mrs. Starnes
We are happy to report that we now have SMARTBoards in four classrooms, including the media center. We have six document cameras installed, one in each grade level. The teachers and students are thrilled to be using these exciting technologies and can’t wait for them to be in every classroom!
The sign out front was completed to show our progress toward reaching our technology goals. There are many people who helped to make this sign possible. The Adey family created the initial sign that was used for the playground drive. The Doherty family prepped, painted, and treated the sign to prepare it for our new initiative. Our principal, Mr. Robert Kanach, donated the new plywood boards and painted them with a primer. Mrs. Starnes (intervention teacher), Stephanie Starnes, Mrs. Williams (5 th grade teacher), Ms. Debbie Isaacs (PTA), and Mrs. Julie Willson (PTA), all gathered to paint the design on the sign. Mr. Bart Williams hung the new plywood boards on the sign posts. Thank you to everyone for taking the time to participate in this process.
We’d like to thank the Lothian Elementary community and PTA for all of the wonderful support given to fundraising efforts.
STORY TELLER NIGHT
Mrs. Starnes
The story teller night was a great success. Everyone enjoyed pizza, drinks, and some wonderful story time. This event raised $460.00. We’d like to thank Mrs. Phelps for organizing this event, all of the teachers who volunteered their evening time, and especially Ms. Lita Millan, our story teller.
DOLLARS FOR DARES
Mrs. Starnes
The entire school has had a lot of fun with the Dollars for Dares drive. All together $2,330.49 was donated! This would not have been possible without all of the staff members who were brave enough to put their names forward for a month of “daring” possibilities, and our fabulous community and their generous donations. The date for the Mr. Kanach and Mr. Young to perform their dares will be announced soon. A Special thanks goes to the six kids who faithfully ran the voting booths: B. Carwile, D. Hedler, K. Poe, A. Starnes, D.l Starnes, and K. Zevely.
BUSINESS CONTRIBUTORS
Mrs. Starnes
We’d like to thank our two business contributors for this month. Michael Starnes gave a monetary donation to our technology fund, and Mr. Starnes’ company, Pitney Bowes, added to the donation by 50 cents on the dollar. Mr. Bart Williams donated his services to hang the new technology drive sign out front.
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Introduction
The Lothian Elementary School Technology Committee has developed a plan which will bring current educational technology into the hands of the teachers and students of Lothian Elementary School. The committee members examined a variety of educational technologies and targeted the ones that best met the school’s needs and showed potential for impact on student learning.
Vision Statement
The teachers and students of Lothian Elementary School are immersed in technology rich environments which enhance and accelerate student learning in all content areas, and prepare our students for twenty-first century work and life skills.
Technology Initiative Goals
Brief Description of Technologies
Kodak Easy Share Cameras – Photographs are powerful visual tools to motivate and direct students. Digital cameras are becoming more popular as learning tools for classroom teachers and students. Teachers can take pictures that are immediately available and easily transferred from the camera to the computer. Digital cameras and the resulting images can be used by students to complete a variety of projects which facilitate and demonstrate learning.
Epson Projectors – These projectors will hook up to classroom computers and will project what is appearing on the computer monitor. The projectors will provide a means for teachers to share PowerPoints, websites, student made projects, and other resources with students. Document cameras and SMARTBoards need a projector to work.
Document Cameras – These devices look similar to the old overhead projectors. However, their instructional capabilities are staggering in comparison. Document cameras work with a computer and projector to enhance lessons by allowing teachers to share and record live demonstrations, experiments, book readings, sample works, and steps to problems. The document camera also allows teachers to save notes and other documents for later use, printing, and sharing with students who have been absent. Memory cards from digital cameras can be inserted into the document camera for the immediate sharing of trip photographs. Document cameras will eliminate the need and use of overhead transparencies.
SMARTBoards – SMARTBoards look like a white dry erase board. In reality they are a virtual white board that allows the user to interact with the board by touching it. Users can work with any file or program from a computer monitor, including SMARTBoard software, PowerPoint, and Internet Explorer to create compelling and magic-like interactive lessons. The board can also be used like a chalkboard to write and record notes as the teacher is teaching. These pages of notes can be saved, emailed, or printed for students.
Production Studio – A production studio is a powerful tool that will bring the entire school together as a learning community. Student production teams can complete daily morning broadcasts live. Grade levels can create and record mini informational segments on curricular material. All classrooms will be set up to receive these broadcasts.
Research
Current research shows that instructional technology
For more information on current technologies in education research and Maryland Technology Standards, you can visit these websites.
Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology . Educational Support Systems. <http://caret.iste.org>
BECTA . British Education Information and Communications Technology. <http://about.becta.org.uk/ >
International Society for Technology Education . <http://www.iste.org/>
Marlyand State Department of Education , Technology Standards <http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/technology/techstds/>
Projected Cost
6 digital cameras with memory cards and cases $ 955
29 Document Cameras and cables at $ 1,024 per set $ 29,696
29 Epson Projectors at $735 each $ 21,315
28 SMARTBoards , wireless dongles, and installation at $1624 per set $ 43,456
Production Studio $10,000
Total Cost $ 102,343
Lothian Elementary School Technology Committee Members
Amy Brown – Parent, Chris Doherty – Parent, Stephanie Kelly – Office of Instructional Technology, Tammy Phelps – Libray Media Specialist, Patricia Pumphrey – Second Grade Teacher, Beth Starnes – Intervention Specialist,/eCoach, Stephanie Timko – Fifth Grade Teacher, Becky Williams – Fifth Grade Teacher, Audette Wood – Technology Support Technician