The Staunton City Schools Educational Technology Plan

Executive Summary

The purpose of this revision to the Staunton City Schools 2016-2018 Educational Technology Plan is to update the direction the division has moved and the achievements accomplished. We have also incorporated the state led initiatives and goals to our plan to make positive strides over the next two years for our students, division and community. We have incorporated new goals, objectives and strategies and support evidence comments within this expanded technology plan for the division. We continue to strive to empower staff to integrate technology into administration and education for ALL of our students as we prepare them to become lifelong learners, collaborators and citizens. The Vision and Mission included in this technology plan mirror the division Vision and Mission, called Core Beliefs, found online at: http://tinyurl.com/scscorebeliefs and pictured on the next page of this document.

Some of the highlights of the plan include:

  • Providing a safe technological environment to educate users to conduct online activities safely.

  • Continue professional development with emphasis on technology integration into teaching and learning activities to provide rich student engagement and promote high levels of achievement.

  • Continue to develop a path toward anytime, anywhere information resource support for learning for all students regardless of background or privilege.

  • Enhancing and growing our high-speed, high-bandwidth infrastructure to support current and future internet applications and educational demands.

  • Ensure progress towards mastery of 21st Century skills for teachers and students.

  • Enhance opportunities for all stakeholders to collaborate, create, and share meaningful and purposeful content whether via cloud based opportunities or in person.

  • Continue our close alignment with the Educational Technology Plan for Virginia.

As this technology original technology plan was completed, the economy has generated at least two cycles of greatly decreased budgets at the state and local levels. The current state of the economy makes accomplishment of some of our technology goals and objectives especially challenging. Staunton City Schools will strive to make the most of the resources (human, financial, technological) available to provide the best possible learning environment for our students.

As of the writing of the 2016-2018 revision, the economic outlook has steadied with minor fluctuations in student enrollment. Funding for technology integration is supported from VSPA bond funds, E-Rate allowances, local dollars and business grants and donations which are being sought after. In human resources we are experiencing a stable balance in resources to support our goals and are optimistic of a passed budget allowing SCS forward motion in adding to our data support and analysis during the 2016-2017 school year.