Mt. Greylock Regional School District Academic Technology Plan
School Year 2017-2018

Benchmark 1 - Commitment to a Clear Vision and Implementation Strategies
MRGSD is committed to providing a quality educational environment that recognizes diversity in student backgrounds, individual learning styles, and varying abilities, a broad range of technologies and support for faculty, academic requirements and classrooms. MGRSD Academic Technology works to provide students and staff with powerful digital tools that can be used to engage, instruct and excite. MGRSD is working to create a learning environment based on seamless inclusion of technology in classroom instruction and school management. Technology is no longer an extra or supplemental material found in some classrooms, MGRSD is working to provide our school with the tools needed to make technology an ubiquitous part of learning.

MGRSD is also committed to providing teachers with the necessary training and reliable support required to successfully implement technology. Teachers will be provided with significant opportunities to learn about and share ideas related to many topics in educational technology. Through both required and optional professional development opportunities as well an extensive ongoing support, MGRSD teachers will learn to challenge their students with engaging instructional practices built on a foundation of access to technology tools.

Academic Technology Goals
MGRSD is committed to achieving goals in the area of educational technology. These goals represent a district vision that strives to provide teachers with the best training and tools available along with providing students with the skills required to succeed in our schools, in college and in the workplace.

❏ Provide effective technology training and support for all staff
❏ Provide excellent hardware and applications for instruction, learning, and management
❏ Provide a safe online learning environment for activities on our school network
❏ Provide collaborative opportunities for staff and students to share ideas and creations
❏ All students must meet grade level Technology Literacy Standards
❏ Implement a Learning Management System that supports our Google School environment

Benchmark 2 - Technology Integration and Literacy
MGRSD Academic Technology provides all students and staff with the tools and training needed to successfully build a learning environment rich with technology. Students will learn about technology whileusing digital tools during their academic career at MGRSD. Students will be expected to meet yearly Technology Literacy Standards. These standards provide a foundation for technological skills and exploration.

MGRSD 1:1 Initiative
MGRSD is looking to provide every 7 - 12th grade student with a web-based mobile device through an initiative to create a 1:1 technology learning environment. MGRSD’s 1:1 initiative is meant to provide students with learning environment that will best prepare them for college and the workplace. Students will have a mobile device to use throughout the school day and at home. While the format of this 1:1 program The infusion of this device will allow for the extension of learning beyond the classroom walls.

In its initial phase during the 2017-2018 school year, all MGRSD 8th grade students will be provided with a chromebook. The chromebook will be a source of student engagement and instruction with the use of applications, web-based software, and ebooks.

MGRSD Technology Literacy Goals

❏ All teachers take part in ongoing technology literacy training
❏ All teachers will use some form of technology everyday
❏ All students will use some form of technology everyday
❏ All students will have the opportunity to participate in MGRSD Maker Space and Robotics programs
❏ All teachers will use technology daily to improve student learning and enhance curriculum
❏ 7th and 8th grade students and staff will participate in Digital Citizenship training
❏ Students are working to meet all Massachusetts Technology Literacy Standards
❏ All 8th grade students will learn in a 1:1 computing environment with a chromebook

Benchmark 3 - Technology Professional Development:
All MGRSD teachers will receive extensive training and ongoing support to help them learn about technology and prepare students for life in the digital world. Technology professional development is administered throughout the school year and is led by both the Director of Academic Technology and academic area teachers. MGRSD Academic Technology is very proud of the staff and its commitment to technology. We are also very excited by the growing number of teachers learning professional development sessions for their peers.

While connected to Academic Technology, Teachers Teaching Teachers and the Tech Camp Series will be budgeted through the Professional Development allocation of the Williams College Fund.

Teachers Teaching Teachers
MGRSD Academic Technology is working to prepare and encourage teachers to lead more professional development sessions for their peers. The use of full and half day professional development as well as faculty meetings has been a powerful tool for sharing ideas and allowing teachers to explore applications.. Teachers are encouraged to create technology session which can be attended by other teachers according to needs or interest. These session have been excellent facilitators for collaboration. 

Tech Camp Series
MGRSD offers professional development workshops once a month. The Tech Camp program was created in an effort to provide ongoing education and support for the staff in many areas of educational technology. Teachers attend the sessions in a workshop type of environment and receive professional development points based on the content hours. Topics include interactive classroom technology, organizational classroom management applications and software for engaging students.

Late Summer Professional Development Conference
MGRSD teachers will be introduced to the district’s technology in an Opening PD Conference to be held during late August. This optional three day academic technology camp will be planned in an effort to provide both new and veteran teachers with opportunities to refresh basic skills, learn about new tools and applications, and share technology ideas through collaboration during the camp.

Year-Long Professional Development Workshops
As a follow-up to the Opening PD Conference, staff will have the opportunity to attend school-wide professional development sessions during the school year. These sessions will provide more training and support for many of the concepts and tools learned about during the opening technology camp. The sessions will allow more time for district technology needs to be met and greater opportunity for teacher collaboration. Teachers can use some of the time to share how they have implemented tools and applications. Teachers may also be able to share some of the student work created using technology during the school year.

MGRSD Technology Professional Development Opportunities

❏ Opening PD Conference - Three Day PD Conference
❏ Tech Camp Series
❏ Year long Professional Development Workshops
❏ Ongoing Daily School Based Support and Training from MGSRD Technology Department
❏ Opportunities to attend off site professional development and technology seminars

Benchmark 4 - Accessibility to Technology
MGRSD is committed to providing students and staff with outstanding access to technology. Teachers will be supported with the use of all technology and be encouraged to seek ways to engage students with new applications. MGRSD Academic Technology will continue to provide necessary licensed software and online subscriptions but will seek the implementation of more web-based application including OER (Open Source Resources).

Student and Teacher Accessible Technology

❏ 1:1 MGRSD 8th Grade Chromebook Initiative
❏ Students and teacher access to computer technology in every academic classroom
❏ Access to web-based mobile devices in school
❏ Accessibility to latest and most relevant web-based software licensing and subscriptions