The Darien Times

Technology drives Darien students' learning and school budget

Written by David DesRoches
Thursday, February 02, 2012 01:00 PM

Document cameras, tablet computers, interactive pens and touch screen computers are a few of the emerging technologies that Darien Schools could have more access to next year. This "learning lab" would cost $7,000 and would give teachers an opportunity to experiment with new tools.

Christina Hefele, technology and data coordinator for the schools, said teachers could borrow this equipment to see what works for them.

"This will us to fully understand how a technology could be used in a classroom before making large purchases for the district," Hefele said at the Jan. 17 Board of Education meeting.

Despite this message of frugality, the schools proposed an increase in technology spending of nearly 65% to $350,000 next year, which is roughly $5,000 more than what was spent in 2008-09. "This year... is more in line with what the original plans were in technology," said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Judith Pandolfo.

Technology spending was set as a priority in 2005, but it has been a source for scaling back over the past few years. In 2009-10, the technology budget was sliced from $380,000 to $210,000, and the final amount spent was less than $160,000. The year after that, Darien Schools spent $186,000 on technology, and the final amount for this year is $212,000.

Hefele said it's important to update and maintain technology to foster learning. Hefele was hired in September, and is working with IT Director Jeffrey Adams on the next three-year technology plan for the schools. This year is the last year of a three-year plan that began in 2009.

Among the new items proposed for purchase next year includes 25 Smart boards for the middle school at $50,000; 65 classroom computers for the elementary schools for $65,000; and 84 tablet computers, such as an iPad, for $44,100.

"We get a lot of requests from teachers who say, 'We need an iPad,'" Hefele said. "I say, 'What are you going to do with it? I'm not sure that's necessarily what you need.'"

Hefele said a number of factors determine what tool would work best in a given environment, such as speed of the computer, battery life and ease of use. Even though it's unclear how these tablets would be used, Hefele suggested purchasing a dozen e-readers and a dozen tablet computers per school.

"We really need to evaluate with the schools" to determine specific needs, she said. "I want to crawl before we walk... I want to have some devices, district devices, so we can really figure out what that looks like for the teachers."

Board of Ed Chairman Betsy Hagerty-Ross appeared hesitant to support the purchase of some items. "This information is new to us," she said. "Eighty-four iPads — that's a lot to take in in one year... Maybe put a few of those in the learning lab, and not 12 in each school."

Hefele also suggested the schools spend $10,500 for six new interactive white boards for the special education classrooms. These work like Smart boards except it involves a normal white board that becomes interactive with a special projector. These expenses, along with the e-readers and tablets, were labeled "student interactive tools" and would cost $68,700.

"As we decide what makes sense, and utilize those tools in real learning with the students, we would have cost savings in the future," Hefele said.

Smart boards at the middle school also surprised some school board members, as they wondered why they were never installed when the schools put Smart boards in all the elementary schools six years ago.

It was initially a pilot program at the elementary level, but Smart-board use has become inextricably woven into the curriculum now, Pandolfo said. Middle school teachers were issued tablet computers instead of the Smart boards, as it was thought that these teachers taught in different rooms and it made more sense to give them an impermanent device. The administration has since learned that many of these tablets aren't being used.

"Tablets never caught on with the teachers at the middle school," Hefele said. "It didn't seem to meet the needs."

Putting Smart boards in the middle school would take three years to complete, with 25 added each year. All classrooms are outfitted with wireless projectors and only need the interactive white board, Hefele said.

"The interactive nature of the Smart technologies allows teachers to record each step of a lesson activity for students to review at a later time," Hefele said. It can also be used to create interactive activities, engage students visually in lessons, and provide opportunities for students to collaborate.

Smart boards currently in place at kindergarten through second-grade classrooms in town will be lowered because their installation height is too high. Lowering the boards would require the purchase of 60 new brackets for $18,000. Children currently use stools to interact with the boards.

Board member Amy Bell asked why they were never installed at the right height to begin with. Pandolfo said the installers worked with what they had, and had to build around classroom obstacles to make it fit as the now-available brackets were not on the market when the boards were initially installed.

Computers for special education teachers are also scheduled to be replaced. This purchase has been deferred for a number of years, and the district is proposing to spend and additional $50,000 over the next two fiscal years to purchase 50 laptops to replace the aging desktops.

"This will help support the ongoing mobility that is often required of the special education teachers as they push-in to various classrooms," Hefele said.

The music Mac lab at the high school is scheduled for a software upgrade, which would cost $30,000. The six-year old language labs at the high school are also set for software upgrades for $45,000. Other district-wide software upgrades will cost $35,000.

Board member Morgan Whittier suggested the schools survey the students to see how many have their own personal devices that could be used, rather than purchasing new ones. Hefele said she would look into that option.

Electronic textbooks are also becoming an increasingly popular option at the schools. They are, however, still in their infancy, and many publishers are still figuring out how best to create electronic versions of textbooks, Hefele said.

A public hearing to discuss the Board of Ed's proposed 2012-13 budget will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Town Hall, and the board is scheduled to vote on its budget on Tuesday, Feb. 14. A copy of the proposed budget is available at DarienTimes.com

ddesroches@darientimes.com

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