Date: May 18, 2009To: Michael GreenFrom: Steve RipplSubject: Tech Dept. Executive Summary
Summer is almost upon us, so we in Tech are making plans now that it's clearer what next year will look like in the various schools. We're talking with principals and teachers and lining up what be our summer projects. A new computer lab in the Middle School, extra classroom computers, upgrading the software that runs the website (something that was on the list last summer but we never got round to), integrating our on line calendars with the new CalDAV server, finishing the K-6 Student Progress System as well as all the usual server and workstation maintenance and room changes are some of what we have so far. We're not making the same magnitude of global change as last summer when we altered our network topology and security setup, so I predict (and hope!) things will be a little calmer in September!
I'm also planning some website work sessions for teachers to drop in on. James and I will host a couple of short sessions on basic class web pages on our regular site and Mark Knudson is planning a 3 day "intensive" on Moodle which I hope teachers will get a lot out of. I think that Moodle is a great tool for staff, students and even parents, and I hope it will have more prominence as we move forwards.
Right now we're still in the process of moving Staff over onto our new email and calendar system. It's a slow process but anyone that hasn't been moved over by the summer will get moved over then, that way the whole District will be on the new system in September. We'll have training/introduction sessions for those that want it just before the start of next year, but the feedback so far from Staff has been very positive, the new application is very straight forward and easy to use.