Tech Team - Technology Activities 2008-09

2008-09 was an interesting year for the Technology Team, dealing with Hurricane Ike, floods, budget cuts, faculty laptops in the 3rd year, etc. Below is a brief overview of everything that happened in technology at St. John's in 2008-09.

Infrastructure

• Implemented a new spam filter
• Installed a new firewall
• The new firewall allows increased VPN access and we have begun training teachers to use this new tool

Hardware

• Replaced all faculty laptops and tablets
• Replaced the laptops in one of the LS cart.
  • Made the changeover during the school year with positive results
  • 20 teachers wanted a tablet
• Finished installing AV setups in all of the remaining instructional spaces
  • All classrooms on campus now have a projector, DVD/VCR, and sound system
• 8 Activboards installed
  • 3 in the LS and one AB2
  • 2 in the MS
  • 1 in the US
  • 1 in Fine Arts
• 4 Activotes purchased for the LS & US
• Purchased 90 new laptops to upgrade present laptop cart machines
• Continued to work with yearbook staff on photography archiving
• Updated the carts used to hold laptops in the US Science
• Updated All Laptop Carts for Biology, Chemistry & Physics
• Integrated a cart of Tablet PCs into Dr. Raulston's Math classes
• Upgraded the computers in Study Halls S105 & W205 and in the Debate Team room

Software

• AlertNow for Emergency Contact
  • 7 successful calls made during Hurricane Ike and 2 made during the spring flood

Training

• Integration Institute, Year 5 (Advanced)
• Online book discussion for faculty: Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds
• Session for Breakthrough Houston student faculty members about technology integration in research projects

Website

• Transitioned US Grades & Comments along with report cards to the website
• Continued to require parents to make all contact changes through the website
  • Critical now that information from their profile is fed in to AlertNow to be used in emergency situations
• Implemented Mentor Groups to facilitate alums communicating with each other
• Continued to use the website for events
  • Sold tickets to Kinkaid game
  • All summercamp registrations

Curriculum Initiatives

• Increased use of SJS Forum and SJS Wiki in MS and US for instruction and student collaboration
• Successful Skype contacts in MS and US

Presentations

• Participated in the 21st Century Classroom of the Future at NAIS
  • Facilitated a Round Table Discussion on Technology in Troubling Times
• One of the founding bloggers for the NAIS discussion on Technology in Troubling Times
• Hosted the SPC Technology Directors Meeting
• Hosted multiple public and private schools to investigate Activboards
• Led a Parent Book Discussion on Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind
• Led the Upper School Faculty Book Group Discussion on Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind
• Co-Presented a session on podcasting and digital storytelling at NCTE with Harriet Reynolds, Kem Kemp and Sharon Fabriz