Information Services Final Report on School Visits

March and April, 2005

John Prince, Marcus Thimm , Anita Tjaden and Janine Shelley met with groups of elementary, middle, and high school principals. All U46 principals were invited to attend meetings with one or two teachers. Two-hour meetings took place after school during March and April, 2005. The purpose of meetings was to gather information that would drive the district technology age and obsolescence plan. Representatives from a majority of U46 schools were able to attend the meetings. The following is a summary of those visits.

All school representatives were asked whether funds should be used to up-grade technology, or whether instead they should be used to hire more teachers. Schools unanimously recommended that technology be upgraded. The following are their reasons for using funds in this manner:

o Students must be able to use technologies so they are prepared to compete in a technological society

o State standards and the roadmap include use of technologies

o Our way of life is very technologically oriented

o We may be the student's only source of technology access

o Not using technology would mean going backwards, and would leave children behind

o Technology can raise student scores

o Technology is being used for assessment

o If better technology is in place, teachers can deal with larger enrollments

o We need technology to produce literate students.

o Technology accommodates all learning styles and engages students

o Technology will provide more teaching tools with which to work

Click the links below to view each visitation summary:

Elementary School Meetings on Technology

Middle School Meetings on Technology

High School Meetings on Technology