Fowler Jared Siptech Plan
Fowler Jared Siptech Plan
Fowler Jared Siptech Plan
Coahulla Creek High School and the Whitfield County School District share the same mission
and vision. The vision is a valued and dynamic school district that prepares students for success
in a global community. The mission is to maximize student learning by providing challenging
and engaging educational experiences in a safe and supportive environment.
What are the targeted areas for improvement (ex. fourth-grade math, improved LA scores for
ESOL population, etc.) and the specific goals related to this improvement area that are set
forth in the SIP (ex. % gain in CRCT scores)?
The targeted areas for improvement and specific goals related to these areas in Coahulla Creeks
SIP are:
How does your SIP address the needs of diverse populations regarding digital technology
equity for low SES and gender groups (ie. females) and assistive technology for disabled
learners? If it does not, what are your recommendations?
The SIP for Coahulla Creek does not address the diverse populations regarding digital equity.
Coahulla Creek does have a separate technology plan. In the school’s technology plan, a cart
containing 15 Chromebooks is designated for special education purposes. The first goal of the
technology plan addresses access to digital devices for students. It mentions providing access to
internet-ready devices. The only guidance is adding Chromebooks and Chromebook carts as
funding permits. The second goal of the technology plan addresses instructional technology. One
component identifies providing students with technology integrated options for outputting
classwork. This component provides students with choice when providing final products for
class assignments. The second component of this goal is to provide students with opportunities to
earn course credits online. The programs identified in this component are Edgenuity, Georgia
Virtual School, and WCOLA (Whitfield County Online Learning Academy). A third component
of the second goal is improving student learning outcomes using online tools for RTI. The
resources mentioned in the component include Edgenuity, MyPath, and AIMSWeb.
I would recommend the technology plan address the low SES demographic more sufficiently.
Students who qualify for free/reduced lunch could be given priority for the distribution of
school-issued Chromebooks. Grants could be sought to provide students with MiFi hotspots in
the home at significantly reduced cost or possibly free for a limited amount of time. T-Mobile,
AT&T, and Spectrum are some of the providers offering programs in the school’s geographic
location.
How is technology included in the SIP? In what ways is student technology literacy included
as a goal in your SIP? If it is not, what are your recommendations?
The only mention of technology in the SIP for Coahulla Creek is in the professional learning
plan. The technology plan for the school addresses several different areas, but there is no
mention of student technology literacy in either document. My recommendation to address this
gap would be to have students complete designated online courses through commonsense.org.
This website offers a set of lessons for each grade level which could be completed during
designated advisement periods throughout the school year. These lessons address a variety of
topics related to digital citizenship.
Why is technology addressed (or not addressed!) as it is? For example, does school/district
culture or history contribute to the way the SIP addresses technology? [Possible
Unstructured Field Experience if interviewing others to find this history.]
Technology is not addressed in the SIP but is addressed in a separate technology plan. The
school system has a history of using the SIP to address educational goals such as increasing
performance on standardized tests or increasing graduation rates. Technology goals and issues
are addressed in each school’s technology plan. The school system views these documents
independently.
Are you pleased with the current treatment of technology-related issues in the SIP? Why or
why not?
I am not pleased with the current treatment of technology-related issues in our SIP. I believe
technology is a critical component of reaching the school’s educational goals. The inclusion of
technology in the SIP will aid administrators, teachers, and stakeholders in identifying how
technology will be implemented to reach the educational goals set by the school. The SIP should
be a document where individuals can see the educational goals set by the school and how they
plan to reach those goals, including the implementation of technology.
Would you like to see technology issues represented differently in future SIPs? Why?
I would like to see technology issues represented differently in future SIPs. I believe below each
educational goal should be a technology section. This section should specifically address how
technology will be used to aid or enhance instruction while progressing towards the school’s
educational goals. I think technology needs or requirements should be directly listed under each
goal for administrators, teachers, and stakeholders to see how specific technologies will be used
to address specific goals.
How might technology be integrated more effectively into your SIP in the future?
I would like to simply see more technology integration into the SIP. Specifics should be provided
such as how technology will be utilized to meet the diverse learning needs of ELLs, students of
low SES, and students with disabilities. These areas are typically your lower-scoring
demographics, so the implementation of technology in these groups is extremely critical.
What are your first thoughts of how technology could contribute toward achieving the
mission/vision/goals set forth in the SIP?
What are the main curriculum goals in your district’s technology plan?
The goals identified in the Whitfield County Schools Technology Plan are listed below:
Access
Instructional Technology
Administrative Technology
Staff Readiness
1. Utilize technology to support the professional growth of all staff, which will result in
maximum learning for all students.
What strategies are outlined for achieving these goals?
There are a variety of strategies identified in the technology plan. The strategies identified here
are identified under the Access, Instructional Technology, and Staff Readiness goals. The
technology director and principals will ensure all instructional classrooms will meet the district
technology standards. The district/school will provide students access to internet-ready devices.
The district will ensure schools use approved software programs and accompanying materials
which support research-based instructional strategies in each curriculum area. The
district/schools will pursue an increased ratio of digital assignments that align with the 4Cs.
Teachers and students will incorporate digital citizenship best practices across the curriculum.
Schools will use district-provided tools for data-based instructional, decision-making, and
design. The district/schools will provide instructional technology training and coaching for
school library media specialists to build capacity. The district will provide training to improve
and support digital instruction as it relates to each curriculum area. Administrations and
technology coordinators will help build and maintain professional development platforms to
serve faculty. Administration and technology coordinators will ensure ongoing collaboration at
school and district locations.
Does the plan seem achievable over the designated timeline? Why?
The timeline for the technology plan is designated as of July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2021. I do not
think the plan is 100% achievable in the designated timeline. The COVID pandemic has caused
significant shifts in priority since the creation of this plan. I believe the funding will be present
due to the availability of new grants being offered in response to the pandemic. The largest
challenge will be the training provided to students and staff. Training opportunities have
significantly decreased over the past year due to COVID restrictions. Our district’s staff has done
an admirable job, but the task simply became too daunting.
I believe the plan can be improved in a few key areas. There needs to be more focus on training
the students to properly use the technology which is being provided to them. Students lack the
skills to maximize the benefits of the devices and software at their disposal. The Google platform
used by the school has many excellent capabilities and extensions that the students aren’t
properly utilizing. The plan could be improved by directly addressing the technological needs of
our low SES, ELL, and students with disabilities demographics. These groups of students are not
specifically identified in any of the district goals or strategies.
What could you, in your current or a future position, do to help support the implementation
of the plan?
I can use my current position to support the implementation of the plan in several different ways.
Participating in professional learning programs like this ITEC program is giving me the skills
needed to support technology implementation in the classroom. I can continue to improve my
technology implementation in my classroom. I can model proper digital citizenship for my
students as I communicate with them virtually or in class. I can ensure the digital assignments
and activities I provide encourage critical thinking and creativity in the students as well as
collaboration and communication among students. These strategies will be in alignment with
several of the technology plan’s goals and strategies.
How does the plan address the needs of diverse populations regarding digital technology
equity for low SES and gender groups (ie. females) and assistive technology for disabled
learners? If it does not, what are your recommendations?
I believe the plan can be improved by addressing the needs of our low SES demographic. We are
not a 1:1 system and this has caused a significant amount of strain during the pandemic. The
system’s technology department was forced to “refurbish” approximately 2,000 Chromebooks to
provide devices to secondary students with no device in their home. There is no mention of
assistive technologies for ELLs or students with disabilities. I believe these technologies should
be addressed in the plan. The district serves approximately 2,000 ELL students and 1,800
students with IEPs. This means more than a quarter of the district’s students would benefit from
these assistive technologies.
The technology plan aligns with the SIP by supporting increased learning and engagement.
When instructional technology is effectively implemented, students are challenged and engaged.
The activation of higher-order thinking skills will naturally increase learning which will increase
achievement including achievement on standardized tests. Students who are engaged and
challenged will not become bored or frustrated with school, thereby increasing attendance and
eventually graduation rates. The integration of technology and professional learning in the
technology plan will help aid the development of professional learning communities in the
school as we examine data as a staff.
Stakeholders are made aware of the new technology plans and any amendments. Stakeholders
can find the technology plan through the district website under the Technology Departments’
page. Stakeholders can also see the implementation of technology through Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram. The Instructional Technology Department has its own Facebook page and
website, which is made available to stakeholders and the public.
The school system is doing a good job of implementing the technology plan given the current
situation in education. Like most systems, Whitfield County was not prepared for the sudden
shift to total virtual learning. The Technology Department and Instructional Technology
Directors have done an amazing job of providing training to staff and preparing devices for
individual distribution. The goals and strategies of the technology plan are still in place but are
fluid and adapting as new challenges arise.
What strategies could be implemented to help accelerate the adoption of the plan?
Adoption of the plan could be accelerated through more professional learning for educators. I
understand there are issues given COVID, but even asynchronous professional learning
opportunities would be beneficial. The biggest hurdle right now for schools is teachers’
frustration due to a lack of familiarity with the technology and its capabilities. Proper training
can reduce frustration and create enthusiasm to try new things. On-site technology coaches
would also be a great asset to have to increase the implementation of technology in the
classroom.
Resources
Coahulla Creek High School, (2018). Coahulla Creek High School 2017-2020 technology plan.
Coahulla Creek High School (2020). Coahulla Creek High School schoolwide improvement plan.
Whitfield County Schools, (2020). Whitfield County Schools three-year technology plan.