DeKalb School System’s Technology for our Schools and Homes
Ms. Ramona Tyson, the DeKalb County School System's Associate Superintendent for Management Information Systems

Emory LaVista Parent Council
March 20, 2008
Shamrock Middle School

Call to order and introductions:
The meeting was called to order by Co-Presidents Faye Andresen and Terracer Earnest at
9:15 a.m. Mr. Dave Johnson, Assistant Principal of Shamrock Middle School, greeted the audience on behalf of the school. School board members, principals, and county school system officials introduced themselves. The , was introduced.

Ms. Tyson gave an overview of the school system's latest initiatives in the area of technology upgrades, a presentation titled "DeKalb County School System Technology: For our Schools and our Homes." Ms. Tyson began by thanking the school board for its support of technology advancements within the system.
The upcoming improvements to the schools in the area of technology are all funded by SPLOST III. The improvements are all part of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the district, and they are items #15 ($19,418,581) and #27 ($10,000) on the district's comprehensive CIP list.
The first release of funds occurred in February, and schools are scheduled for technology upgrades from April 2008 until January 2009. Principals recently received the schedule; 3-4 schools will be done at a time. The upgrades include new computers, printers, "smart boards," cable upgrades, assistive technology, administrative growth, furniture, scanners, and professional services. A limitation of the new funding is that it cannot be spent on software.
The district had identified $150,000,000 in technology needs, and the total available for the upgrades is far less than this. Ms. Tyson explained that not every need can be addressed, but that her department has worked on a plan that allocates the available funds as equitably as possible. For instance, older facilities will need to have more extensive upgrades than newly-built schools, which are already equipped for the most recent computers, smart boards, etc. In response to questions about Title I schools, which often get more Federal funding for technology than non-Title I schools, Ms. Tyson explained that some of these kinds of allocation decisions will need to be made by the Superintendent. Also, she explained that no school will be penalized for having purchased computers or other technology with PTA funds, corporate funds, or other sources.
Other key points:
- Training of teachers will be a main consideration. While many recent college graduates have technology certifications, teachers who have been in the system longer may need additional training.
- Buildings that are not yet wireless will receive computers on carts that can be positioned near wireless access points.
- The funding will cover 1000-2000 smart boards (the contract is still being negotiated, so an exact figure is not yet available). These boards will not necessarily be in every classroom, but attempts will be made to place these boards in locations within the school where they will benefit the maximum number of students.
- The immediate next step for the district will be a "computer classroom refresh project." A project manager will be assigned to each school, and the project manager will work with principals on allocating the computers assigned to each school. Quantities will be allocated depending on the school's enrollment as of October 2007, with a recognition that with shifting enrollments there may have to be some re-calibrating in the future.
- For every new computer brought into a school, an old computer will need to be relinquished. This is an attempt to alleviate the backlog of service and repair requests that happen when older computers remain part of the district's inventory.
- All progress will be tracked on the DCSS website, using a red, yellow, and green code system. The goal will be to keep each project on "green."
- Non-CIP technology projects are also in the works, including a new student information system. The new system will track attendance, discipline, master schedules, and grades. "Parent Portal" will be expanded to cover the elementary schools. In response to a question about whether the new system would include a method for notifying parents of school incidents/emergencies, Ms. Tyson acknowledged the importance a parent notification system, but pointed out that SPLOST resources are finite. A proposal for a notification system for Lakeside High School has been submitted to the Lakeside High School Foundation.
Announcements and adjournment:
The next meeting will be Wednesday, April 16 at Medlock Elementary School. The topic will be "Athletics—Team Sports, Booster Clubs, and County Department Responsibilities," presented by Ron Sebree, DeKalb County School System Athletic Director.
The meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.
Submitted by Roxanne Brown, substitute Recording Secretary

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Regards,

Emory Lavista Parent Council

Terracer Earnest, Co-President
Faye Andresen, Co-President
Roxanne Brown, Vice President
Polly Wills, Recording Secretary
Donna Tolme, Corresponding Secretary
Karen Zeliff, Community Relations