Welcome to Colonial Heights Public Schools

Office of Technology and Learning

Major Technology Projects and Initiatives

2005-2006 School Year

The Office of Technology and Learning has been busy implementing many new initiatives related to technology in the school system.

Having a COW in the Classroom! (Computers on Wheels)

This school year, to promote the integration of technology by our teachers, we are deploying Computers on Wheels in our schools. So we’re having a COW in the classroom! These rigs have been very popular with teachers, and they’re used almost constantly. For this school year, we’re deploying two at the high school, one for the Tech Center, two at the middle school, two at Tussing, and one at Lakeview and North.

Each cart has a nice Gateway laptop, which is connected to the cart with a security cable so that it doesn’t walk off. The laptop is connected to speakers and a Mitsubishi LCD projector. The carts are equipped with an attached power strip.

The COWs have been such a big hit, that we’ll be requesting more of them in the budget proposal for next school year.

Wireless Networking to Crossroads Day School

To improve connectivity for Crossroads Day School, a high speed wireless connection has been installed that connects Crossroads Day School to Colonial Heights Middle School. The broadband wireless connection provides better connectivity for students to access NovaNET, a system that supports the curriculum used at our alternative school. The wireless connection also provides faster access to the web, email, and the network for staff working in the building.

Implementation of Instructional Technology Integration Specialists

We are excited to have Buddy Palatiere and Debbie Mayes on board to provide leadership in instructional technology integration. Mr. Palatiere will serve as our Instructional Technology Integration Specialist - Secondary, and Mrs. Mayes as Instructional Technology Integration Specialist - Elementary.

Summer projects and Upgrading Classroom Computers

Summer 2005: The Office of Technology and Learning was very busy this summer. We set the bar high for ourselves this summer, and fairly ambitious plans (too ambitous?) were made for various technology upgrades, improvements, and projects. We removed the older Compaq Deskpro computers from our schools that dated to around 1997, and added over three hundred new Gateway E-2300 computers. Tthe existing Gateway E-3400 computers received a memory upgrade, and an operating system upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP.