Welcome to Colonial Heights Public Schools

Office of Technology and Learning

Major Technology Projects and Initiatives

2006-2007 School Year

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

2006 Summer Technology Institute

August 2006

"Technology a Step Ahead"

Our first CHPS Summer Technology Institute was attended by 109 individual staff members, who learned important skills related to integrating technology into teaching and leanring, while earning recertification points. Teachers and staff from all schools were represented. The Institute was held from July 17 to July 28 and August 14 to August 25, 2006.

Topics covered included: Computer Basics, PowerPoint, Personal Response System, Moodle, How to Search the Internet, Star_Portal, Marco Polo, Test for Higher Standards & e-Tool Kit, SmartBoard Instruction, Computer On Wheels (COW) Instruction, and "Open Computer Time." Classes were well attended.

Classes were taught by Buddy Palatiere and Debbie Mayes, with one day of Moodle instruction provided by Bea Cantor from Powhatan County Schools, and the first two days of Star_Portal training provided by Nick Kolodziejski, from Century Consultants.

Student Information System – Upgrade and Migration

Summer 2006

After months of project management and planning, we deployed major upgrades to our Star_Base student information system this summer. We now have three finely tuned servers that work together in our new and improved Star_Base system. All three are Oracle application servers. The former Star_Base server (installed during the summer of 2004) was upgraded to a new version of Windows Server and the latest version of Oracle, while we have two new servers for Star_Student Web Server and for Star_Portal.

Star_Student Web Server and Star_Portal have many new features that make it an easy to use system for teachers and administrators to manage student information. It also has enhanced capabilities for the reporting of data to the Virginia Department of Education.

Star_Portal

Star_Portal is a web-based system with a user-friendly interface, designed to make it easier for teachers to manage student information and records. After logging in to Star_Portal with his or her web browser, a teacher is one click away from being able to easily manage student information, access class schedules, post attendance, and utilize the user friendly gradebook. Star_Portal is tightly integrated with the Star_Base student information system so it greatly expedites the reporting of grades. Teachers at Colonial Heights Middle School and Colonial Heights High School are now using Star_Portal for recording student attendance, and a small number of teachers at middle school and high school have volunteered to participate in a pilot of Star_Portal’s gradebook.

New Online Application System

November 2006

Colonial Heights City Schools has deployed a new Online Application System. Please visit our Employment page for more information, and to apply online for vacancies with the school division.

New Presentation System for the Tech Center’s Audio-Visual Room

January 2007

On Tuesday, January 16th, the IT company Attronica installed a new plasma video monitor for presentations during School Board meetings, and a new ceiling mounted LCD projector for School Board meetings, training sessions, and other presentations. This presentation system will serve to enhance audio-visual communications and presentations in this facility.

Wireless Networking and Connectivity in our Schools

February 2007

We now have newly installed and configured D-Link DWL-3200AP wireless access points throughout the Colonial Heights High School building, Technical Center building, and Colonial Heights Middle School building. This has proven to be a reliable wireless technology, and we saved thousands of dollars by using the D-Link solution, when compared with the option of using expensive Cisco wireless equipment.

Wireless Coverage Throughout the High School and Middle School

The purpose was to build a wireless infrastructure that will provide wireless coverage throughout each school. This new wireless infrastructure and its capabilities will help to accomplish Objective 9 in our Comprehensive Plan, related to the establishment of a comprehensive laptop computer program. The utilization of business class D-Link equipment saved the school division thousands of dollars compared to the cost of using Cisco equipment.

The Director of Technology, Mark Webster, researched possible solutions, read case studies, and engineered the wireless networks by developing plans and blueprints. The IT company Attronica was utilized for help with installing and configuring the hardware. The wireless equipment has been installed, configured, and tested to evaluate the wireless coverage throughout the buildings, and to troubleshoot the installations. It is exciting to see teachers and students at the high school and middle school have mobile access to our computer networks throughout the buildings in every classroom!

Power Over Ethernet

Specialized 3Com Power Over Ethernet (POE) switches were installed in the high school and middle school racks to expedite the deployment of the wireless access point installations.

Mark Webster installing a POE switch at the high school

Wireless Connectivity at our Elementary Schools

Several D-Link DWL-2100AP access points have been deployed at each elementary school to provide wireless connectivity for our "COW" carts, which are "Computer on Wheels" mobile carts with a laptop, LCD projector, and speakers. These mobile laptop carts make integrating technology into teaching and learning very convenient for teachers, and allow teachers to present engaging and powerful lessons to students. Teachers and students in our schools love to have a COW! :-)

Iron Mountain – Offsite Archival and Safeguarding of School Data

February 2007

We have begun a new system related to offsite archival and safeguarding of school server backup tapes and data. This program uses Iron Mountain, which is a reputable national company that manages offsite archival, and who is the leader in the industry.

Each month, the schools utilize special Backup Tape Pony Caddies that Mark Webster, the Director of Technology, setup for each school. Tapes are packed in bubble containers to protect them and placed in the caddy. A written ledger is included in the caddy to maintain “chain of custody” for the tapes, and they transported to the central office.

A security cleared Iron Mountain driver picks up these tapes on a monthly basis, and they will be stored offsite in a secure, climate controlled environment, in their vault north of Richmond.

This new program will serve to protect and safeguard our critical school data and information.