Welcome to Colonial Heights Public Schools

Office of Technology and Learning

Major Technology Projects and Initiatives

2007-2008 School Year

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

Deployment of Cafeteria Point-of-Sale System at Schools

January 2008: Our department supported Nelson Streeter, Food Services Coordinator, with assistance in deploying a new Point-of-Sale system for school cafeterias. The Cafe Enterprise system is designed to automate functions related to the purchase of cafeteria meals. We provided support with the "terminals" used by cafeteria staff, the central network server used for the information system, and with network connectivity. Kudos to Doug Adams, Network Adminstrator, for his work with Food Services to make the deployments successful. Mr. Streeter stated, "Doug Adams has been on top of things when needed. He has been great to work with."

Implementation of New Internet Content Filter System and Mobile Filter

This has been a key major accomplishment, because this proactive system prepares the way for more effective Internet content filtering on laptop computers that are taken home outside our firewall, provides greater reporting and accountability.

After doing research and contacting vendors, the Director did some wheeling and dealing last school year, and the vendor 8e6 Technologies gave us about $12,000 of free hardware. A key feature of this new system is the mobile client filter that would enables better filtering on laptop computers outside our firewall. This is the same system that was tested and later deployed by Henrico County Public Schools, who worked with 8e6 during a beta testing.

Our staff worked together to implement the new system. Mark Webster setup the physical server hardware in the racks, configured a new Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on our firewall, and later worked with the reporting system. Doug Adams spent many hours configuring and setting up the new filter system, and integrating this into our network accounts. Jose Morales spearheaded the installation and testing of the software client on laptops.

2007 Summer Technology Institute

"Technology a Step Ahead"

Our second CHPS Technology Summer Institute was attended by 64 individual staff members, who learned important skills related to integrating technology into teaching and learning, while earning recertification points. Teachers and staff from all schools were represented. The Institute was held from July 30 to August 24, 2007.

Participants received technology instruction while having an opportunity to “play” with many instructional software applications and technology tools. A total of 174 three-hour classes were attended, and topics covered included: Computer Basics, PowerPoint, Personal Response System (PRS), Moodle, How to Search the Internet, Podcasting, Star_Portal, Marco Polo, Test for Higher Standards & e-Tool Kit, SmartBoard Use, Digital Photography and Editing Software, United Streaming & COW Use, Harcourt Math Center, and "Open Computer
Time."

These many classes were taught by our ambitious Instructional Technology Integration Specialists Buddy Palatiere and Debbie Mayes. Mark Webster taught some courses in Podcasting, and Paul Riding some courses in Moodle. Participants who were some of our“best customers” and who attended multiple sessions received some gifts and incentives!

Implementation of Vertical SIF Project

Summer 2007

This new technology was paid for by the Virginia Department of Education, and involved implementing a new Zone Integration Server that will automatically keep our Student Testing IDs (SIDS) up-to-date that are used for SOL testing. School Interoperability Framework is a cutting edge technology that is designed to allow databases to better communicate with each other. This particular implementation is called a vertical SIF because the system’s Star_Base agent communicates with the state’s Educational Information Management System (EIMS) on a constant, automatic basis.

Mark Webster worked with a company called Edustructures to build this new system. In order not to have to purchase new server hardware, we optimized an existing, under utilized server, for the new Zone Integration Server.

New Laptops for All Faculty at CHHS & CHMS

On August 30 & 31, 2007 all faculty at CHHS & CHMS received new laptops! Dell D630 model laptops were distributed, and teachers received laptop orientation training from Buddy Palatiere. In previous school years, a successful pilot laptop program for faculty had been conducted at both the high school and middle school, so providing laptops to 100% of faculty at both schools was exciting.