The Greater Amsterdam School District > District Technology Plan

District Technology Plan

District Mission I Executive Summary I Technology Vision Statement Attainment Goals I Planning Process I Professional Development Plan Accountability of Technology Goals I Action Plan I NYSED Initiatives Alignment I Administrative Management Plan

District Mission

The Greater Amsterdam School District provides students with opportunities to realize educational and career potential through a rich learning environment tied to intellectual resources through technology. Each member of our school community will be encouraged to use learning resources to search out and master skills they may need.

Each individual is expected to be a responsible citizen prepared to make ethical decisions, demonstrate competence in communicating with others, problem-solving, interdisciplinary and cooperative learning and creative thinking. The incorporation of technology allows the Greater Amsterdam School District to empower community members to pursue learning beyond the traditional limitations of the classroom. 

Executive Summary

This technology plan is the current representation of the District’s vision, goals, and objectives for instructional technology. As such, it is a living document that will always be under revision and adjustment. It is flexible but specific enough to act as a guide in decision making and budgeting funds. It is the intention of the Greater Amsterdam School District Technology Committee to allocate and spend funds with specific goals and objectives in mind.

The recommendations contained in this technology plan are intended to provide direction for the Board of Education, Superintendent, administrators, teachers, support staff, parents, and students in planning for technology initiatives.

Building on the existing infrastructure, the plan outlines the steps needed to achieve continuous development. This plan for the use of technology is designed to have a significant impact on education in the District. Its implementation has implications for the restructuring of the educational system and preparing workers with the necessary technological skills for employment.

Through these supports, and with the current plan, the District continues to deepen teachers’ and administrators’ understandings of the uses of technology to support learning. This technology plan outlines the following goals:

Ensure that our students are adequately prepared with the skills, knowledge, and expertise needed to succeed in work and life in the 21st century. (21st Century Skills & Outcomes College & Career Readiness)

Ensure that teachers, staff, and administrators are proficient in the use and integration of technology through professional development activities. Ensure the effective use of technology to communicate information and collaborate with multiple audiences including families, businesses, institutes of higher education and the community.

Establish and maintain a robust infrastructure for technology including integrated, interoperable technology systems to support management, operations, teaching, and learning

Establish a system of ongoing evaluation for assessment of technology needs at all levels guided by the District Technology Committee.

Technology Vision Statement

Technology provides new frontiers for teaching and learning that assist our schools to meet the academic, social, and emotional development of all our students. Technology provides students an avenue to create and express themselves as individual learners. Our goal for technology within the Greater Amsterdam School District is for all members to recognize the benefit of technology through appropriate, responsible, and productive use.

Attainment Goals

  1. Technology Goal #1, A Student Empowered Learning Environment will be established in all classrooms. K-Grade 5 will have opportunities to explore curriculum-connected technology that will develop their abilities to problem solve and think critically in the classroom to become engaged, independent learners.
  2. Technology Goal #2,  A Student Empowered Learning Environment will be established in all Middle and High School classrooms. All students will have opportunities to explore curriculum connected technology that will develop their abilities to problem solve and think critically in the classroom to become engaged, independent learners.
  3. Technology Goal #3, To provide teacher-centered opportunity to explore and plan the integration of technology as a tool to advance achievement through promoting student engagement, media-rich learning, multiple literacies, and project‐based learning.

Planning Process

The GASD team is composed of representatives from all segments of the school and the community–administrators, IT specialists, curriculum leaders, media specialists, district technology leaders, parents, Board of Education members, students and local business people who have expertise in technology and telecommunications. The Assistant Superintendent acts as the facilitator. The team convenes to review the current technology plan and share research/ideas for moving forward. The focus is to establish a new vision for learning, understanding that new technologies and learning models will provide the district with opportunities to transform learning spaces and foster the district’s vision for student learning. A successful educational technology plan needs to address modern-day learners. Discussions revolve around a holistic educational approach that is cost-effective and sustainable and at the same time highly effective.

Our plans align with THE NYS Instructional Technology Framework and Guidance. It is the intention of the Greater Amsterdam School District to utilize the NYS Smart School Bond Act funds for supplying the necessary resources in the classrooms for instructional technology integration. The team meets to review the current plan and update it in terms of:

  • Curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment
  • Infrastructure, security, and technology
  • Leadership – making shifts happen
  • Supports and professional development

Professional Development Plan

The technology-based professional development is aligned to our New York State Professional Development Plan (PDP). The district PDP plan was revised and our 2019-2022 plan will contain the following information related to technology-based professional development.

The foundation of this plan incorporates the International Society for Technology in Education National Educational Technology Standards (ISTE). In line with this, we are moving towards broader goals in which technology is seamlessly integrated into curriculum projects that are based on and encourage critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and information and media fluency. Students need to be immersed in more interactive environments in which material is customized based on students’ learning needs and teachers supplement instruction with technology to explain concepts, coordinate student discussion, and stimulate high-level thinking. We need to aim for: one-to-one computer access; technology designed to promote high levels of interactivity and engagement while making data available in multiple forms; curriculum and instruction plans that enable students to use technology to create content as well as learn material; and “blended” learning environments, characterized by significant levels of teacher support and opportunities for interactions among students, as companions to technology use.

Objective: Train and support staff with the implementation of technology for all students K-12. Timeframe 2019-2022.

Google Classrooms: Classroom, Docs, Sheets, Slides

  • Activities to accomplish: Summer PD, superintendent conference day
  • The person responsible: IT coach
  • Evaluation: yearly tech survey

Digital Portfolios

  • Activities to accomplish: Seasaw training, google classroom training 
  • The person responsible: IT coach
  • Evaluation: End of year student samples (2 per grade), yearly tech survey

ClearTouch Panels 

  • Activities to accomplish: Summer PD, superintendent conference days, building level faculty meetings
  • The person responsible: IT coach, BLTL
  • Evaluation: yearly tech survey

Internet safety, understanding copyright, social media training

  • Activities to accomplish: GCN  Training beginning of the year 
  • The person responsible: GASD teachers
  • Evaluation: GCN Report

Chromebooks for instruction elementary and secondary

  • Activities to accomplish: Summer PD, superintendent conference days, building level faculty meetings
  • The person responsible: IT coach, BLTL, instructional coaches
  • Evaluation: yearly tech survey

Ipads for instruction K-12

  • Activities to accomplish: Summer PD, superintendent conference days, building level faculty meetings
  • The person responsible: IT coach, instructional coaches
  • Evaluation: yearly tech survey

Online assessments STAR, EdVista

  • Activities to accomplish: New Teacher Orientation, PLC meetings, Mentor teachers
  • The person responsible: IT coach, instructional coaches
  • Evaluation: yearly tech survey

Content-specific integration strategies

  • Activities to accomplish: PLC meetings, mentor teacher meetings
  • The person responsible: IT coach, instructional coaches
  • Evaluation: yearly tech survey, MLP

Accountability of Technology Goals

A professional development opportunity will be completed, attendance data will be compiled. The data will allow technology staff to reach out to district staff that have not attended and may benefit from assistance. In addition to ongoing review, all technology-based professional development will introduce, discuss and model with district technology benchmarks and prepare digital materials that can be shared for self-paced learning and reference.

Action Plan 2019-2022

Goal 1

Goal #1:  A Student Empowered Learning Environment will be established in all classrooms. K-Grade 5 will have opportunities to explore curriculum-connected technology that will develop their abilities to problem solve and think critically in the classroom to become engaged, independent learners.

NYSED Goal: Develop a strategic vision and goals to support student achievement and engagement through the seamless integration of technology into teaching and learning.

Target Population: K-2 and Grades 3-5

Action Steps

  1. Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies.
    • Action: students will use technology to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
    • Category: Curriculum
    • Stakeholders: classroom teachers, IT coach, instructional coaches, curriculum leaders
    • Cost: N/A
  2. Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
    • Action: provide necessary technology so that students have access to resources and a variety of tools to create opportunities for meaningful learning
    • Category: Curriculum
    • Stakeholders: classroom teachers, IT coach, instructional coaches, curriculum leaders
    • Cost: N/A
  3. Purchase and distribute devices.
    • Action: purchase 1:1 Acer Chromebook Tabs for grade 2 districtwide.
    • Category: Budget/purchasing
    • Stakeholders: IT department, IT coach
    • Cost: $156,000
  4. Purchase and distribute devices.
    • Action: purchase 1:1 in school devices for grades 3-5.
    • Category: Budget/purchasing
    • Stakeholders: IT department, IT coach
    • Cost: $78,000
  5. Purchase and distribute devices.
    • Action: replace 1:1 devices for grades K-1. Replacing iPad mini to Acer Chromebook Tabs.
    • Category: Budget/purchasing
    • Stakeholders: IT department, IT coach
    • Cost: $312,000
  6. Continue to evaluate and pilot new and emerging technologies.
    • Action: providing a plan for implementing emerging instructional technologies for use in PK-5.
    • Category: Infrastructure
    • Stakeholders: IT department, It coach, BLTL
    • Cost 7,500
  7.  Infrastructure Evaluation and Improvements.
    • Action: continual review and monitoring of infrastructure to support instructional technology use in PK-5. Includes infrastructure hardware and wiring.
    • Category: Infrastructure
    • Stakeholders: IT department, It coach, BLTL
    • Cost: $100,000

Goal 2

Goal #2: A Student Empowered Learning Environment will be established in all Middle and High School classrooms. All students will have opportunities to explore curriculum connected technology that will develop their abilities to problem solve and think critically in the classroom to become engaged, independent learners. 

NYSED Goal: Develop a strategic vision and goals to support student achievement and engagement through the seamless integration of technology into teaching and learning

Target Population: Grades 6-12

Action Steps

  1. Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences
    • Action: Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways. Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies. Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits. Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
    • Category: Implementation
    • Stakeholders: Building administration, classroom teachers, It coach, instructional coaches, department chairs
    • Cost: N/A
  2. Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
    • Action: students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits. Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility, and relevance of information, media, data or other resources. Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.
    • Category: Implementation
    • Stakeholders: Building administration, classroom teachers, It coach, instructional coaches, department chairs
    • Cost: N/A
  3.  Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems, communicating clearly and expressing themselves creatively in ways that leverage the power of technological methods through the use of a variety of platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media by collaborating with others.
    • Action: students break problems into component parts, extract key information and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication. Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations. Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences. Students explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to work with others to investigate solutions. Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal. 
    • Category: Collaboration
    • Building administration, classroom teachers, It coach, instructional coaches, department chairs
    • Cost: N/A
  4. Continue to evaluate and pilot new and emerging technologies.
    • Action: create protocols for requesting and providing a plan for implementing emerging instructional technologies for use in 6-12. 
    • Category: Policy/Protocols
    • Stakeholders: It department, It coach, BLTL
    • Cost $7,500
  5. Purchase and distribute devices.
    • Action: replace devices to match student use as needed
    • Category: Purchasing
    • Stakeholder: It department
    • Cost $67,500
  6. Infrastructure evaluation and improvements.
    • Continual review and monitoring of infrastructure to support instructional technology use. Includes infrastructure hardware and wiring.
    • Category: Infrastructure
    • Stakeholders: IT department, It coach, BLTL
    • Cost $100,000

Goal 3

Goal #3: To provide teacher-centered opportunity to explore and plan the integration of technology as a tool to advance achievement through promoting student engagement, media-rich learning, multiple literacies, and project‐based learning.

NYSED Goal: Provide access to relevant and rigorous professional development to ensure educators and leaders are proficient in the integration of learning technologies.

Target Population: All students

Action Steps

  1. Review and align professional development initiatives with staff and student needs
    • Action: survey taken of the staff to determine where they need professional development. Professional development planned and implemented for the District.
    • Category: Curriculum
    • Stakeholders: assistant superintendent, IT coach, building-level tech leaders
    • Cost: $5, 076 ($169.20/day for 30 teachers)
  2. The K-12 curriculum will be analyzed to identify areas where technology can be integrated in a meaningful way for all students to experience.
    • Action:  teachers will use collaboration time to discuss meaningful ways to use technology in grade-level teams and or content areas. Teachers will report or summarize how the use of technology and will be shared district-wide. Teachers communicate with the administration for professional development opportunities.
    • Category: Curriculum
    • Stakeholders: assistant superintendent, IT coach, building-level tech leaders, curriculum leaders, instructional coaches
    • Cost: $5, 076 ($169.20/day for 30 teachers . Extra hour PD, PLC meetings, and faculty meetings.
  3. Provide ongoing Professional Development to all instructional personnel, including teachers, media specialists, principals and paraprofessionals.
    • Action: professional development offered: Best Practices, including SAMR model; Digital Citizenship, what is it and how/when to teach; Google Apps for Education; Flipped Classroom;  Digital Formative; Assessment; Coding/Robotics; eDoctrina
    • Category: Professional Development
    • Stakeholders: assistant superintendent, IT coach, building-level tech leaders
    • Cost: $5, 076 ($169.20/day for 30 teachers). Extra hour PD, PLC meetings, and faculty meetings.
  4. Opportunities will be provided for outside professional development in areas of technology.
    • Action: Specific workshops and training that involve technology and how to integrate into specific content areas. For example, coding and robotics in the ELA classroom; Math resources for the elementary classroom. When teachers attend these opportunities they will return to the district and share out their learning.
    • Category: professional development
    • Stakeholders: assistant superintendent, It coach
    • Cost: $5, 076 ($169.20/day for 30 teachers).  Faculty meeting time for teachers to share out or turn-key information they learn. 
  5. Provide an opportunity to plan and integrate new skills and tools into lessons.
    • Teachers will need time to digest all of the materials/skills they learn in PD and time to practice. Teachers will be encouraged and supported to learn and work with other teachers and/or the instructional technology specialist.
    • Category: planning
    • Stakeholders: assistant superintendent, IT coach, building-level tech leaders, curriculum leaders, instructional coaches
    • Cost: $0.  Use of department time and faculty meeting times. Sub -coverage to allow 1:1 or group coaching with the Instructional Technology Coach.

NYSED Initiative Alignment

The district use of instructional technology support will serve as a part of the comprehensive plan and be a sustained effort to support rigorous academic standards that improve performance for students. To ensure classroom technology use complies with district expectations, ongoing professional development will be planned, but also flexible to react to the instructional needs of teachers. 

Classroom technology use must incorporate formative assessment methods used to collect data. The data collected will then be used to reflect on the instructional needs of students to raise performance. 

Instructional technology and assistive devices are utilized throughout the Greater Amsterdam School District as instructional aides for curriculum. Technology allows for a variety of differentiation methods. General education teachers work in collaboration with special education teachers to meet the needs of each student. Various software, hardware, and online resources are used. The Director of Student Support Services with the support of the Assistive Technology Coach works closely with the technology department to ensure that students are provided the resources they need to succeed. Assistive technology may include hardware, such as an iPad, laptop or another specifically outline device such as a braille printer. Special software is occasionally required for students with special needs. In the event, individualized equipment, or software, is needed for a particular student, the director of student services reviews the teacher’s request for equipment and verifies the request will meet the student’s needs. This request is then sent to the technology department by the director of student services to process. 

Equitable Instructional and Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities

The District will utilize technology to address the needs of Students with Disabilities to ensure equitable access to instruction, materials, and assessments through:

  • Direct instruction is recorded and provided for students to access.
    Technology is used to provide additional ways to access key content, such as providing videos or other visuals to supplement verbal or written instruction or content.
  • Text to speech and/or speech to text software is utilized to provide increased support for comprehension of written or verbal language.
  • Assistive technology is utilized.
  • Technology is used to increase options for students to demonstrate knowledge and skill. 

Professional Development Plan for Teachers Serving Students with Disabilities

Professional Development that will be offered to Teachers of Students with Disabilities that will enable them to differentiate learning and to increase their student language and content learning with the use of technology includes: 

  • Technology to support writers in the elementary classroom
  • Technology to support writers in the secondary classroom
  • Research, writing, and technology in a digital world
  • Enhancing children’s vocabulary development with technology
  • Reading strategies through technology for students with disabilities
  • Choosing assistive technology for instructional purposes in the special education classroom
  • Using technology to differentiate instruction in the special education classroom
  • Using technology to increase options for students with disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills
  • Multiple ways of assessing student learning through technology
  • Promotion of model digital citizenship and responsibility
  • Integrating technology and curriculum across core content areas
  • Helping students with disabilities to connect with the world 

Use of Technology with ENL Students

The district utilizes technology to address the needs of English Language Learners/Multilingual Learners to ensure equitable access to instruction, materials, and assessments through: 

  • Technology is used to provide additional ways to access key content, such as providing videos or other visuals to supplement verbal or written instruction or content.
  • Text to speech and/or speech to text software is utilized to provide increased support for comprehension of written or verbal language.
  • Home language dictionaries and translation programs are provided through technology.

Technology Plan Addressing of ENL Students 

The district’s instructional technology plan addresses the needs of English Language Learners/Multilingual Learners to ensure equitable access to instruction, materials, and assessments in multiple languages.  

Professional Development Plan for Teachers Serving ENL Students

Professional Development will be offered to Teachers Serving ENL Students that will enable them to differentiate learning and to increase their student language and content learning with the use of technology by: 

  • Reading strategies for English Language Learners
  • The power of technology to support language acquisition
  • Using technology to differentiate instruction in the language classroom
  • Multiple ways of assessing student learning through technology
  • Integrating technology and curriculum across core content areas
  • Helping students connect with the world 

Use of Technology for Culturally Responsive Learning Environments

The district uses Instructional Technology to facilitate culturally responsive learning instruction and learning environments by:

  • The district uses instructional technology to develop and organize coherent and relevant units, lessons, and learning tasks that build upon students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences.
  • The district uses instructional technology to assist in varying teaching approaches to accommodate diverse learning styles and language proficiencies.
  • The district uses instructional technology to enable students to communicate and collaborate with students in different schools or districts in New York State, the United States, or with different countries.

Specialized software packages 

GASD uses the following specialized software packages:

  • Learning A-Z
  • STAR
  • IXL
  • Boardmaker
  • Brianpop Jr.
  • Pebble Go
  • Worldbook
  • Castle Learning
  • NewsELA
  • Language Studio (CKLA Amplify)

Administrative Action Plan

Staff plan

Provide the Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) count, as of plan submission date, of all staff whose primary responsibility is delivering technology integration training and support and/or technical support for teachers. 

Relevant staff would include: 

  • District Technology Leadership – Examples of roles in this category include district-level positions such as Director/Coordinator of Technology, Chief Technology Officer, Director of Innovation, Director/Coordinator of Instructional Technology, etc.
  • Instructional Support – Examples of roles in this category include staff whose primary responsibility is in the integration of technology in the curriculum to support teachers and students.
  • Technical Support – Examples of roles in this category include network engineers, system administrators, computer support and repair, computer aides whose primary role is technical support, etc. If the same individual staff member supports multiple categories, such as leadership, technology integration, and/or technical support, they should allocate their time between the functions. Total FTE count for any one individual should not exceed 1.0. The FTE count can include contracted services if those services are for an FTE, or portion of an FTE, for the entire year and not for a limited specific task.

Title, FTE

  • District Technology Leadership, 1 (Eric Scholl)
  • Instructional Support, 1 (Kristina Fureno)
  • Technology Support, 2 (Eric McClary, Peter Ellsworth)

Investment Plan

End-user computing devices

  • Estimated cost: $300,00
  • One time annual: 3 years
  • Potential funding source: BOCES

Wireless Internet Connectivity, IT Infrastructure upkeep/repair

  • Estimated cost: $200,00
  • Timeframe: 3 years
  • Potential funding source: Erate

Professional Development

  • Estimated cost: $30,000
  • Timeframe: annually
  • Potential funding source: Title 2 Grant

Instructional Software

  • Estimated cost: $75,000
  • Timeframe: annually
  • Potential funding source: State Aid

Security systems upgrade

  • Estimated cost: $3.8 million
  • Timeframe: 2 years
  • Potential funding source: Bond Project

Security Systems Maintenance

  • Estimated cost: $40,000
  • Timeframe: 3 years
  • Potential funding source: local budget