Overview
It is the belief of the Pelham City Board of Education that the effective use of technology at the governance level will improve the flow and use of information in the decision-making process. The governing team views technology as an important tool for accessing, interpreting and communicating the mounds of information and data needed to make better and more informed decision. It is the intent of the Pelham City Board of Education to use technology as a tool to better focus on student achievement, local education policy, fiscal matters and a host of other complex issues and items that are vital to a district’s success.
It is the belief of the Pelham City Board of Education that the effective use of technology at the governance level will improve the flow and use of information in the decision-making process. The governing team views technology as an important tool for accessing, interpreting and communicating the mounds of information and data needed to make better and more informed decision. It is the intent of the Pelham City Board of Education to use technology as a tool to better focus on student achievement, local education policy, fiscal matters and a host of other complex issues and items that are vital to a district’s success.
Goals
The use of technology at the board level can have a substantial and lasting impact on improving the governance structure of the school district. Both short and long term goals include:
Short term
1. Improve the decision making process of the local district’s leadership team by making information and data more available, thus infusing data into the decision making process;
2. Increase the focus at board meetings on the district’s long and short term goals;
3. Increase accountability with the community;
4. Demonstrate effective use of technology at the leadership level and model life long learning;
5. Increase the Board’s use of accessible tools in making governance decisions;
6. Improve communications between the Board, the Superintendent, teachers, staff and the community;
7. Improve administrative efficiency in preparation and distribution of information to the board and from the board.
Long Term
1. Improve student achievement through the increased use of data;
2. Improve Board decision making through the increased use of technology and data;
3. Increase communications and opportunities for input from community, community leaders and staff;
Implementation
Step One – Create the infrastructure to foster productive and effective use of technology at the governance level.
· Leadership team commits to work toward integration of technology at the board level.
· Review district goals and processes for continuous improvement, review leadership team roles and responsibilities and explore possibilities and implications of integrating and utilizing technology at governance level.
· Address needs of the board in accessing and using computer equipment and the internet. Board members will use district provided computers and receive specific training as needed.
· Every board member has their own email account provided by the district.
· Technology equipment needed for the board room includes a data projector, computers for each board member, a screen, wireless internet access capability and electric outlets.
Step Two – Integrate online tools and electronic communications into board operations.
· Publish district goals to website.
· Publish board member emails to district website.
· Provide board members and staff access to GSBA eLaw.
· Publish district board policies using GSBA’s ePolicy services online for access by board members, students, teachers and community.
· Publish board meeting agenda packets online for access by board members, students, teachers and community.
· Utilize GSBA’s Capitol Watch Online service to monitor pending legislation affecting public education.
· Utilize the resources available online to research pertinent data to assist the decision making process, i.e. district report cards, community demographic data, national issues, etc.
Timeline
It is the intent of the Pelham City Board of Education to achieve full implementation of this technology plan no later than May, 2012