Landmark Academy - A Public Charter School near Port Huron, MI

Landmark Academy, recognizing the unique giftedness of the individual student, will work in cooperation with the parents and the community to provide a nurturing and challenging environment that encourages academic excellence, character development, and a love for lifelong learning.

Vision statement

Every Landmark Academy student will attain mastery of essential academic skills, demonstrate exemplary character, and understand their unique giftedness-becoming confident leaders and lifelong learners.

Technology vision statement

In pursuit of academic excellence, Landmark Academy will provide cutting-edge technology as a natural part of the education process to ensure students master core academic skills, preparing them to succeed in a technologically driven society.

District profile

Landmark Academy is a public charter school academy located in Kimball, Michigan. Kimball Township is a suburb of Port Huron (approximate population 33,000) located in St. Clair County, which is located in Michigan’s upper "thumb" (approximately 165,000 people).

Chartered by Saginaw Valley State University, Landmark is considered to be an independent Michigan school district open to any student residing within the state. Landmark’s student body is made up of a variety of ethnicity and race, closely mirroring the proportions of St. Clair County. The demographic breakdown is:

White 90%
African-American 4%
Hispanic 3%
Bi-racial 2%
Island Pacific 1%

Twenty-nine (29) percent of our students are designated Title I.

Landmark opened in September of 1999 providing a school of choice for kindergarten through eighth grade. Our enrollment grew from 192 students during the initial year to over 400 for the 2003/2004 school year. We currently have four (4) kindergarten classes, three (3) first grades, two (2) classes for each of the second through seventh grades, and one (1) eighth grade class. Landmark’s campus consists of one 30,000 square foot, single level building. The facility is a new construction and sits on a ten (10) acre site owned entirely by the academy.

Landmark Academy prides itself in having a strong academic program. Our curriculum promotes academic excellence for all students in the core subjects of mathematics, english / language arts, social studies, science, and reading.

Technology team

Kristin Amama - Teacher
Michelle Gardner - Assistant Administrator
Nancy Gardner - School Administrator
Stacey Hardin - Network Consultant
Danielle Lyjak - School Social Worker
J.T. Lyonette - Business Manager, Parent
Felipe Macias - Teacher, Parent
Debby Wilton - Teacher, Asst. Administrator

Technology plan goals

There are four major goals that are essential to the successful accomplishment of the district’s technology mission. These goals are:

1. Use technology to increase student academic performance by at least 25% by June 2006.
2. Achieve a 25% increase in the staff’s effectiveness in integrating technology into classroom instruction by June 2006.
3. Increase parental involvement 25% through the use of technology.
4. Evaluate the Technology Plan goals, objectives and strategies annually.

Technology plan objectives and strategies

GOAL 1
Use technology to increase student academic performance by at least 25% by June 2006.

Objectives
1. Provide modern computers, learning devices, and technology-based instructional tools and materials to every student.
2. Integrate technology into the curriculum to enhance student learning.
3. Implement state technology standards and benchmarks.
4. Integrate the internet and interactive video into classroom instruction.

Strategies
1. Establish a Computer Lab with 26 (max. 24 students per class) up-to-date computers with internet capabilities, install 2-3 computers in each classroom, and procure two (2) sets of alpha smarts for use throughout the school.
2. Purchase grade level software for use in each of the classrooms by 2004. For example, each first grade would receive Math Crunchers, Reading Rabbit, and Discovery Works.
3. All middle school students will use Alpha Smarts to produce research projects focused on the core curriculum by 2004.
4. Provide ongoing in-service training to ensure that all staff is aware of state technology benchmarks and that they incorporate them into their instruction.
5. All middle school students will use the interactive video "Where There Is A Will, There’s an A" beginning with the 2003-2004 school year.
6. All students in grades two through eight will use the internet for research projects and to reinforce classroom instruction beginning with the 2003-2004 school year.

GOAL 2
Achieve a 25% increase in the staff’s effectiveness of integrating technology into classroom instruction by June 2006.

Objectives
Regularly provide opportunities for growth and development through the use of technology programs, application training, and integration.

Strategies
1. Provide in-service training for all currently available technology as well as all newly acquired technology detailing how to integrate it into current instructional practice.
2. Contract with a technology service provider to gain access to on-line support or on-site technology support personnel.
3. Monitor state and national standards addressing technology competencies for all staff members and take appropriate and timely action to ensure compliance.

GOAL 3
Increase parental involvement 25% through the use of technology.

Objectives
1. Standardize all software installed on computers to ensure parents receive consistent and clear information from teachers and staff.
2. Provide continual upgrades in hardware/software that address the school’s needs and ensure technology remains useful and cutting-edge.
3. Train and educate staff and parents to use technology available.

Strategies
1. Use the resources of a technology service provider to ensure that software purchased will be compatible with existing hardware, purchased at the best value available, and in harmony with the plan for future purchases.
2. Make the Technology Plan available for review through the web site, parent newsletters, and posting information in the school offices.
3. Encourage communication with parents through e-mail (with every teacher assigned their own e-mail address) and develop interactive access to each classroom through the school’s web site.
4. Provide seminars and training opportunities for parents.
5. Budget sufficient funds annually to ensure that the school’s technology equipment remains state of the art.

GOAL 4
Evaluate the Technology Plan goals, objectives, and strategies annually.

Objectives
1. Design assessment tools to evaluate the effectiveness of current technology and make plans for meeting the future technology needs of the school.
2. Use the school website to gather input regarding the Technology Plan from the community at large.
3. Evaluate how successful the integration of technology has been with respect to increasing student performance.

Strategies
1. Conduct an annual review of the technology element of the school using feedback and information from parents, students, staff, and outside technology personnel to establish a partnership mindset toward evaluating and elevating the use of cutting-edge technology.
2. Reference the school website in all marketing and communication efforts as a means of informing the community of the website and inviting their input.
3. Use a variety of student assessment tools, including but not limited to a portfolio of work completed using technology, grades in computer classes, and track overall student attitudes toward technology.
4. Review technology curriculum and lesson plans periodically.

* Landmark Academy only provides education for kindergarten through grade eight and, therefore, does not provide adult literacy programs as referenced in the state checklist.

Professional development

GOAL 1
Use technology to increase student academic performance by 25% by June 2006.

Professional Development Strategies
1. Conduct student surveys to assess their needs.
2. Conduct staff interviews and/or surveys to coordinate student needs assessment results with staff plans and needs.
3. Track performance on a statistical, quantitative basis using rubric, MEAP score comparisons, TerraNova achievement test results, and informal testing results. Assist teachers in using this data to re-evaluate lessons and needs.
4. Partner with the authorizing university (Saginaw Valley State University) in staff training and evaluating results.

GOAL 2
Achieve a 25% increase in the staff’s effectiveness of integrating technology into classroom instruction by June 2006.

Objective
Regularly provide opportunities for growth and development through the use of technology programs, application training, and integration.

Professional Development Strategies
1. Conduct an annual survey of teachers, para-professionals, administration, media personnel, and library services to assess hardware/software needs and training opportunities.
2. Mandate the use of technology in all aspects of education making use of resources such as the district policies, training manuals, library materials, online information via websites, ISD support.
3. Ensure that the teaching staff develops rubrics based on core academic and technology benchmarks during the 2003-2004 school year.
4. Provide in-service training sessions on using ShoolsOpen student record software, GradeQuick software, MI-Access, MASER educational resources, Alpha Smart word processors, Landmark’s website, and BlackBoard website.
5. Introduce and integrate NETS*T standards to ensure teachers and administrators meet or exceed an acceptable level of competency in use of technology.
6. Conduct periodic surveys of staff and students to assess the degree to which technology has been meaningfully incorporated into the learning process and that progressive results are achieved. Revise rubrics, lesson plans, training plans, and needs accordingly.

GOAL 3
Increase parental involvement 25% through the use of technology.

Professional Development Strategies
1. Conduct periodic surveys of students, parents, and staff to assess the ease of use and the effectiveness of the technologies being used.
2. Coordinate the results of these surveys with the staff to collectively agree upon hardware/software acquisitions. Use the services of the technology service provider to purchase at best value.
3. Ensure that all staff is aware that internet, e-mail, voice mail, and software must be kept updated and ensure that they are adequately trained in using each element.
4. Incorporate Blackboard technology by 2006.

GOAL 4
Evaluate the Technology Plan goals, objectives, and strategies annually.

Professional Development Strategies
1. Utilize the Technology Team in creating an overall annual plan consisting of short-term goals, annual purchases, staff training sessions, and evaluating results.
2. Meet a minimum of nine times each year to evaluate and make adjustments.
3. Meet with the staff at least quarterly to evaluate the technology plan especially as it relates to professional development needs.

Technology infrastructure

This plan represents the minimum technology that Landmark Academy believes is essential for our organization to effectively meet our educational goals. The technology team meets on an ongoing basis to assess our progress toward goals, evaluate emerging technologies, and update the technology plan accordingly.

An inventory of hardware and software is completed and updated on an annual basis by the technology team. As new purchases and updates are planned, their compatibility with current technologies is examined and appropriate adjustments/updates are made. Updates to hardware and software technologies are imbedded in the technology plan.

The school currently maintains (two) 2 Windows NT Servers and 68 Windows 98, ME and XP clients on an Ethernet network. The entire school is wired with Category 5 cable and school-wide access to the internet is provided by a T-1 line. Seven (7) switches, five (5) UPS systems, a router, and a firewall make up the network infrastructure.

The school’s computer lab has 100 ports available for access to the internet. It currently has twenty-five (25) student computer stations and 1 teacher station. Each classroom has five (5) network ports and a minimum of two (2) computers connected to the network. Twelve (12) of the teachers also have laptop computers. In addition, the school has two (2) mobile Alpha Smarts carts with thirty (30) units on each cart.

The school’s two administrative offices have thirteen (13) ports with seven (7) computers connected to the network. The main wiring closet is located in the computer lab.

Plan administration and budgeting

An adequate funding plan is crucial to support the technology program at Landmark Academy. Therefore, the school has prepared technology-funding approaches, which will consist of:

- Encouraging school/business partnerships
- Pursuing private, state, and federal grants
- E-Rate discounts for networking, wiring, telecommunications, and internet
- E-Rate telecommunications
- Technology Grants
- School fundraising activities
- Establishing a funding schedule for technology infrastructure: maintenance, support, upgrading, expansion, and addition of new technologies

In-house training will cost between $5,000 and $8,000 annually, including E-Rate sponsored on-site training. Educational discounts are continually being researched for educational hardware and software components of the program.

The following budget indicates approximated costs for the next three years. It includes educational hardware/software components, computers, TV/VCR/DVD stations, network printers and scanners, an LCD projector, video and digital cameras, MS Office XP/Professional (including site license), Internet and e-mail software, and anti-virus software.

Preliminary technology budget

Year	Description	Projected Cost	Source
2003-04	Purchase computers and software for expansion Update/Expand site licenses Educational Software Grade Quick Software Training for staff - SchoolsOpen, GradeQuick, Alpha Smarts. Parent classes in computer basics. Subtotal	$3,500.00 $6,800.00 $10,000.00 $2,200.00 $9,500.00 $26,000.00	Bond Issue Grant Grant
2004-05	Upgrade computers Six new laptop computers for teaching staff Additional network hardware & software Wiring and installation costs Staff Training on website use, assessment software. Train parents on web site, computer basics. Subtotal	$15,000.00 $9,000.00 $12,000.00 $4,500.00 $9,500.00 $44,000.00	Grant
2005-06	Two (2) laptops for each of six new classes Six new laptop computers for new staff Twenty-four (24) laptops for second tech lab Software and licensing for all new computers Staff Training in BlackBoard learning system Parent computer basics classes. Wireless installations Subtotal Grand Total	$18,000.00 $9,000.00 $25,000.00 $12,000.00 $9,500.00 $4,000.00 $71,500.00 $141,500.00	Grants/Bond Issue

Coordination of resources

State, local, federal, and private sources will be coordinated as they become available to support implementing this plan. Current resources include operational funds, capital outlay, fund equity, Universal Service Fund discounts, and various grant sources. Landmark will submit requests for discounts from the Universal Service Fund monies for funding year 2003-2004. The school will aggressively pursue grant funding whenever possible for contributing to the cost of maintaining the technology at the school.

Technical support and assistance

Ongoing training for teachers and staff is assumed as it relates to use of technology and software. However, technical assistance will be necessary as normal challenges arise with software and hardware, as teachers and staff will need some level of support from technology savvy personnel.

Landmark will either make use of an existing staff person who is knowledgeable in technology troubleshooting or will hire a person to provide on-site emergency service. This technology coordinator will work directly with teachers and staff to keep the systems and software up and operating, as well as make arrangements for training.

In addition, a technology service provider will be retained to work with the technology coordinator to provide for regular maintenance (preventive) of the systems and the school network. They will be used as a resource for acquiring cutting-edge technology and integrating it into existing systems.

Monitoring and evaluation

Landmark Academy will periodically evaluate the implementation of the programs and procedures developed within this plan to ensure that both curricula and instruction occur at a consistent level, noting strengths, weaknesses, and making adjustments to the plan when appropriate. These evaluations will be conducted by the management company, school administration, technology director, and the technology committee evaluation team.

The evaluations will be measured through needs assessments, student performance tracking, random sampling and interviewing, and administrative observations of teachers implementing technology into lesson plans.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

GOAL 1
Use technology to increase student academic performance by 25% by June 2006.

Landmark Academy teachers will assess students’ academic performance through gauging proficiency in required benchmarks. The administrative staff will work with teachers to analyze the students’ TerraNova and MEAP test results annually.

GOAL 2
Achieve a 25% increase in the staff’s effectiveness of integrating technology into classroom instruction by June 2006.

The students’ annual TerraNova and MEAP scores will be used to determine how well technology has been integrated into classroom instruction.

GOAL 3
Increase parental involvement by 25% through the use of technology.

Landmark Academy staff will have the opportunity to increase efficiency, productivity, and effective communication through the daily use of e-mail, voice-mail, website interaction, attendance (School’s Open), and grade tracking (School’s Open & Grade Quick). Any staff not using the technology will be unable to communicate grades and attendance, nor will they be able to communicate effectively with staff and parents.

Attendance will be taken at parent/teacher conferences, parent night activities, the Friends of Landmark organization and other school events. This data will be compared with current attendance rates, at least annually, as a means of measuring parental participation.

GOAL 4
Evaluate the Technology Plan goals, objectives, and strategies annually.

The Landmark Academy technology planning team will meet to evaluate and assess the Technology Plan at least nine times annually. They will use the above referenced criteria to evaluate the Technology Plan’s effectiveness in meeting the goals set forth in the plan. They will make any necessary adjustments to the components of the plan including goals, objectives, strategies and evaluation to ensure that the technology is furthering the education of all students.

ADDRESSING UNMET GOALS

The technology planning team will meet and assign each unmet goal to a group member, or members, to investigate

The team will evaluate the findings of the member(s) including
- Examining which portions of the goal were achieved
- Examining which portions of the goal were not achieved
- Analyzing the data collected in the evaluation process
- Considering possible errors in the evaluation process
- Determining what deficiencies led to the goal not being achieved

The technology planning team will explore alternative methods and/or modifications that could assist in achieving the goal in the future

The team will examine the potential need for additional training to assist in goal achievement

The technology planning team will consider the language utilized in the composition of the goal and determine whether or not the phrasing of the goal contributed to it not being achieved

The team will examine possible rephrasing of the goal that may assist Landmark Academy staff in achieving the established technology goals that were unmet

The team may revise the goal entirely if they believe it is necessary

CLICK HERE to download a printable Student Internet/On-Line Services User Rules & Agreement Form

Policies and proceedures

Content Filtering Policy

Undesirable Materials: Landmark Academy will take all possible precautions to restrict access to undesirable materials including, but not limited to, installing content filtering software/hardware solutions on its network or using an internet provider which uses content filtering software on its equipment to screen all internet web sites by URL and/or by keyword search. However, students and teachers must also accept responsibility for restricting access to these materials. Students who gain access to undesirable internet materials must report this material to their teacher. Teachers who gain knowledge of undesirable internet materials must report this material to an administrator.

Security: Students and teachers must not allow others to use their network accounts (both internet and School accounts). Network storage areas may be treated like school lockers. Designated school personnel may review files and communications to maintain system integrity and ensure that users are using the system responsibly. Users should not expect that files stored on school file servers would always be private.

Parental Permission: Student and parent signatures on the Acceptable Use Internet Policy will allow independent student use of the internet. Instructions on internet use will be given to students by their teachers.

Chat and User Groups: Independent student use of chat and user groups is not allowed.

Copyright and Citations: Any copyrighted materials are subject to the Fair Use provision of copyrighted materials as it relates to education. Internet materials used in reports or other documents must be cited. If there is no direct citation, the Uniform Resource Location (URL) must be cited.

Downloading: Downloading from the internet without approval from a teacher or building principal is not allowed.

Private Internet Providers: Students may not use school computers to access private internet providers.