Central+Elementary

Central Elementary

Students from Pre Kindergarten to 5th grade have computers in their classrooms and/or go to the computer labs for activities in Reading, Math, Vocabulary, Research, Social Studies and Science. Teachers can have each student working with internet sites that would extend the lessons. Students make PowerPoint presentations over several subjects. One 5th grade class does online banking, online classroom shopping, and has an online classroom using MOODLE. Her class has made audio and video podcasts for their teacher’s website and for Channel 18. Smart Response clickers are traded around on a daily basis by several teachers to check for prior knowledge and/or to evaluate what students have learned in class. Our staff uses specific programs to pre and post test to check on core curriculum. Our special teachers have an even greater variety of technology sources for students. In Music class, the music is on an iPod touch. Dance Revolution, obtained by a grant by our music teacher, is a fun way to incorporate music, rhythm, and movement into music class. In the Library Media Center, circulation and management of the library books and textbooks are on web based programs. We can easily check on any items in our district and check out to any person in the district. Library classes go to the computer lab so students can individually use research or internet programs that will help them at school or at home. Sirs Discoverer is taught for reference of magazines, encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas, and thesaurus skills. How to use the computer catalog is taught in the computer lab as well. The librarian introduces specific internet sites that would enhance CRT learning in the lab so students can begin class projects. If the computer labs are in use, this instruction is given in classrooms that have a Smartboard. With the new Apple Mac Book, we have started making podcasts. We just received a flip camera and plan to purchase more.

Entering our building visitors, parents, and volunteers are scanned into the computer. Our district has a calling system that can contact parents, students, and staff when there is information that needs to be sent out. Our staff has Power School to record attendance, grades. This allows the parents the ability to keep up-to-date of their child’s grades. Teachers, Library Media Centers, and Yukon Public Schools maintain websites so parents and staff can keep up with activities, building projects, email, library collections, pictures of current events, students and teachers, and a variety of other things at school or items people might want to know about our school district. Email and Nings are used to communicate on a much broader basis. This year teachers are sending information to a faculty member so they can use pictures, PowerPoint presentations and podcasts for Channel 18 so the Yukon community can see what we are doing on television.

Teachers have applied for grants and received some technology items. We have 6 Smartboards in grade level classrooms and 3 Smartboards and a smart table in gifted and special education classrooms. Our goal would be to add Smartboards for the other 16 classrooms and some of the special teachers who do not have one yet. Adding five more smart response systems would allow all grade levels access during the day. The most requested items are digital cameras and card readers for each classroom. We need one high quality digital camera and camcorder with wide angle lenses and better quality for use with Channel 18 and for pictures for the local newspaper located in the Media Center so everyone will have access. We would like at least eight digital document cameras so each grade level and special teacher will have one available and special teachers can share. Another goal would be to add web cameras for each classroom or a set for the computer lab so we can Skype. Some teachers already have contacts in other areas of the world that would be fun to contact. We had requests for microphones and headsets so teachers can podcast in their rooms or in the computer lab. The podcasts can be added to the teacher’s web page. Flash drives for teachers and students would allow students to save their work and finish work at home.

For us to be able to do some of the activities, we need to have open internet access, Google images, and WIFI. Some teachers would like to use YouTube with their classes. To improve academic achievement and teacher effectiveness, we need to have more staff development provided. We have some grant writers at Central but many of the grants require matching money. It would promote grant writing if we knew we could apply for some matching money.

It is our goal at Central Elementary for students and teachers to be successful at our school. As our students move up to Middle School, they will have the background in technology they need to be successful.