My Year In Review
Jocelynn Buckentin, Hutchinson Public Schools
My Project Plan
These are the results from my stated goals from the project plan last August.
Mixed reviews from teachers and parents, but students had an overwhelmingly high rate of satisfaction above 90%. Digital distraction remains an issue, as is teacher buy-in. We are expanding into 6th grade next year at the middle school, as well as adding 10th grade at the high school.
Build Capacity in Teachers:
I feel this has been a huge success so far, although I don't think I'll ever really be done working on this one.
Gmail Migration from Outlook: (Partial Loss)
This change was made over Spring Break in March. It’s had a large impact on staff utilizing Google Apps with one another but it’s been difficult and some are still vocally unhappy--especially our business office. Things were hard the first week, but it's progressively gotten easier and I'm hearing about it less and less.
Provide relevant professional development as needed:
My efforts surrounded Gmail and Calendar before the change. I also focused on BYOD
trainings with Google Classroom and other tools that engaged students or helped teachers formatively assess them.
Lead Verizon Mobile Learning Academy team:
This could have went better, but I took a few important lessons from it. I do think it helped us find our focus as a district with technology.
Technology Coaching: (Biggest Win)
I used YouCanBookMe and it worked FABULOUS. I'd totally recommend this to EVERYONE! All our QComp coaches now utilize this in addition to some teachers. Teachers come to me regularly now, so I'm excited that it went so well and I'm excited for next year!
Build technology matrix to help teachers plan for what students know and what they need to know by grade level:
This is pushed to next year as part of our tech plan in year 2 and will be the work of our TLT's.
Facilitate 6- 21st Century classrooms and work with teachers to ensure their success: (Partial Win, Partial Loss)
The level of success depended largely on the tenacity of the teacher selected and the degree to which their initial plans were carried out. I have 4 shining examples and 2 less shiny examples of 21st-century classrooms.
Rebranding our BYOD Initiative
BYOD Stoplight
Gmail V. Outlook
Wins
- Buy in from the School Board: I wrote and presented our district's technology plan, and it was very well received despite some initial objections. (Biggest Win!)
- BYOD Expansion to Grade 6, 9 and 10 next year.
- Positive teacher and administrator perception of the job I have done this year.
- Technology Mini Expo Day
- I now have a seat at the table for planning out our new classrooms in the new high school. I've been having a great time shopping for practical but innovative classroom solutions!
- Added 8 class sets of Chromebooks district wide, and trained more teachers than I can count on GAFE tools and Google Classroom. This was a huge leap forward for our district!
- Moving forward with Gmail and leaving Outlook in the past, even though it was ROUGH initially.
- Implementation of Google Apps Proficiency Badge System by grade level for evaluation purposes.
- Got 44 teachers to utilize a subscription to Quia for custom game-based review games and digital assessment.
- Mobile Green Screen Studio is SUPER popular!
- I may get to teach a class per trimester next year. I’m SO excited about this as I don’t want to lose touch with what works with students from my perspective.
- We had our first virtual class attendee this year over Google Hangouts. Ellie had surgery that had her out of school for 6 weeks + so she attended class virtually. A Chromebook on a cart was wheeled from room to room, and she attended from home. She worked through Google Classroom alongside her classmates and even joined groups virtually to discuss issues!
Training in Google Drawing
Mobile Green Screen Studio
Parent Blog
Future Plan
- TLT's
We are in the process of selecting/inviting teachers to become leaders in technology in their grade level or department by choosing one person per area to serve on a building Technology Learning Team. Selected individuals will be called "Tech Mentors" and will be paid for 1 hour of PD with me per month, plus 4 hours in the summer. They will be expected to share their learning with their grade level or department in return! Our hope is to organically spread innovative technologies throughout the district and empower teacher leaders to share what they do.
- Year 2 of Technology Plan
Focus on Google Drive, Docs and Classroom as well as lesson planning with TPACK and evaluation with SAMR to help teachers become more comfortable with technology and increase collaboration between grade levels and departments. Google Classroom has had a transformative effect on PD groups as administrators begin using it with teachers as students! We will be developing a tech matrix this year and continuing to evaluate teacher proficiency with the badge system.
- BYOD Expansion
Lots and lots of teacher training, parent education, a parent blog, a website with LOTS of information for parents to calm fears, etc.
- Planning for New Building
- New Teacher Induction and Staff Development Week