As the 2009-10 school year commences, the administration has taken steps to enhance and incorporate more technology into the lives of students and faculty. The highly anticipated Information Technology Literacy (ITL) Center will be opening for its first full year of operation as a place that both students and faculty can go if seeking help with technology. The center will be staffed every period to ensure that all students and faculty will be able to go to the center if they desire. “

The ITL Committee will continue to meet to help integrate technology into the curriculum,” Assistant Principal Rich Franzis said. After its first year of use in the 2008-09 school year, teachers will be utilizing Blackboard and Roundcube more this year. According to Data Support Specialist Ken Wood, there will be more emphasis on using Blackboard and the Roundcube email system in the beginning of the year.

“The goal is to have students check Roundcube like their personal email at home,” said Wood. Furthermore, Blackboard training for teachers will allow for some of the program’s unique features to be out into use. For example, the training will instruct teachers how to use the Blackboard calendar, to have testing and to use the Blackboard grade book. However, the main goal of the year is to have teachers post all of their assignments on the program.

Teachers that have their own personal websites will still be able to use this method of homework–posting as they will not be required to move to Blackboard. In addition to the incorporation of the ITL Center and enhanced Blackboard and Roundcube usage, the school has purchased a new line of durable Lenovo ThinkPads to replace the previous and worn-out models.

“The old COWS have been put out to pasture,” Assistant Principal JamesFarnen said. “We are happy to put new laptops in students’ hands.”