Richmond+Steiner+High+School+Technology+Vision

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= Richmond Steiner High School =

__School Mission __ Richmond Steiner High School educates young men and women to think deeply, flexibly, and imaginatively. By bringing together the realm of thinking with the expressiveness of the arts, music, and movement, we foster the human’s natural curiosity and sense of wonder while stimulating intellectual awareness. Within a nurturing environment reflective of our City’s diversity, teachers, mentors and staff work in partnership with parents to build a community in which each child's sense of responsibility and self-reliance unfold. __﻿ __ __The Community __

As a human based learning community in the center of dynamic Richmond, students are involved in learning around their surroundings. Housed in a historic downtown building, science classes have the opportunity to explore hands on the nature of the James River Park System a few blocks away, history classes have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of those in traditional textbooks and world language students can actually interact with native speakers around the Virginia Commonwealth University campuses.

Apart from an experiential approach to community based learning, the family structure of Richmond Steiner helps foster personal development. Students and teachers meet on a daily basis for sharing times during “Circle”—a daily time for student and teacher (mentor) conversation and bonding—to Monday morning “Assembly” in which many decisions about the school are made as a whole. Daily “Recess” times allow students time for reflection, meditation and movement along with bonding.

__School Demographic Information __

Richmond Steiner is a small high school of choice in Richmond Public Schools with 200 students, 50 in each grade level. Richmond City residents interested in attending Richmond Steiner must apply as rising ninth and tenth graders. The school has a diverse student population of students in grades 9 through 12 representing a variety of income levels and ethnic backgrounds. Approximately 50% of all students qualify for reduced lunch and approximately 10% of all students qualify for free lunch. The school does not have Title I status as of the 2009/2010 school year. Student population is approximately 40% African American, 40% Caucasian, 10% Latino and 10% Asian. 95% of all parents of Richmond Steiner students have either a high school diploma or GED and 50% of all Richmond Steiner parents have at least an Associate's degree or post-secondary certificate.

__ Faculty __

Richmond Steiner currently employs ten full time and twelve part time teachers. All but two of these teachers are considered "highly qualified" by the No Child Left Behind guidelines. The two teachers not meeting these standards are supporting, Waldorf certified teachers who provide Waldorf curriculum and methodology training to the remainder of the staff.

__The Academic Curriculum __

Grounded in the classics, academic courses at Richmond Steiner High School expose students to the great ideas of mankind, the events that shaped civilizations, the beauty of mathematics, the power of the arts, and the phenomena of the natural world. Our academic program provides exposure and mastery of a broad range of ideas in math, art, science and the humanities. By offering a wide variety of subjects, Richmond Steiner students have the opportunity to discover their own unique strengths and talents, giving them the self-confidence to succeed in all areas of their education.

The Waldorf curriculum is carefully crafted to guide students through various stages of their intellectual and personal development. Students learn to observe, compare, analyze, synthesize, question, and imagine alternatives. They debate ethical issues in science, history, and literature. They engage in abstract mathematical reasoning, as well as hands-on laboratory experiments. They consider ideas from multiple perspectives, and appreciate the value of diversity. Learning through multiple methods results in a solid understanding of complex concepts and develops valuable skills that students will use throughout their lives.

__ Necessary Areas of Improvement __

Waldorf teachers do not believe computers are always inappropriate. They simply believe they are not effective educational tools for young children. In a Waldorf high school you may find students actually building their own computers, thereby developing a more thorough knowledge of computers and technology than most children who grew up with them from the beginning. Waldorf students have a love of learning, an ongoing curiosity, and interest in life. As older students, they quickly master computer technology, and graduates have successful careers in the computer industry. Waldorf teachers and families tend to be very reluctant with the use of technology at home and in the classroom. To this end, the administration of Richmond Steiner High School has identified the following necessary areas of improvement: 1) Provide adequate and appropriate technology training to staff in integrating the use of technology in the traditional Waldorf curriculum by the Steinbridge Institute and the Richmond Public Schools ITRT assigned to our location.  2) Provide adequate and appropriate technology training to parents, focusing on families who have had their child in a traditional K-8 Waldorf school that may not have used technology in instruction by the Steinbridge Institute and the Richmond Public Schools ITRT assigned to our location. 3) Integrate and require practical, hands-on technology centered lessons in all subjects that still celebrate the Waldorf pedagogy.      __Richmond-Steiner Mission and Vision of Technology in Instruction__

The primary reason that many K-8 Waldorf and Waldorf-inspired schools do not use technology is the insistence that young children must make contact with real people and real environments in order to build a base of real experience. Language skills, for instance, depend upon a responsive human being who listens, responds, and communicates feelings.

Though technology is not integrated into the K-8 Waldorf curriculum, it is used in the 9-12 curriculum when a lesson may be best taught using technology. As confident and competent people in today’s world, young adults need to understand the role of technology and media in our world. While our students use calculators and computers, and watch political debates, historic films and documentaries, they also use technology as a tool, created by human imagination, in service of evolution**//. Our use of technology is consciously limited to that purpose, with a primary emphasis on the mastery of human capacities.//**

To this end, the administration of Richmond-Steiner acknowledges that many of our classically trained Waldorf teachers may have little to no experience using technology in classrooms. In addition, since approximately 50% of our students come from local, independent Waldorf schools, a plan has been developed for all new students to acclimate them to using technology as a learning tool. This technology plan shall be revisited every August for revisions.

__Instructional Use of Technology__

The Technology Committee of Richmond-Steiner has developed standards for the use of technology in instruction. The Technology Committee is composed of various stakeholders including the principal, teachers, parents, media specialists, ITRT’s, and our consulting Waldorf methodology specialists. When developing a lesson that integrates technology, teachers must ensure:

1. Students know how to use or operate particular tools.

2. Students gain an understanding, at least in a rudimentary way, how the technologies work.

3. Students develop the capacity to think critically, for one’s self, about the entire realm of designing, using and adapting technologies to serve personal, social, and ecological goals in ways that will sustain life on earth.

4. A focus on the development of the child's own inner-powers is emphasized, not exploiting external machine powers.

5. The study of ethics and responsibility is infused into every lesson utilizing technology.

The history of technology as a social and political force will be a part of every new student’s orientation.

It is the goal that teachers will remain the main engagers of learning, helping students to fine tune cognitive, critical thinking and social skills. Technology is used to supplement learning and instruction, not to replace it. All Richmond-Steiner students will graduate with the technological knowledge demanded of both the 21st century workplace and higher education.

Further information regarding the instructional use of technology at Richmond-Steiner may be found in the following articles:

Fool’s Gold []

The Future Does not Compute []

__Student Access to Technology and Internet Safety__

Richmond-Steiner strives to maintain a student to operational computer ratio of 3:1, translating to approximately 66 computers designated for student use throughout the school. Two mobile computer labs are assigned to the school: one mobile computer lab composed of 20 Apple MacBooks and the other of 20 Apple iPad devices. A non-mobile computer lab composed of 20 PC’s is used primarily for Computer & Technology Education (CTE) courses. The remaining 6 computers, which are also PC’s, are located in the school’s Library. The PC’s have been assigned to the school by Richmond Public Schools and fulfill the system’s student to computer ratio. The Apple program was funded by an outside grant.

All fifteen classrooms are outfitted with an Apple laptop, SmartBoard and LCD projector in order to assist teachers with instruction. Wireless broadband access is available throughout the school’s building and campus.

As a Richmond Public School not operating under a charter, students will be required to take all SOL end of course tests should their IEP permit. To this end, all RPS test preparation technology will be available for students, such as SOL Pass.

Richmond Public Schools (RPS) students will follow a structured approach to gaining skills that will allow them to become independent, responsible users of the Internet. This approach addresses Internet use based on age and topic appropriateness. In order to promote this standpoint, it is essential that all RPS faculty, staff and community volunteers provide guidance to students when using the internet to ensure that all uses involving Internet resources are consistent with the RPS mission and goals and the Standards of Student Conduct. The following system-wide guidelines for using social networking, for handling cyberbullying and for enforcing appropriate Internet filtering have been developed.

1. Before allowing students to access the Internet in an educational environment I will have each student and their parent/guardian read the //RPS Internet Acceptable Uses Procedures// on pages 37-38 in the RPS Standards of Student Conduct. **Each student must return the signature page on page 38 with their own and their parent/guardian’s signature.**    A copy of the "I understand" Document may be downloaded by clicking on the link below.

2. Many students have an active social networking site account (ie: Facebook) and there are many legitimate ways to incorporate social networking in today’s educational climate. Students must learn to abstain from using impolite, abusive, or otherwise objectionable language when using social networking. **Staff will provide training to students in class and to parents during school “open-door” days on appropriate social networking behavior.**

3. Cyberbullying is a reality that must be discussed with students and parents. Staff must also realize that it is in direct violation of the RPS Standard of Student Conduct 9-BU1. **If the internet is used during instruction, staff will have computers configured so that they may monitor student communications and aid in eliminating cyberbullying**. If staff becomes aware of cyberbullying they will immediately handle the event per the RPS Standards of Student Conduct in addition to providing or referring the aggressor and victim to appropriate mediation.

4. Twenty-first century youth are extremely technologically savvy. Many students are able to navigate the Internet better than the supervising adults. Though RPS has a number of Internet filters in place, the best way to prevent students from navigating to objectionable websites is direct supervision. **Staff will not leave students unattended when using the Internet.** In addition, staff will consult with the school’s ITRT to become aware of various proxy servers and other software that attempts to debilitate the RPS firewall.

It is important to remember the core-value of technology supplementing instruction and that students must always be directly supervised when using technology. __Professional Development__

Whereas the traditional Waldorf curriculum does not embrace technology, Richmond Steiner takes an approach to technology that partners technology with instruction. Many classically trained Waldorf teachers may not have the ability to integrate technology in instruction and some Waldorf families must also be trained. To this end, the professional development plan for Richmond Steiner also takes parental development into consideration.

A six-hour overview of the available technologies in our school will be presented by our school’s ITRT in August. Each month thereafter, staff will participate in a cycle of professional development featuring the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model. All staff that is responsible for direct instruction will work in small groups, focusing on using technology in our unique environment. The school’s Technology Committee has developed each cycle. For the 2010/2011 school year, the cycles will be:

**August:** Presented by Principal, //A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood//
 * September:** Presented by Group A, //Using the Smartboard//
 * October:** Presented by Group B, //The iPad in the Classroom//
 * November:** Presented by Group C, //Developing the Child's Own Inner-Power While Not Exploiting External Machine Powers.//
 * January:** Presented by Group D, //History of Technology as a Social and Political Force//
 * February:** Presented by Group E, //How Technology Works//
 * March:** Presented by Group F, //Ethics and Responsibility in Technology//
 * April:** Presented by Group G, //Critical Thinking and Technology//
 * May:** Presented by Group H, //Testing using Technology: the SOL//

Each PLC training will directly address the school’s technology mission and vision. The monthly PTA meetings will feature the same PLC trainings for all stakeholders.

Funding for PLC trainings will come directly from the principal’s professional development fund.

In addition to monthly trainings, staff will be encouraged to attend technology conferences, such as VSTE or city-wide development programs. It will be the principal and ITRT’s responsibility to identify relevant online trainings and to communicate these opportunities to all stakeholders.

__Funding__

Richmond Steiner does not qualify as a Title I school. Though a limited amount of federal funds are earmarked for Title I technology use, the Richmond Public Schools FY 2011 budget does not include specific line items for technology; rather, technology is generally a part of another general fund. The U.S. Department of Education’s latest technology report cites that there are disparities between schools due to the primary funding of technology coming from private grants. Small Schools of Choice (SSC) in Richmond Public Schools receive each $1,320 each, per year, for technology improvement.

Due to the school’s small size, approximately 90% of the school’s technology funding is received from local businesses and partner organizations. The following business and community partners contribute to our Apple computer program and for additional technologies (e.g.: digital cameras, SmartBoards, LCD projectors):

Carytown Merchants Association Ellwood Thompson Friends of the Richmond Waldorf School Richmond Public Library Friends of the James River Park

It is a core value of the Waldorf idea to promote self-sufficiency and self-reliance while still being dependent on your immediate community for assistance. To this end, the Richmond Steiner PTA aggressively fundraises for most school improvements, including technology. Grant proposals are submitted to our community partners and to various philanthropy websites such as [|www.donorschoose.org].

__Examples of Technology Use at Richmond Steiner__

Foreign Languages: Active engagement of students with other human beings in a target foreign language using Skype.

English: Recording and editing of a film featuring students interpretation of Ayn Rand’s __Anthem__ in modern America.

Math: Geometry students using graphic design software to make artistic visualizations of proofs.

Science: Use iPad to record data during James River Biology outing and digital cameras to document findings, posting information to either a Wiki or class webpage.

World History: Use SmartBoard to project a map of Europe and to visually trace and track the migration of tribes.