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Maturity Benchmark For Silver Sage High School

Summary of Demographics: Silver Sage High School is located in a suburb of Boise, Idaho.The average median household income is $60,000 and the estimated median house value is$196,000. There are 2037 students enrolled at Silver Sage High School, and of that, 85.6% arewhite, 0.8% are American Indian or Alaskan Native, 1.8% is Asian, 0.8% African American,0.4% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 7.3% are Hispanic or Latino, and 3.09% are twoor more races. The free and reduced lunch is 20%. See table below for the breakdown foreach grade level.

Demographics for Silver Sage High SchoolD

AdministrativePolicy-Behavioral-Integrated: Appropriate technology use is formalized and embraced bymany parts of the school. For example, depending of the class, technology is used on a dailybasis, from videos to internet-based programs or software such as powerpoint, Indesign andphotoshop.Policy-Resource/Infrastructure-Intelligent: Comprehensive policies exist in terms of district-wide acceptable use. Some examples of this include the following:

Users of electronic communications (including, but not limited to, email, web pages, on-line collaborations, listserves and discussion groups) should be mindful thatcommunications originating within the district may be construed as representative of theschool or district. Do not send, submit, publish, display, or knowingly access anymaterial that is defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, rude, obscene, profane, sexuallyoriented, threatening, harassing, racially offensive, illegal, or that encourages the use of

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controlled or illegal substances, or is otherwise not consistent with the policies,purposes, and objectives.

Users who accidentally access inappropriate material are expected to discontinue theaccess as quickly as possible and to report the incident to a teacher or networksupervisor.

Users will not violate any local, state, or federal regulation or statute.

Users will not reveal personal information about others and be cautious when revealingpersonal information about themselves (age, gender, phone number, address, etc.).Users will not use the network, internet or individual computers or other equipment insuch a way that it would disrupt the use by others.

Planning-Behavioral-Islands: Although formal planning exists, it is isolated to specific projects;for example, the most recent purchase of technology is Discovery Education. While DiscoveryEd is part of an effort to implement UDL lesson planning, its implementation thus far lacksformal training and evaluation.Planning-Resource/Infrastructure-Integrated: Again, while there is a comprehensive plan,the plan lacks formal review and only involves isolated projects.Budget-Behavioral-Integrated- Budget-Resource/Infrastructure--The following is from my

principal: The district has one for the entire district but for the building level, the

answer is not specifically. What we have at the building level is dependent on the costand type of the item. If the cost is over $200, then we purchase it out of our equipmentbudget. Certain items even though they are under the $200 minimum must still bepurchased with equipment money. Otherwise it is purchased out of our general supplybudget. It is to upgrade wiring, etc..., then it comes out of our equipment repair budgetor other purchased services budget. There is no specific technology budget. What isnice about this is that no money is dedicated to technology and therefore, if I don't needto purchase any technology, I can use the money to purchase other things. Otherwise ifthere is a specific account for technology, I would have to spend that money ontechnology only when I may need something else instead.

Administrative Information-Behavioral-Intelligent:Administrative systems such as the use ofoutlook e-mail and PowerSchools for attendance and grading and scheduling are used on adaily basis. This year, the District will launch SchoolNet where teachers and administrators willhave access to test scores and a plethora of other resources.

Administrative Information-Resource/Infrastructure-Intelligent:Administrative systems areavailable to all administrators and staff although staff are limited to certain systems.

CurricularElectronic information-Behavioral-Intelligent: Information resources are accessed on a dailybasis.Electronic information-Resource/Infrastructure-Integrated: Technology is available for mostcurricular area such as science, math, English, social studies, and some electives.

Assessment-Behavioral-Islands: Used by many of the staff and some students.

Assessment-Resource/Infrastructure-Islands: The focus is based on more traditionalassessments.Curricular Integration-Behavioral-Islands: Curriculum is dependent on technology, but it isnot used comprehensively across the curriculum.Curricular Integration-Resource/Infrastructure-Intelligent: Technology is available for all allteachers and related materials are also available.Teacher Use-Behavioral-Integrated:There is regular use by teachers,but depending on howwork is defined here(teacher-centered or student-centered), the integration level varies fromhigh(teacher-centered) to medium(student-centered).

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Teacher Use-Resource/Infrastructure-Intelligent: All teachers have access to appropriatetechnology. All teachers have a networked computer, a projector connected to it, and recently,the high school receive document cameras.Student Use-Behavioral-Islands: Students use technology often, but because teachers lacktraining in how to integrate technology into their curriculum in terms of student use and becausethe high school is overcrowded and there is not an effective ratio of students and computers,

usage is limited.Student Use-Resource/Infrastructure-Integrated: Students have access when computers areavailable.

ConnectivityLocal Area Networking-Behavioral-Intelligent: Staff use is not limited, and if there is aparticular program blocked on the internet, avenues can be taken to have it unblocked.Local Area Networking-Resource/Infrastructure-Intelligent: Networking is sophisticated, andWIFI is available and was recently upgraded.District Area Networking-Behavioral-Intelligent: Staff uses available resources.District Area Networking-Resource/Infrastructure-Intelligent: District has the latest in thistechnology.Internet Access-Behavioral-Intelligent: Staff use the internet daily and student can when theyhave access. Many use their smartphones to access data.Internet Access-Resource/Infrastructure-Intelligent: Internet access is available for allbuildings in the district, and throughout the highschool at every location.Communications Systems-Behavioral-Intelligent: E-mail is an integral part of communicationand is used on a daily basis.

SupportStakeholder Involvement-Behavioral-Emergent: Some groups are aware of the planning; forexample, Schoolnet is going to be implemented in 2012-2013, however, few are currentlyengaged in the process.Stakeholder Involvement-Resource/Infrastructure-Emergent: Few groups are a part of theplanning and implementation process.

Administrative Support-Resource/Infrastructure-Emergent:The support at the

administrative level is limited. It involves discussion but no real implementation. Teachers whoplan and integrate technology are not recognized or used as facilitators.

Administrative Support-Behavioral-Emergent: There is no formal time spent on theadministrative level for planning and implementing technology.Training-Behavioral-Island: Technology training is available through the district on a limitedbasis. In fact, each summer, the district host a Tech Conference. However, teachers whoembrace tech learn and implement, if they find the time, and teachers who do not fall behind interms of technology usage.Training-Systems-Resource/Infrastructure-Islands: Training is available, but it is limited.Technical and Infrastructure Support-Behavioral-Islands: Many staff seek support, whetherit is formal or informal, but it really only is sought if the is a problem.Technical and Infrastructure Support Systems-Resource/Infrastructure-Integrated: Thereis formal help available through the district.

InnovationNew Technologies-Behavioral-Islands: New technologies are generally accepted by the staff,but staff members are too stressed out to find time to experiment and implement thetechnologies.New Technologies-Resource/Infrastructure-Island: Again, the technologies are there, butthe time to experiment and implement them keeps the staff limited. In addition, without enoughcomputers, creating student-centered learning using technologies is limited.

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Comprehensive Technologies-Behavioral-Intelligent: The school has readily availabletechnology.Comprehensive Technologies-Resource/Infrastructure-Integrated: Available technology islimited in terms of its usage because teachers lack training.

ConclusionSilversage High School is an example of a school and on a broader scale, a districtthat can be rated as intelligent on the Maturity Model Benchmark scale in terms ofresources, including networking, communications systems, and Internet access. This isthe good news regarding my conclusion because the technology, sophistication and theinfrastructure is intact.

The disappointing factor about this school is the waste of the resources and the lack

of formal implementation, training, and leadership that exist. This reality places the

curricular integration, including training, assessment, student use, teacher use,

administrative support, new and emergent technologies at a benchmark of Islands. This

high school needs to create a comprehensive plan, beginning with an administration

that supports and allocates planning, training, implementation, and participation of all

staff members. One suggestion is for teachers to form a technology task force

committee, one in which teachers will be paid for their time (since Idaho is now on a

merit system) that focuses on training and support across the curriculum. In addition,

teachers should be paid for attending trainings outside of their contract. This will

motivate and encourage teachers to learn and grow into a 21st century model.

Furthermore, the administration needs to encourage the use and integration of

technology, recognizing teachers who create innovative lesson plans, building an

environment that embraces technology as a tool that does not drive the curriculum, but

supports it.