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This technology plan is a portion of the international repository
maintained and distributed by the:

		National Center for Technology Planning (NCTP)
		Dr. Larry S. Anderson, Founder/Director
		Post Office Box 2393
		Tupelo, MS  38803
		662/844-9630
		larry@nctp.com

This plan's inclusion in the electronic database indicates that it
is perceived to receive consideration by technology planning 
committees.
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District Mission Statement

"The Burbank Unified School District is committed to the use of all available resources to provide quality instructional programs through which all students will develop their greatest potential, demonstrate mutual respect, work cooperatively to achieve clearly stated goals, value the learning process and prepare--in a safe and orderly environment--for a productive role in a democratic society. (Policy 6001, Mission and Vision, 9-6-90).

... To provide and enhance an educational system in which students will reach their fullest potential and function as active participants in the educational setting, the community, and as contributing members of a democratic society in which they are productive and self-supporting adults. Students will value learning, be critical thinkers, be technologically literate and make wise mental physical, academic and ethical decisions. They will demonstrate a respect for themselves and others and will work well together to solve problems and made decisions."

In keeping with the mission and goals of the Burbank Unified School District and Burbank High School, this school is committed to graduating students who possess the skills needed to succeed in an increasingly complex information society. The ability to process and manipulate information has already become the single most important determiner of economic success for individuals as well as states and nations. In this new information age, the ability to gather and distribute information through electronic communication is vital. Therefore, Burbank High School's vision is to graduate students who are comfortable with and proficient in using educational technology in all its forms as information resources and to possess the skills to interact with individuals or organizations and agencies through computer telecommunications.

The Burbank High School Technology Plan has been developed in order to provide a set of guiding principles for the training of faculty and staff, development of instructional programs and teaching strategies, acquisition of hardware and software, and utilization of outside resources within the arena of educational technology. A technology advisory committee has been formed in order to recommend specific actions that need to be taken to meet short- and long-term goals.

Some 24 desktop computers are networked to the student data system known as SASI by means of Novell Netware. Primary use of this network is to manage student information, but administrators and clerical staff can also make use of WordPerfect for word processing and Lotus and other financial management software for accounting, budgeting, and inventory purposes.

Two computer laboratories, each equipped with 30 desktop computers, are available for instruction. One laboratory, managed by the Business Department, is devoted to instruction in computer applications; the other laboratory, managed by the Mathematics Department, is devoted to instruction in computer science. A few computers in the computer science laboratory are networked via Novell Netware.

A number of individual classrooms are equipped with one or two desktop computers for use by individual teachers and their students.

Each of the four faculty workrooms is equipped with a computer and printer. Each also has a photocopy machine. Their use is limited by their location to instructional and classroom management purposes.

A number of television sets, VCRs, tape-recorders, and overhead projectors are maintained by the school. They are maintained and distributed by the Media Clerk.

Individual departments maintain and store VCRs, television sets, laser discs, and other hardware, including computer projection screens.

Sammons Cable Company has strengthened the cables running into the school, so that it is possible to provide cable drops for many locations throughout the school. At present, a cable drop is available in the library, the media storage center, and the principal's office.

All teacher workrooms and department offices and a number of classrooms have telephones, which connect to the central console in the Main Office. Some classroom tele phones are for emergency use only and do not connect directly with the outside. In summer, 1992, Pacific Bell was contracted to place all telephones on a Centrix system so that callers can dial individual telephones directly.

Burbank High has been adopted by CERFnet, an educational computer network that is part of the world-wide computer network known as the Internet. Through CERFnet, computer users at the school, both teachers and students, can conduct research and joint projects with other users on the Internet.

1. Students will use technology as a tool for learning.
2. Technology will be integrated into all courses.
3. Students will master technological skills.
4. Students will use modem connectivity to have access and to interact with world-wide information through technology.
5. Technology through e-mail will be used as a communication tool within the school, the community, and the world.
6. Students will develop ethical values with regard to the use of technology.
7. Technology will be used to motivate students to learn.
8. Students will use technology to create imaginative and innovative solutions to problems.
9. Students will appreciate the value of technology.

Following are action plans which the Technology Planning Committee believes can be achieved or begun during the 1992- 93 school year and which lay the foundation for long term plans.

• Conduct a survey of faculty and staff to determine degree of computer use.
• Conduct a survey of students to determine degree of computer use.
• Conduct a survey of feeder schools to determine computer use for instructional purposes and the degree of access for students.
• Conduct a survey of parents to determine degree of computer use and commitment.
• Provide staff development that raises all faculty and staff to at least minimum levels of computer literacy.
• Disseminate and explain the BHS Technology Plan to faculty, staff, parents, community, and students.
• Contract to have all instructional computer equipment serviced and repaired.
• Work with the Superintendent to establish a computer purchase plan so that faculty and staff may purchase computers, accessories, software, and modems at reduced prices.
• Write grants to acquire computer equipment and software.
• Train selected teachers on the Internet.
• Encourage faculty and staff to attend technology seminars, workshops, and conferences, and to visit model technology sites.
• Establish a centralized technology information center.
• Establish a business-school partnership to provide an Internet domain for Burbank High School.
• Articulate with City Library planners so that technology plans for the school and the library are complementary.
• Empower the Technology Adviser to become the Internet expert for Burbank High School.

• Connect all instructional computers to the Internet by cabling them to the file server.

  Seek funding to purchase network cards, cables, and pay for the installation. Seek and make use of volunteer experts outside the school to assess cabling needs and oversee the installation.

• Require all students to demonstrate computer literacy as a graduation requirement, either by completion of coursework or by examination.

  Make a recommendation to the Superintendent to update high school graduation requirements.

• Advance faculty computer literacy for classroom instructional purposes.

  Recommend computer literacy workshops and in-services to the Burbank High Staff Development Committee. Use SB 1882 funds to provide these workshops. Work with Adult Education to provide computer literacy classes for faculty and staff.

• Advance parent computer literacy as a support for students.

  Invite parents to participate in faculty and staff workshops on computer literacy. Work with all available resources such as Adult Education and ROP to provide computer literacy classes for parents and community members.

• Acquire a minimum of one computer unit per classroom, cabled to the file server.

  Seek grant funds through the State or private sources to purchase computers for instructional purposes. Plan budgets for restricted and non-restricted funds to include the purchase of computer equipment.

• Acquire a multi-media lab to which all classrooms have access.

  Seek funds to acquire a multi-media lab.

• Establish a Burbank High School BBS (electronic bulletin board service).

  Seek funds to purchase a BBS server. Contract with a computer products retail outlet to provide reduced cost modems for purchase by students, parents, and the community. Work with telephone company to install sufficient telephone lines to serve the BBS. Train a student BBS manager.

• Provide a bank of computers in the library for student use.

  Seek funding to increase the number of computers for student use.

• Establish community and BHS library automation to access information.

  Work with the City Library and the City Council to share electronic library resources.

• Articulate with feeder elementary and middle schools to develop a K-12 technology sequence.

  Work with the Superintendent to develop an articulated technology sequence for the District.

• Establish partnerships with businesses and the community to acquire equipment and software and take advantage of human and technological resources.

  Work with the Chamber of Commerce and service organizations to articulate needs and develop plans that will benefit both businesses and the school.

• Revise curriculum guides to reflect technological goals, objectives, and values inherent in the technology plan.

  Work with the Superintendent to revise curriculum guides in all subjects to include strategies for the uses of technology.

The Technology Planning Committee will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the progress of the Technology Plan. In order to do so, the committee will

• meet at least three times a school year, at the beginning of the year, in mid-year, and at the end of the year to assess the implementation of the Technology Plan.

• reassess the goals and activities of the Technology Plan in order to ensure that it reflects the current situation.

• review and update inventory of equipment and software.

• assess the progress of staff development with regard to faculty and student computer literacy.

• assess the degree to which technology has been integrated into normal classroom teaching.

• assess the degree to which technology has enhanced communication between the school and the community.

• assess the district's progress toward revising instructional guidelines, revising graduation requirements, and developing a district-wide technology plan.