In every classroome there are 3 or more computers, one of which is connected to a large screen monitor. Computers are used daily to enrich and enhance our curriculum. Students and staff have high-speed Internet connectivity. Our goal for 2004-05 was to add one new computer running WinXP for every classroom with the support of our generous PTA and SAC committee. We reached that goal along with the use of county funds. In 2006-07 once again with the generous support of our county and administration, we added a 2nd new computer with a flat screen monitor in every classroom in grades 3-5. At the beginning of the 2007-08 school year, we completed that same goal in all classrooms in grades K-2. How exciting! By mid-year with additional school funds, we were able to purchase new computers in our lab. We're very fortunate to have a county and administration that's so supportive of technology!

Our computer lab has 25 flat screen Dell workstations, running Windows XP and a color laser printer purchased with funds raised from TREK FOR TECH, our annual technology fundraiser. This lab is used for multimedia projects, desktop publishing, whole-class Internet access, and staff training. The lab schedule is accessed via our network where teachers can sign up on an as needed basis. All students and teachers attend lab orientation at the beginning of school and all classes participate in projects throughout the year. Our students will be sharing their technology projects with you on their class Web pages.

We are very excited about the new update of our Apple wireless computer lab to 16 MacBooks, affectionately known as the "COW" (Computers On Wheels)! This new mobile laptop lab was purchased over the summer of 2008 with school, PTA, and county tech funds. Students will instantly be able to access the Internet and our school network anywhere on our campus. The teachers and their students will be creating and participating in many exciting learning activities and digital media projects! We also will use our 10-station mobile iBook G4 lab that we received from our county in 2006-07 as part of the Beyond Words: Communicating throught Digital Storytelling Grant. Participating classes in grades 3-5 created amazing digital stories integrating what they learned in their classes. This year both labs will also be used for Podcasting. Students will be busy at work writing, producing and recording their broadcasts to post on our school site for everyone to enjoy.

All of our K-5 teachers are participating in Seminole County's E-READERS Program.This project was designed to improve student performance in reading, writing, and oral language through the collaboration of balanced literacy teaching and technology usage. Technology is used as an integrated curriculum tool to support First Steps reading strategies. Teachers use software in whole and small group settings for primary instruction through the use of a large-screen monitor mounted on a table or cart and connected to one of their computers.

AlphaSmart keyboards are available in all grade levels for individual classroom use. They're portable keyboards that are compatible with any MAC or PC. They enable students to practice keyboarding, to write and electronically store reports, stories, poems, and notes without having to be at the computer. Later on their work can be downloaded into the computer for adding graphics, for further editing, or for printing. We have expanded this program with a 30-station NEO mobile cart that can be checked out from the media center.

We have several digital cameras in each grade level. Teachers have discovered many ways to integrate digital photography into their curriculum. Both teachers and students can enhance their photographs with ImageBlender, an easy-to-use image editing program.

Exciting news...Mrs. Cook, our Technology Facilitator supervises the Podcast Club made up of fourth and fifth grade students. These special students are learning how to plan, write, create, produce and broadcast podcasts using Garageband. They, in turn, can assist other students and teachers in all grades who would also like to participate. Be sure to listen to our KoalaCasts found on our Technology Projects Page!

We are also very proud of our television production studio, home of KNN, the "Koala News Network". We have created a state of the art television production studio complete with two new digital video cameras on tripods, a teleprompter, a video mixer, audio mixer, CD player, tape player, tape editing equipment, monitors, lapel microphones, spotlights and two computers. A new green screen has been added this year which allows our news crew to insert some really cool backgrounds into the show. All the equipment is completely operated by highly-trained fifth grade students under the direction of Ms. Moeser, our new Media Specialist. Fourth grade students serve as meteorologists. Students from all grade levels also appear on the show as guests, as "Students of the Week" from grades K-2, and to recite the pledge each day.

You can also catch students reading all around our campus due to the excitement of our Accelerated Reader Program which is accessed from every classroom over our schoolwide network. Because of our flexible media schedule, students can come to the Media Center as often as they like to check out some great books! We have also adopted the STAR Program in which students' reading and math levels can be quickly and accurately calculated via their classroom computer. Isn't technology wonderful!


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