Galena Park is "Making the Connections"

Galena Park ISD’s technology plan is aimed at meeting the goals of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. Its plan is to provide an effective integration of technological systems to help prepare students and teachers with 21st Century application skills. The GPISD Technology Department consists of a Director of Technology Support and a District Advisory Team. In addition, the District has assigned every campus a Technology Instructional Specialist (TIS) to reflect the inclusion of Technology into Instruction.

The District’s goals and strategies for using telecommunications and information technology infrastructure include using Wide Area Network (WAN) interconnects for all campuses, support locations and administrative offices through fiber-optics lines leased from ComCast. Every location will have connections to the Internet, file servers running the Novell Network operating system and Intel-based configuration for servers and workstations with MicroSoft Windows. The District makes every effort to ensure that telecommunication services, hardware, software and other services are assessed to ensure improved student and staff learning. An evaluation process that helps to monitor the progress toward the specified goals includes an action plan for the infrastructure for technology which contains a start-to-finish and frequency dates, responsible parties and targeted population, budgeted amounts and other sources, and indicators of success.

Galena Park ISD offers a variety of professional development opportunities and is overseen by the Director of Professional Development. These staff development opportunities include training in using Dashboard, Promethean Board, IPhone/IPod/IPad as assessment tools, Easiteach, MovieMaker, PhotoStory, Interactive Tablets, ENO Click, Mimio Interactive Board, Alio, Moodle, Wikis, Podcasting, MicroSoft Office and other technology trainings as needed. Additionally, District Training Manuals are also available through its website via the Technology link. As an added online training service, the District has purchased a StarBack video distribution system with Bond funds. This system provides on-demand video capability at every networked computer and will be used for instruction, staff development and remote conferencing.


References:

Galena Park ISD: Technology District Improvement Plan. (2008). Retrieved September 4, 2010, from http://www.galenaparkisd.com/cip_plan/2008-2009/Galena%20Park%20ISD_%20Technology%20Improvement%20Plan.pdf

Galena Park ISD Technology Plan. (2007). Retrieved September 4, 2010, from http://www.galenaparkisd.com/technology/fiveyearplan.pdf