Background Information

In November 2006, Judson ISD voters approved Proposition 3. This proposition included $8 million for technology upgrades across the district. These upgrades included new HP computers and other new technologies at nine schools: Coronado Village, Spring Meadows, Woodlake, Olympia, Paschall, Candlewood, Ed Franz, Woodlake Hills Middle School, and Kitty Hawk Middle School.

With all this new technology, there comes a tremendous need for staff development. The office of Instructional Technology, led by Beverly Ahr, Director of Instructional Services, 3 Specialists, and 8 Campus Instructional Technologists have worked together to provide over 200 professional development sessions for the 2007-2008 school year! Microsoft Office 2007 applications include: Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel 2007!

In efforts to comply with the SBEC state standards (Technology Application Standards for all Beginning Teachers), staff at these bond deployed campuses are also taking JISD created practica on 3 Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) to demonstrate their proficiency. Although it is a demanding task for many educators, JISD teachers are stepping up to the challenge and demonstrating their proficiency with an average passing rate of 95%! (Percentage based on educators who have taken the test).

The 2007-2008 campus teachers (Year 1 deployment) will continue to increase their technology proficiency by participating in additional training for Microsoft Excel, Publisher and Inspiration, a mind-mapping program.

Judson ISD is growing and improving every day. Change is inevitable and technology is certaininly an area educators and students must develop proficiency to effectively teach and learn in today's society.