|
|
||||||||
| ||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
 |
 |
||||||
|
|
 Please Visit Our Other Web Sites
|
|
December 15, 2006 2006 LEADERS of the YearSusan McLester, Amy Poftak, and Mark Smith Page 4Don Hall For Don Hall, CIO of the sprawling Kent School District in Washington, empowering students and community through technology is a "front and center" goal. With more than a third of the student population of 27,000 on free or reduced lunches, a significant number of special needs and transient students, and more than 103 languages represented, Hall has his challenges cut out for him.
"I am a passionate advocate for students, especially for those who do not have a voice," says the CIO, who, as the oldest of three in a single parent welfare family in rural eastern Kentucky, grew up with first-hand knowledge of what's it's like to be from "the wrong side of the tracks." Knowing that a good education is the ticket to a better life, Hall has been a tireless advocate for bridging the divide in his community. Under his leadership, Kent developed a three-part, high-impact model for integrating technology into education. Three learning initiatives have played a key role in Kent's approach to preparing students for success. Establishing broad access to technology was a first step. Working with the community, Hall and his team enabled the passage of two technology levies to decrease the student-to-computer ratio to 3.5 or better across all classrooms, with a focus on building skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy. The district has also tapped into the power of partnerships, with local culture centers helping support computer labs and after-school tech tutoring. These agencies have also aided the district in reaching beyond the school walls to install computer labs and after-hours tutoring in high-risk apartment buildings in the district. The second focus of the learning initiative is to provide students with real-world leadership opportunities. Three student-run projects include the Bridging the Gap computer grant program for at-risk families; the VisFest digital literacy festival; and Tech Exp, a learning and technology fair, as well as technology internships. A district grant program has also provided free computers to more than 3,000 low-income families. Aligning resources, training, and standards is the second piece of the three-part model. Professional development was restructured from a class-driven to a "just in time" model, encouraging multiple delivery options, student/teacher team learning, action research, and other innovative approaches. Embedding technology competencies within the core curriculum has helped standardization of the staff evaluation process. Hall recognized that a long-term, scalable, and stable infrastructure was key to the program's sustainability. Under his direction, the district implemented a fiber optic network connecting all 40 schools and centralized its servers. — Susan McLester
More Leaders of the Year |
advertisement
IT Degrees Online IT Technology Degree Online Instructor-Led Microsoft Certification Preparation |
