servers, and basic district network issues. The other works on lower-level trouble- shooting and spends more time in class- rooms assisting students and teachers. Brown works across all aspects of the tech- nology department, from servers to teacher support. The district contracts out high-level net-


work infrastructure work. Year one with the IT firm was expensive, as the district rebuilt its infrastructure and “cleaned up” legacy is- sues. Now that the infrastructure is stable, the cost of consulting is far less than that of an employee. “This has been hugely cost ef- fective for us,” says Brown.


Standardization vs. site-based A certain level of standardization is es-


sential to a small district with limited sup- port staff, maintains Brown, “but that being said, you have to be flexible.” It’s one thing to have standardized printers and projectors, but when it comes to instructional tools, sites take the lead. Different grade levels, age groups and needs lead to different decisions, all supported by the tech team. “We have teachers who just want to go


for it,” says Brown. “Those innovators are really valuable. They lead forward and often become the standard.” PVSD encourages in- novation and expects teachers to share what they do. Consultation with Brown and her team is the key – no Lone Rangers, they’re all in this together.


Building teacher capacity Professional development and teacher


support in PVSD is about as personalized as it can get. Because the district is so small, because the tech staff stretches across only two sites, and because that same tech team is in and out of classrooms, they basically build teacher capacity by going door-to- door. “Have you thought about this? Oh, you’re interested in that – let’s take a look.” Customized, in the moment, and based on need – not directive. Other pieces to the puzzle? Two teachers


on special assignment, one per site, to as- sist teachers – each a full-time teacher who tackles this additional role. Faculty meeting share-outs and short talks. And one last key to integration: IT and Ed Tech are joined


of all technology tools, from computers to iOS devices. Another big push has been bet- ter communication with parents via web- sites, blogs and academic calendars. Certainly, challenges lie ahead. Money is


always a challenge, even in this small, afflu- ent district. The district would also like to see more full-scale adoption of new tech- nologies by the teaching staff. They plan to continue their individualized approach and support and leverage key players in their work.


Trends and next steps Several trends are already impacting this


district. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) begins in the middle school this year. Brown believes this trend will grow substantially in the years to come. She’s not sure BYOD will save much money, especially with the back- bone upgrades and separate guest network to support it, but she sees BYOD as part of the growth of mobile technologies in schools. Key work over the next few years? PVSD


is moving forward with work on data visual- izations. They want staff to see visually – and


under the same umbrella, not separate. In- tegrated at the top, integrated throughout.


Successes and challenges Brown points to PVSD’s move to the


cloud as one key success over the last three years. Providing a consistent, collabora- tive platform – Google apps – has created a seamless transition between home and school for students and teachers. And it has increased efficiency and collaboration in all areas. They have also seen better integration


regularly – how their students are perform- ing. They also have teachers experimenting with the flipped classroom concept and be- lieve they are headed down the path of a 1:1 implementation. From instructional strategies to data to


devices, PVSD focuses on what’s needed to support students and teachers. “It’s always about the learning,” says Brown.


Snapshot: Campbell Union School District


Eric Andrew, superintendent Randy Phelps, director of technology


nCUSD by the numbers 7,500 students, K-8 13 sites plus district offices Revenue limit district 38 percent free/reduced lunch 410 certificated staff, 330 classified staff 4.5 technology staff 2,600 desktops, laptops, netbooks, iPads, iPod Touches, Smartphones, Mac/PC Funding: General fund, bond, small grants, Title money, eRate


Overall philosophy and vision CUSD is unique in that each of its schools


is a charter that relies heavily on local vision. “Historically, our role was to support goals set by each site,” says Technology Director Randy Phelps. “But our level of collabora- tion has changed pretty dramatically, and now we want to use technology to drive our goals. We want to use technology to accel- erate and revolutionize what we do in the classroom.” Phelps wants his department to provide


service, leadership, vision, focus and con- sistency. His team looks for comprehensive solutions that help people do their work. “We have a motto that we must ‘bring the


sunshine.’ We know the pressure teachers are under, and they’re often stressed when we get to them. Instead of being procedural, we listen, and we listen for the problem be- hind the problem. We provide a big smile and encouragement, and then we provide a solution that addresses the immediate issue and also resolves the underlying cause.”


Organization Phelps organizes his staff according to


their strengths. One maintains the networks November/December 2012 17


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