Learner Description: I am exploring a coed, college preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-PG with

diagnosed language-based learning differences. These differences include dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, as well as students with issues around executive functioning and ADD/ADHD. A small number of students are children of faculty and have no learning difference. Those students are the exception to the rule as tuition remission for children of faculty is a prime benefit of employment. The campus is in a rural setting in northwest Connecticut. The household income level of the general student population is predominantly upper and middle class. Tuition for boarders is $61,700. International students pay $62,300 (none enrolled currently) and day students pay $50, 400. Twenty-three percent of students receive financial aid with an average grant of $18,500. Students: Students: 180 Males: 118 (65.6%) Females: 62 (34.4%)

Percent of Students Boarding: 85% Average Class Size: 8 students Teacher : Student Ratio 1: 3.27 Faculty: Percent of Faculty with Advanced Degrees: 56% Male educators on staff 23 (see chart for age breakdown) Female educators on staff 32 (see chart for age breakdown)

As with most independent schools, a degree in the field taught is usually all that is required to teach. One educator has National Board Certification in her field. Two are locally certified. At this particular school, additional LD certification classes are taught on-site using curriculum from the All Kinds of Minds Institute. All faculty, administrators, coaches, and houseparents are required to complete at least the first level of training. Additional training is required of all teachers in the Strategies of Instruction from the KU Center for Research on Learning. Most of the faculty in-service training focuses on these two critical areas. Parental support varies. Newer parents tend to be more defensive as they must be integrated into the way our school works. Many have been used to needing to be defensive/offensive to get what their child needs in other schools. As parents grow with their student in their trust of our school, their support and involvement grows. Many parents of alumni are still very active on the board and as donors.

Administrative Filter: Integrated Systems Stage My boarding school ranks as Integrated Stage of Development related to the Administrative Filter. The current Head of School has been in his position since summer of 2008. In that period, the Endowment Fund was hit hard as was the rest of the country. Change has been directed toward faculty turnover and defining the specific learning differences the school can and should serve. Technology has grown in pockets around campus. Now that iPads will be on campus, Assistive Technology should be streamlined so that needs are met through that device. At present, Assistive Technologies are varied and many core teachers are unaware of how to use them outside of the Learning Center. Policy and behaviors are catching up to this technology and I see a strong future for this school. Policy Behavioral: Integrated Systems Stage Policy change has been slow. New focuses in apps for Assistive Technology have demanded a shift. Requiring all students to arrive with an iPad is a huge plus and shows strong leadership. Policies are beginning to have an outcome-based outlook. Teachers are only required to input grades at midpoint and final. Varied programs or paper gradebooks are allowed which is

inconsistent. Students, parents and teachers would all benefit from school-wide consistent program from start to finish. Policy Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Systems Stage Filemaker Pro is the school data program. However, other than grade input, teachers are not required to maintain a completely electronic gradebook via FP. Policy should be consistent. Planning Behavioral: Integrated Systems Stage Certainly the desire exists but implementing change to reduce load on teachers has been slow. Planning tech long-range does exist but has not been as frequently as needed. Planning Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent Stage Actively seeking outside funding for future projects. Armed with the Hearst Grant, I see planning for the future moving at the same pace as faculty housing. Long-range planning is more outcome-based in the past. Strong example is seeking to remap the brain to teach the brain to recognize letters in text as a way to improve reading. Deciding what they wanted to do first directed them to the iPad as the platform. Budget Behavioral: Integrated Systems Stage Schools use of available funds is becoming focused. Campus-wide iPad use will help. Split platforms (PC vs Mac) still create problems. Budget Resource/Infrastructure: Islands of Technology Stage School endowment is small when compared to other boarding schools in the country. Techs slice of the pie is increasing. Administrative Information Behavioral: Intelligent Systems Stage Administrators know how to use the management software and share that knowledge very well. They are constantly sharing and teaching teachers how to utilize all aspects of that software. Administrative Information Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Systems Stage The management system is in place. The problems exist in use. The program was designed to best fit a PC environment. Most of the campus is Mac.

Curricular Filter: Integrated Systems Stage I would assess our school to be at the Integrated Stage with regard to the Curricular Filter. There are notable Islands aspects with regard to Teacher and Student Use behaviors and Intelligent marks in Student Resource and Infrastructure. Overall, the assessment at Integrated indicates need for growth and continuity across the board. Implement Learning Difference technologies are where this school shines. Taking that skill set to the Core classrooms is where it gets varied. Teachers have varying skill sets and very little time to explore and grow given

their workload. A study in 2007/2008 by National Association of Independent Schools identified adding one houseparent per dorm (bringing the total to three per dorm) would significantly impact a reduced load and likely assist in improving curricular and co-curricular activities and networking. This school still uses two per dorm. Electronic Information Behavioral: Integrated Systems Stage Learner information is stored on school system. However, teachers needing forms may have to access the system on a PC rather than the Mac in their room. Some forms are not available on the Mac platform. Electronic Information Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Systems Stage: The school system management software was designed for the PC platform. The school uses Macs in every classroom. This presents a challenge, as many of the management tools are not accessible. This should change as the iPad campus and the age of the school management software dictates a need for a new system integrating new technologies. Assessment Behavioral: Integrated Systems Stage: Many teachers still use paper gradebooks. Older teachers are resistant to change and lack confidence that system will not fail. Assessment Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Systems Stage: Resources, though plentiful, are confusing as aspects of one platform work nicely with the system software and aspects of the other do not. This requires both PC and Mac equipment and training. Curricular Integration Behavioral: Integrated Systems Stage: Some teachers are completely integrating technology into their coursework while others are far from it. Curricular Integration Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Systems Stage Training to integrate beyond LD-specific technologies does not exist on the whole. Department heads with experience integrate and teach integration. Most notably, the Science and Math Departments do an excellent job teaching their teachers. The Learning Center teachers excel in part due to the nature of their experience with Assistive Technologies. Teacher Use - Behavioral: Islands of Technology Stage Some teachers are completely integrating technology while others are far from it. Additional issues are the requirements to teach, coach and houseparent. Time to create, share and learn tech goes to the sideline.

Teacher Use Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Systems Stage

Two Thinking and Writing labs have class sets of Mac laptops with a master laptop. Teachers can arrange to swap spaces with the T & W teachers to take advantage of in class research opportunities while able to view all student screens. Interactive white boards are in all classrooms and some teachers utilize this resource, posting their lessons online for students to revisit for comprehension. Time is lacking to adequately train and coordinate technology integration across the board. All teachers will be provided iPads starting in January 2013. Though a plus, the school administrative software is only marginally Mac compatible making many teacher tasks challenging. Teaching, coaching, and being a houseparent leaves precious little time for integration and training of those not up to par. Student Use - Behavioral: Islands of Technology Stage Varied abilities and desires to engage exist, beyond Facebook and gaming. Juniors and seniors tend to use the equipment to greater degrees as their skill and confidence in navigating their difference increases. Student Use Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent Systems Stage All students now have iPads. Campus has wireless throughout dorms, classroom building and even the Outdoor Leadership Center. All students have their own space on the school hard drive to save classwork and access a variety of points on campus. School email and messaging is accomplished through a campus program.

Support Filter: Integrated Systems Stage My organization rates at the Integrated Systems Stage with regard to the Support Filter. Increased involvement of all stakeholders will help create a central vision. Also, teaching the Trustees what outcome we are expecting of our students will help them appreciate why we need what we need. We suffer from lack of training time for faculty, not desire or ability. In order to make that happen, it will cost money. The trustees will not support it if they cannot understand the need and value. The Head of School is young by industry standard. He has a strong vision for the future and rates high in his support of integrating technology and innovating processes throughout campus. The IT department is one of the strongest I have seen in any public or private secondary school. Stakeholder Involvement Behavioral: Islands of Technology Stage Teachers, Students and Trustees are not truly vested in the decision processes. Trustees see only the end work. Longer campus visits by trustees, or, video detailing actual use might help to engage them beyond the boardroom. Science Wing should have broken ground in 2007. Stakeholder Involvement Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent Systems Stage Just broke ground for new Science Wing. Trustees have supported technology, albeit a slower than needed pace. Administrative Support Behavioral: Intelligent Systems Stage

Head of School has a vision uses resources available to make and implement changes/enhancements. Actively seeks grants and donors to cover costs and make upgrades. Administrative Support Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Systems Stage School Endowment is small by any measure. What monies are available are allocated for tech. Training Behavioral: Islands of Technology Stage Training for technology does not exist currently other than for Assistive Technology and the devices currently in use in those areas. As more Assistive apps are designed, that training should become more prevalent. Training Resource/Infrastructure: Islands of Technology Stage Training schedules must be created to bring the whole staff up to needed levels creating and designing lessons integrating technology. Given the current schedule, paying the staff to stay an extra week or have a weeks summer training would do well to increase levels of understanding and use. Technical/Infrastructure Support Behavioral: Intelligent Systems Stage IT staff is quick to address issues. The IT director advises proactively for long-term concerns. The department is a valued asset. Technical/Infrastructure Support Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent Systems Stage Again, they make the most with available monies and equipment. They attempt to plan longrange and try to help guide the school to reach its mission. Now that the mission has been refined, IT is trying to get all school software to be Mac/iPad compatible and focus on a single system.

Connectivity Filter: Intelligent Systems Stage My school rates at the Intelligent Systems Stage with regard to the Connectivity Filter. Internet is available and used by all, albeit with a filter to insure content remains appropriate. All personnel on campus use LAN and Internet access. The use of log-ins prevents unauthorized access. The town limits growth on campus at present. Fiber optics/T1 and other high speed offerings are in the next town less than five miles away. Campus users are limited by DSL. Still, access is available and though the increased speed would be beneficial to growth, it is not essential at the moment. Local Area Networking (LAN) Behavioral: Intelligent Systems Stage Students, teachers, staff and administrators all have appropriate access to the network, their designated H drive space, email, messaging and printer access when in a school building. Dorms have all the above minus a common printer as students are expected to bring one from home.

Local Area Networking (LAN) Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent Systems Stage All students and staff have a profile. Not only does this streamline access, it provides a means to track appropriate LAN and Internet behavior. District Area Networking (WAN) Behavioral: N/A District Area Networking (WAN) Resource/Infrastructure: N/A Internet Access Behavioral: Intelligent Systems Stage All students, teachers, faculty, administrators and staff have access to both the Internet and Intranet. Internet access for students is restricted and monitored. Facebook and other social media sites can and are access controlled as well and viewed as a privilege. Given what access is available from the town to the school, the organization makes the most of what is there. Internet Access Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Systems Stage IT controls access via Proxy/Firewall. All students and faculty connecting to the network are required to have the organizations anti-viral protection installed. Fiber Optic lines are near the town. My school is hoping the town leaders will bring faster lines to the school. The school is currently limited to DSL. Communication Systems Behavioral: Intelligent Systems Stage The entire school uses the communication system via computer, as the phone system is dated. The system works well and is used in all facets of school operations.

Communication Systems Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent Systems Stage Email, Instant Messaging, Chat are available on the campus network. This system is managed by the IT Department. The system interfaces very well with Mac and iPad.

Innovation Filter: Intelligent Stage My organization must be rated at the Intelligent Stage when exploring the Innovation Filter. Cost is often a great limiter of innovation; yet, my school has figured out a way to grow in spite of limited resources. Securing a Hearst Foundation Grant to secure iPads for the faculty and provide $50,000 in research dollars will go a long way in employing the iPad in a new and innovative way to remap the brain and assist in the teaching of reading. The administration supports innovation and change. Plans moving forward seem to be Outcome Based wanting to utilize and incorporate technology into every facet of the school. IT Department relishes the

decision to focus on the iPad and its assistive abilities as this brings closure to the PC/Mac debate. Consolidating resources increases those available for innovation. New Technologies Behavioral: Intelligent Stage Support exists from the top down to create ways to implement and integrate technology. New grant to design and implement brain remapping for overcoming reading issues is a fine example. New Technologies Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent Stage Hearst Grant will help cover support for faculty iPads and app development. Parental support supplying all students with iPads is a huge win for the school. Comprehensive Technologies Behavioral: Integrated Stage Time is the enemy, when to teach older teachers how to use technology and have them implement those changes. Many are resistant to any form of technology to include smart phones and the applications available. Lots of assistive technology is out there but the older teachers use stand-alone assistive equipment and paper gradebooks. Comprehensive Technologies Resource/Infrastructure: Intelligent Systems Stage Resources exist for iPad use with a variety of functions. The cost will be low and teachers who can teach others are already on the staff. Use of streaming for live auction from the OLS Departments boat auction indicates the expertise is on staff and in the dorms.

Conclusion Overall, I rate our school in the Integrated Systems Stage. Our school does many things very well and is challenged by other tasks. Our school integrates Assistive Technology into so many aspects of student life on campus. We have educators who integrate technology into their Core classes. However, we have educators who are allowed to avoid that integration. As long as we struggle with the workload we place on the educators, we will see limited interest in learning other technologies. Even though these technologies will help them work smarter and faster, their current load does not allow them to view other training objectively. We have to do a better job of teaching them how technology integration works and in the same breath, work to actively reduce the load. Involving our stakeholders, particularly our trustees, will help to find solutions. Teaching all stakeholders the advantages of technology integration will be a win for all involved.