Sycamore School District - Technology Overview

Overview of Sycamore CUSD Technology

Education is moving away from traditional definitions of learning and course design to engaged learning that involves more student interactions, more connections among schools, more collaboration among teachers and students, more involvement of teachers as facilitators and more emphasis on technology as another learning tool. Sycamore CUSD #427 has four technology goals, which are channeled into the achievement of one ultimate result--the improvement of instruction for its students. These goals are:

Engaged Learning: Students will be able to retrieve, evaluate, apply information to strategically solve problems and communicate results through the use of technology. Over the next few years, Sycamore School District will establish and implement a scope and sequence for the use and integration of technology for Students that are aligned with the 21st Century Skills, National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), State Technology Plan and Standards, as well as Six Essential Learnings in a Technological Society and the Engaged Learning model.
Community Involvement: An open line of communication will be established to access students, staff, parents, business partners and community members; whereby, these stakeholders remain actively involved and participate in all aspects of technology as it relates to the educational process. As stated in the 2007-2010 Technology Plan, Sycamore School District 427 will increase web services to the community.
Professional Development: Teachers, administrators and school library/media personnel will continue to develop, expand and apply their technology skills in order to assume the roles of facilitator, guide and co-learner resulting from the use of technology in the school, the home and the community. Over the 2007-2010 time frame, administrator, teachers, support staff and library/media personnel will continue to develop, expand and apply their technology skills to best utilize available technology and successfully integrate the District's strategic Design Plan, the District's Vision for Technology Education, as well as the Standards mentioned above.
Technology Deployment: The infrastructure design will move toward ubiquitous equipment access, which supports educational and administrative goals. The Sycamore School District will maintain, improve and expand the District infrastructure.

Our district has six instructional sites (one high school, one junior high, and four elementary schools) plus an administrative building and a transportation building. Individual buildings each contain a LAN. The elementary sites have at least one computer lab with two or more computers in each classroom; the high school and junior high sites each have at least three computer labs with one computer in each classroom. A district WAN is operational using a wireless system comprised of bridges (radios) and antennae. The WAN is connected to two T1 circuits from which Internet access is obtained.

Copies of the district technology plan are available at all buildings. If you are interested in becoming a community member of the technology committee or would like additional information on the network, please contact a member of the Sycamore Technology staff listed on the Technology Staff page.