Photo credit: Cindi Chamberlain[/caption]The 2014 Techno Expo, held March 20 at C.W. Stanford Middle School, taught parents about current and future technologies used in Orange County schools. Teachers, staff members, and administrators presented technology to parents. According to Angie Veitch, the OCS director of media and technology, the purpose of the event was to “help parents become familiar… with programs we’re using in different fields.”
Some of the technologies being presented were Moodle, Discovery Education, PowerSchool, and Khan Academy. OHS staff members Shea Mustian and Tina Walker gave presentations, along with science teacher Becky Smith. Smith said the event was important because “older adults don’t know as much about computers” and they “didn’t grow up with [technology].” She also added that “things change a lot” over time. She presented about Discovery Education.
Veitch said that she hoped the expo would “help parents get [their] feet wet” and learn “what the digital age lets us do” and “where they can get information.” Even though “technology’s expensive, everyone’s online,” she remarked. The use of technology has increased in schools as the One-to-One laptop program has expanded into elementary schools. Students now have access to laptops starting in third grade.
Ryan Miller, the instructional technology coordinator for OCS, said new technology being introduced in schools is an “extended learning component” for students. “If [someone’s] son or daughter comes home” and needs help with their homework, “they can access resources on Khan Academy,” he stated. He said that technology provides “tons of great resources” and “learning management systems.”
Celeste Mauriello, wife of OHS teacher Nicholas Mauriello and a math interventionist at Central Elementary School, hosted a session about a new program called Dreambox, which she described as an “adaptive math program” that allows students to “work at their own pace.” Schools are “trying it out” and may decide to use it next year.
Two Chromecast devices were given away to attendees as door prizes. The Chromecast is a Google product that streams online media to HDTVs.
Starting on Monday, February 24, at 5:30 pm, Orange High School welcomed all community members to come witness the ribbon cutting of the new Learning Commons, also known as the remodeled media center or library. The Orange County school board, superintendent, OHS principal, OHS associate principals, and those who helped personally with the creation of the Learning Commons attended the event.
Some of the people who were lead facilitators for this project were Shea Mustian, the OHS media specialist, and Tina Walker, the OHS technology facilitator. They both put a lot of time and effort into making the Learning Commons a place that students would love to visit.
The ceremony began at the doors to the new Learning Commons with numerous board members, OCS Superintendent Gerri Martin, OHS Principal Jason Johnson, and Mustian speaking on behalf of those involved in the “exciting project,” as Mustian called it. After everyone had said their part and given their views on the new area, School Media Assistants Emily Cecil and Trinity Graves cut the ribbon so everyone could enter.
Inside, everyone was welcomed to mingle and take a look around at the new bright decor. Old friends caught up and OHS Associate Principal Judith Brantley cut a celebratory cake that was soon enjoyed by everyone.
The new Learning Commons was presented by Mustian as she mentioned the new functional furniture that students can charge their laptops on with retractable plug-ins and the area where “students can work on group projects, and we can have a potential group of students broadcast with,” describing a large new projector screen and software that can edit videos.
Teachers and faculty had a variety of responses when asked what their favorite dish was. Answers ranged from brussel sprouts to creamed corn to herb turkey. Some dishes served at the lunch were salads, turkeys, cakes, pies, bread, and vegetables.
Angela Baldwin, the cafeteria manager, designed a fruit sculpture that was placed on the dessert table. It contained cantaloupe shells, strawberries, grapes, and various other fruits and leafy vegetables. A sign on the front of the sculpture read, “Thankful for you.” She explained that she designed the sculpture because “I love to be creative.”
Shea Mustian, the OHS media specialist, said that teachers decided to have the lunch in the library because it was a “good spot” that could accommodate everyone. She explained that “all the teachers brought sides.”
Some teachers sheepishly said that that wasn’t true. When asked what he brought, one teacher who wished to remain anonymous replied, “Um, nothing. I can’t cook.” Meredith Connor, an English teacher, said that she brought “mini cheesecakes from Food Lion” that weren’t as good as she hoped they were going to be.
However, many teachers brought in homemade dishes that they put a lot of time into. Brooke Smith, a yearbook and journalism teacher, brought in homemade creamed corn. Justin Webb, a social studies teacher, cooked string bean casserole.
Teachers, like students, are going many places for Thanksgiving. Connor is visiting family in Advance, NC. Webb is heading to Delaware to be with his wife’s family. Jared Taylor, who teaches theatre, said that he is going home to “eat as much as I can,” then “get up at 6 am to go shopping,” with his family.
Food that was not eaten or brought home was served again Friday.
The renovations were done by librarian Shea Mustian, principal Jason Johnson, Pam Jones, and architect Ken Redford. The overall goal was to make the library more modern and sleek. Mustian stated, “[The library] needed an update to bring us into the 21st century with the look. Our goal was to get more students and traffic flow, [to be] more teen friendly and technology friendly, and to be brought up to speed with university and college libraries.” A lot of research went into the making of the new library.
However, the changes aren’t done yet. Starting this week, student artwork will be put up in the library and changed out with the different projects that the art classes are doing. Also, in coming months, new technology will be added, open for student use. A green screen will be added, along with computers programmed with video editing software. A remote-controlled digital monitor will also be added that will be able to go into the ceiling. These renovations will most likely be done by January or February. Ribbon cutting will take place when those are complete.
So far the feedback for the library has been all positive. Many students have commented on how much nicer it looks compared to years past. The colorful design has brought a lot of life into the library, making it more enjoyable to work in. Mustian encourages students to come in often, even to just hang out in the mornings. So make sure to take a trip down to the library and check out the new and improved look!
Updated 9/9/2013: The administration has run out of laptops. Tina Walker, the OHS technology specialist, said that more laptops "haven't been ordered." She estimated that "a lot" of students have not received laptops.
Laptop distribution started Thursday, August 29 and continued this week. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors in English classes were the first to get their laptops, followed by students in social studies and science. Freshmen began getting their laptops Thursday. Laptops are being distributed in the media center during the school day. The purpose of the 1:1 initiative is to modernize Orange County classrooms and instruction plans.
Will Okun, an OHS assistant principal, said that the administration’s goal is to be done with distribution by the end of the week. “[The staff is] trying to get them out as fast as we can.” He said that staff members are “checking over [the laptops]... [That’s] why it’s taking so long.” On Tuesday evening, the administration identified the remaining upperclassmen who paid for but did not receive laptops. Those students received their laptops Wednesday, and the administration moved on to the freshmen who paid for laptops.
Patrick Thompson, a technical support worker, estimated that distribution will be done by “next week if we’re lucky… [There’s] no way of telling [when we’ll be done].”
Jessica Byrd, a 15-year-old freshman, was happy to receive her laptop. “[It’s] cool… [I’ve] never had [my own laptop] before.”
Shea Mustian, the media specialist who runs the media center, has been checking out laptops to students using the library software. She said that laptop distribution is a “smooth but long process… [There has been] lots of excitement. I think it has been a smooth rollout.”