One really amazing thing about Skyview is that they have an Innovation Specialist on staff who works with teachers on any project they would like with technology. If a teacher wants to do a special project on the iPads, or show students how to create blogs, then all they have to do is schedule time with the specialist. She doesn’t even have classes, this is her whole job—to incorporate tech into lessons for all. Very cool! Also having a Teacher Librarian that troubleshoots and maintains the entire tech is also very impressive! Additionally, the district’s IT department is housed next to the school, so help is often only a short walk away. And plates of cookies make a difference!
Collaboration between teachers is common across all grade levels. Daily I hear of science teachers meeting with iPad teams, the GT coordinators team teaching with LA teachers, the science team whisking groups of kids off to manufacturing fairs . . . their teamwork is really amazing. Flipped classrooms do occur with select teachers who sometimes engage “pre-learning” activities at home such as videos or quizzes before classes.
I would give Skyview a 8.5 rating overall on Blended Learning. Which is really good!
Areas to improve:
~More Chromebooks--especially for the math teachers who need them the most and use on a weekly basis.
~Budget for the library to paint and add more functional furniture and more shelves.
~Our library is about 4,000 books below the average for a middle school of our population.
~Makerspace
~Enclose the computer lab and/or acquire noise-cancelling headphones.
~A cabinet in the library with additional Chromebooks and iPads for teachers and students to check out. Oftentimes the classes sizes outnumber the computers in the lab and the process to acquire a cart is complicated. Teachers need to have access to a few at a time in a pinch.
~Access to more digital content through the library.
~Have more aide coverage and parent help so I can teach more and incorporate more programs and events into the library.
~Do more weeding and clean out the tech graveyard.
~Create better access to online library tools like putting books on hold and renewals. Replace the archaic student number system so kids can actually self check out. Right now they can't because it's not set up with passwords either.