ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 24, 1996 TAG: 9610240035
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Since Wayne Harris became Roanoke's school superintendent more than three years ago, he has focused on upgrading technology in city schools.
Using bond money and state and local funds, he has spent close to $5 million for computers, networking and other instructional technology.
Twelve city schools now have a student-computer ratio of 5-to-1, and the school system has an overall ratio of 8-to-1. Roanoke has set a goal of a ratio of 5-to-1 for all schools.
Twenty-one schools have World Wide Web sites, and more will be added soon.
And now, the school system has won national recognition for its efforts to make greater use of technology in its educational programs.
Roanoke won McGraw-Hill School Systems' 21st-Century Schools Technology Planning Award in the large school-district category, beating out many larger school systems.
Roanoke was cited for having a "clearly articulated vision" for using technology, current computer systems and goals and strategies to meet its technology plan.
The award was established by McGraw-Hill School Systems - a division of the educational and publishing group of The McGraw-Hill Cos. - to promote higher-quality education through technology.
The winners were selected from among users of McGraw-Hill School System's software systems.
The judges cited Roanoke's requirement that all teachers and school employees have basic knowledge of computers and technology.
All school administrators and teachers are training at the school system's administrative headquarters to use technology in the classroom.
"You can't have a technology plan without training," said Rita Bishop, assistant superintendent for instruction. "If teachers don't know how to use the technology in their instruction, you don't get the full benefit of it."
The training is designed to help teachers overcome their "technophobia."
Some students with advanced computer skills have been hired to help with the training and to install software and handle programming requests.
David Baker, director of technology for city schools, researched and wrote most of the technology plan.
When Harris became superintendent, he noted the disparity in technology among the city's schools. Some magnet schools had used federal funds to buy scores of computers and the latest educational technology, but other schools had few computers.
Harris said he has tried to upgrade technology in all schools, although magnet schools generally still have the most computers.
The technology plan establishes performance standards grade by grade, beginning in kindergarten, when children will be taught basic keyboarding and mouse skills. By the second grade, pupils will be creating stories, using graphics and solving problems with computers.
By the 12th grade, students must acquire computer publishing skills and know how to use compact discs, spreadsheets and simulations.
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