At the 8.27.12 board meeting for the Whitewater Schools, there was a presentation from Charlie Barr, Technology Coordinator, on the possibility adding a full-time technology supervisor to the few interns now working for him. The discussion took place from approx. 38:35 to 1:12:40 during the board meeting.
I well understand the need for due diligence when evaluating a request, but the need here seems clear. The Whitewater Schools should conduct a review, and hire where needed, at the earliest opportunity: this district needs a more robust program than a single staff member and a group of interns. It’s done well for itself that way, for now, but that’s a limited-term solution.
(Much of the cost would come from current vacancies in the intern contingent.)
There are, combined, thousands of students, faculty, and administrators, across six buildings in the district (including the administration building). We should provide more for technology support if we are to be competitive. Only when that happens will the equally important work of expanded technology integration be available for students and faculty.
A business similarly situated, with several plants and thousands in its buildings, would have a larger staff than one fulltime employee. That the district’s business is, so to speak, intellectual, and that scholarship relies on computer technology to be competitive, makes our situation even more pressing.
Technology isn’t a second-level concern. Technology is a first-order concern for a school, just as a breathable atmosphere is a first-order concern for an animal: both perish without it. Those who doubt the value of clean air might wish to trade America’s clear skies for a visit to a befouled Chinese city, choked with brown air. I’m sure Chinese planners think that they’re doing the right thing by focusing on production at the expense of air quality. They’re simply creating a generation of sick and feeble workers.
The district’s priority should be evident, in favor of more robust support. Students are in constant forward motion, toward graduation. What students don’t receive while here from a robust and well-supported environment is to their detriment. It’s to our detriment, too, as they’ll be less inclined to return here.
Delay is debilitating; the faster the better. The board should act promptly in favor of additional, full-time support.