Schools going high tech

The Las Virgenes Unified School District has completed two major projects that are expected to improve access to technology for teachers, students and parents.

Superintendent Donald Zimring credited the four cities that feed the school district—Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Westlake Village and Hidden Hills—with providing grants that funded the design and implementation of new websites for each of the district's 16 schools and the district office.

"These new websites will greatly improve not only our ability to communicate with our students, parents and community at large, but are far more userfriendly and provide a consistent format districtwide," Zimring said. The new technology, he added, will give teachers the ability to easily create their own websites.

The company, One Technologies uses a web service called "Mambo Schools" and integrates 22 web applications to form each school's website.

Also completed this year was the installation of a sophisticated microwave network that interconnects all school sites to the district office.

The new system increases the district's web speed and bandwidth while decreasing the annual cost for landline charges.

"This high-speed Internet communication system will allow teachers access to online curriculum content in real time that enhances the learning environment of our students," said Mike Carmody, director of information systems for the Las Virgenes district. "It is searchable by grade level, subject area and state curriculum standards, and provides teachers with additional tools to engage students in their learning process."

Teachers and students will be able to access current events and other "engrossing educational content" that will ultimately create a more rigorous, challenging and relevant learning experience, Carmody said.

Las Vi rgenes is considered to be a leader in the integration of technology into the classroom. The district was recently featured as a model California program in the California School Business Journal, Zimring said.

"Our focus remains a simple question," Zimring said. "What will help (to) continuallyi mproveour ability to deliver curriculum and instruction to students? We believe that technology has become as essential to that end as any other basic utility."

—Stephanie Bertholdo