Apple names Las Virgenes model district

HI TECH—A. E. Wright students work on their Mac computers in the school library. The 13 schools in the Las Virgenes Unified School District will be featured in a video produced by Apple Computers as model schools. The district recently added 544 laptop computers to the elementary and middle schools. Las Virgenes Unified School District's efforts to mesh technology with learning have been recognized by Apple Computers Inc.

The district has been named a "model district" for its technology program, including the infrastructure paid for through Measure G funds, Superintendent Donald Zimring said.

Zimring and the tech programs at the 13 schools will be highlighted in a video produced by Apple. In February, Zimring was invited to Apple's Austin, Texas, facility for a day of interviews and filming of the informational video, which will be distributed to school districts nationwide for training sessions and marketing ventures, Zimring said.

The district's recent roll-out of 544 laptop computers for students at all elementary schools and the three middle schools was paid for through a federal grant to improve writing skills, Zimring said.

Mary Schillinger, assistant superintendent of instruction, led the grant effort. "This program addresses not only technology skills but will also result in improved writing skills for our students," she said. "Teachers will be using technology in new ways for instruction and wholegroup writing activities."

Laptop computers will also be used for peer editing and "student engagement in their own learning," Schillinger said.

Jeanne Sbardellati and Mary Hamre, teachers on special assignment, are helping district teachers maximize the use of the computers. The goal, Sbardellati said, was to use technology as a "catalyst" for instruction to improve student achievement.

Coach mentors have been hired with a portion of the grant money, Schillinger said. Two coach mentors will work at the middle schools after they complete training with Los Angeles County Office of Education technology experts.

Coach mentors will attend a state educational technology conference. Once they receive training, they will share their knowledge and provide support to English-language arts teachers, Hamre said.

The training is paying off. Schillinger said communication between students and teachers has increased with new, updated websites.

Neil Ticktin, a consultant who helped coordinate training on websites, said statistics show that 36 percent of teachers are updating their website pages weekly and half are updating at least monthly.

"This is a phenomenal adoption rate already, and I expect it to rise as teachers see how simple the system is to use," Ticktin said.

—Stephanie Bertholdo