Northside Technology Newsletter

Over 3,500 Computers for Northside Students!

Northside students, parents, teachers and staff can thank local voters for approving the funds allowing influx of technology in 17 district schools. Over 3,500 computers and 1,500 printers have been added in the last six months. The job market in the US today requires exposure to everchanging technology. Northside students will be in the forefront of students in Texas.

“We’ve implemented an ‘integrated service delivery model’ to better respond to the needs expressed by campus administrators and staff,” says Kelly Smith, Assistant Superintendent for Technology Services.

At Rawlinson MS, seventh grade reading teachers Amber Gonzales and Denise Jimenez, along with CIT Shirley Nedry, have developed an integration project using the Internet and Inspiration, a concept mapping program. Reading teachers selected “The Clay Marble,” a novel about a young Cambodian girl. Students were able to take a virtual tour of the country, including recording phrases in the Khmer language by using a microphone and watching videos of Cambodian music and dance. They also took a virtual reality tour of the Cambodian section of the National Gallery of Art, viewing the exhibits in panoramic 360 degree perspectives. What could have been just a one-dimensional assignment became an integrated, real world lesson.

TechSupport has been busy over the last six months

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For information about other Northside Technology Projects checkout the other two pages on this site. They can be accessed by clicking on either the "Curriculum Management System" or "Parent Connection" buttons at the top left corner of this page.

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A Case for CSI

Northside administrators and teachers may not be TV detectives but they will soon be able to use the new Critical Student Information (CSI) to keep track of student progress.

CSI is a new curriculum management system that analyzes student data to spot trends, and identify areas of strength and weakness. Schools can then intervene before negative trends in student behavir become problems. The data management tool contains general student information, plus their schedule, grades, discipline records, and all testing and assessment data in one place.

“The purpose of this new curriculum tool is to facilitate standards-based teaching, learning and assessment so that educators can focus on meeting the needs of each and every student and increase student achievement,” says Linda Mora, deputy superintendent for curr iculum and Instruction. Campus training of the new system will begin in mid-August.