East Jackson Comprehensive High School

Media and Technology Center

Monthly Report: October 2015

Part A: Program Evaluation

Executive Summary

East Jackson Comprehensive High School (EJCHS) is the heart of the school as it is not

only the library, but it houses the technology center as well as an instructional center for

credit recovery and a program called Edgenuity. As a result, this online program needs

individual computer access for each subscription, thus the Media Center houses a

computer lab that has a total of 65 computers for students to access their online

programs, research through a complete online catalog,, and to utilize the Follett Destiny

system for book discovery. The Media Center is administered by one media specialist

who also leads as the technology coordinator of the school. The media specialist also

acts as the administer of the Edgenuity, EPlatform, and GradPoint online programs by

teaching seven classes daily with duties of password retrieval and all other necessary

responsibilities of a lead teacher in grades 8-12. In addition, she maintains all computer

troubleshooting for the school with an IT technologist that is assigned for hardware

issues that may arise during the instructional day. She maintains the school’s Google

Calendar duties of device sign up, the updates of the school’s website, the school’s

Facebook and Twitter sites, and the administration duty of teacher’s websites and

classroom information for county instructional information. Ms. Canup also provides

staff development for her faculty and staff twice a month with the emphasis on Web 2.0

tools that can be utilized in the classroom. Some other responsibilities that under Mrs.

Canup are: scanning of all SLO’s testing for the school, and the maintenance of Infinite

Campus for student and parent accounts. All creation of USATest Prep accounts are also

handled by the media specialist at EJCHS.

Jackson County ‘s School Improvement Plan (SIP) is to help students to find success

through leadership, character, and performance. The media specialist provides this

service by creating an environment that promotes and supports challenging and rigorous

educational opportunities to ensure academic excellence for all students in a safe and

caring space. She is a highly respected individual in her school, in the county, and in the

community. She is the 2016 Georgia Teacher of the Year Finalist, the recipient of the

2015 Georgia DOE Exceptional Media Program Winner, and has her Education Specialist

degree with multiple disciplines of expertise in education. She is currently becoming

Google certified and is considered one of the designated “experts” for her school.

Recommendations for this technology center is for the addition of another certified

media specialist to accommodate the responsibilities that are required of an instructional

technologist/ media specialist as the load now does not allow a planning period for the

media specialist, and with the goal of keeping the Media Center open during the

instructional day, the media specialist has only a fifteen minute lunch break and no

paraprofessional or certified collaborative support during the instructional day. The

county has made a dedicated effort to provide resources for the school in the way of

technology, but the need for personnel is of utmost importance.

The technology center evaluation was performed through observations, documented

interviews with specific personnel of EJCHS, perusal of the school’s website and job

description. All were considered for a complete evaluative measure of the efficiency and

role the Media Center provided the faculty and staff, as well as the student population.

Organizational Chart and Responsibilities of Media and Technology Specialist

The following chart depicts the role and responsibilities of the Media Specialist and

Technology Coordinator for the school EJCHS of Jackson County in Georgia.

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Methods for Evaluation

In order to provide comprehensive and encompassing information, a multitude of

evaluative methods were used. Over 20 hours were compiled with the Media Specialist

during class observations in the month of October 2015 (Appendix A). Further interviews

with staff members affected by technology support were conducted as well (Appendix B).

An interview with the Media Specialist was also performed during this experience

(Appendix C), and the navigation and study of the School and the Media Center’s websites

were used as well (Appendix D). Job description for the position of Media Specialist and

Technology Coordinator was another source of study for this evaluation (Appendix E).

Technology Center Goals and Function of the Facility

The Media Center at EJCHS was established when the school was built and dedicated to

the East community in 2007. The media center supports faculty and staff by providing

resources for literacy of the student body. The center has the policy of staying open

during the hours of 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The center has 65 desktop computers for

credit recovery classes, Edgenuity, eDynamics, and GradPoint. and 34 mobile devices

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(Chrome Books, IPads, and ThinkPad technology) for students to utilize for instructional

classwork.

Additional computer labs are found in the physical environment of the EJCHS facility.

One is dedicated to credit recovery for students, and the third is open to faculty for

reservation through Google calendars. This lab is primarily used for research,

implementation of technology tools, and to participate in Google Classroom as the

county is a dedicated GAFE community. Each of these labs have 30 computers each. The

credit recovery lab is maintained and used by a professional educator; whereas, the third

classroom is rotated among all staff members for classroom instruction.

The Media Specialist conducts classes during the entire instructional day, and is also

responsible for instructional planning with peers, provision of staff development twice a

month, password recovery for online classes, and other responsibilities that are

indicative of a media resource site. This will entail: checking out books, checking out

devices to classrooms or individuals, collaboration with county technologists for assisting

students to have every opportunity to complete classes to maintain on task for

graduation. The Media Specialist provides the skills of budgeting for the facility with

tasks of purchasing, cataloging, and circulation of literary resources. Mrs. Canup also

maintains records for BYOD, digital citizenship completion, mini-sessions for eighth grade

in research, use of devices, and creates lessons for the staff to deliver innovative

instruction with technology.

Living in a rural area, Mrs. Canup also provides access to the Media Center for parents of

students in the county who does not have internet access at home. They can utilize the

media center to check their student’s grades, or to use the facilities for media center

certified programs. This is a method to become a community resource to promote

literacy and collaboration between instructors, students, and stakeholders.

There are no personnel assistants in the media center, thus all shelving and circulation

duties are under Mrs. Canup’s jurisdiction. There are no parent volunteers that are

involved in the Media Center, so it is a rigorous schedule for this media specialist. She

also maintains the password retrieval for online students, which extends her working day

into her after hour life at home. She realizes that most of the online students will be

working beyond the hours of a normal instructional day at EJCHS, and she will maintain

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contact for the students until 9:30 p.m. nightly, and on weekends. This type of dedication

is indicative of her zeal and passion for the students and for their need to succeed.

Mrs. Canup also represents the county with the technology committee chair, and

conducts meetings for the county technologists, media specialists, and county technology

team. Another committee she is privileged to participate in is the State School

Superintendent Advisory Board of which she reports for the district. She is also on the

committee for TOTY as the past district winner and conducts the interview process for

the 2016-2017 TOTY recipients. She also is expected to attend and report on the

following conventions: GaETC for technology, and the UGA Children’s Lit Conference held

in Athens. This maintains her professional development and provides the school a voice

for her profession, and allows her to be kept current on all of the latest trends and

developments in both technology and in literary platforms. Mrs. Canup also is required

to maintain professional organizational memberships with the following: PAGE, GLMA,

and GAIT. This allows her to remain committed to her profession and all responsibilities

of her vocation.

Mrs. Canup, with district guidelines, has developed the goals of the facility EJCHS, and

considers the 21st Century guidelines for STEM implementation the district demands.

The goals are:

● To provide instruction and resources for all learners in the school.

● To maintain professional development for all faculty and staff with the latest

trends and applications in education and technology.

● To provide safe and relevant opportunities for students to explore technology in

the school.

● To provide life-long skills for students to access in their quest to become

graduates and college bound learners.

● To encourage faculty and staff to be well-versed in all techniques of technology

and literacy that can supplement instruction to their students.

● To provide a bridge to stakeholders for increased educational opportunities in all

phases of life.

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● To continually oversee the policies and procedures of the media center to remain

abreast of all new developments in literacy and technology for the benefit of the

school, district, and community.

● To provide opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills for future

endeavors in education.

Center Activities

Daily activities for this facility is primarily instructional with the credit recovery and the

online classes that are used for students in their curriculum needs. Mrs. Canup teaches a

full class load of seven instructional online sessions. These classes are extension classes

that are not offered in the EJCHS catalog of instruction, and will allow some students

college credit that can allow for early dismissal for working students, for students that

can achieve collegiate credits while still classified as high school students, and for those

that want to experience a class that may enrich their life or provide vocational guidance.

Mrs. Canup also maintains a continued stream of students that need password

assistance for varied applications, and she maintains a schedule for professional

development for which she held instruction in the month of October for ThingLink use in

the classroom, and NearPod for lesson utilization and differentiation of learner styles and

needs. All during these instructional days there is also a steady need for providing

checkout of devices for group collaboration, research in classes, ethical use of

information with digital citizenship, and the need for resource checkout.

Evaluation

During the evaluation process it has become increasingly obvious that the EJCHS Media

and Technology Center is instrumental in providing resources and necessary instruction

for the entire learning community. The county’s mission of providing and supporting

challenging and rigorous educational opportunities to ensure academic excellence for all

students in a safe and caring learning environment is being fully implemented at this

facility. The commitment to providing technological advances for 21st Century Learning

and for STEM implementation is evident in the procuring of devices for this facility. The

instruction that is planned, implemented, and monitored with data retrieval continues

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this endeavor, and will allow students to compete with the world in further educational

pursuits.

It is obvious that the role of the media specialist is being stretched to the limit with Mrs.

Canup’s roles as a primary instructor. She receives no assistance with a planning period

during the day, and this takes away from her mission of holding classes for instruction

other than the online repertoire. Her goal is to provide instruction in Web 2.0

applications to the majority of the learners to assist with project-based learning, but until

there is an increase in personnel, this can not be realistic. She also would like to create

and maintain a book club for the promotion of literacy and lifelong love of reading.

Again, this is not something that will be feasible until she has assistance with media

center responsibilities.

As for obvious tangible resources, such as technology, this school has been blessed with

hardware and software for implementation of instruction. Mrs. Canup received a grant

for technology last year during a STEM initiative, and currently is using this funding to

make her Media and Technology Center more accessible with moveable collaborative

seating, charging carts for the ThinkPads, and with the customization of the media center

for collaborative learning. When she is finished, the media center will be transformed

into a better use of instructional space for innovative opportunities reliant on technology.

Her final goal is to become completely wireless and not to be dependent upon cords and

chargers for devices. This will enable her to manipulate and maneuver learning spaces

for better implementation of curriculum and instruction.

One goal for the county is to provide reports on instructional use of the media center and

how it relates to academic proficiency. She is doing a remarkable job with her ability to

utilize online classes for learners, but it is my observation that one person stretched to

the limit can only do so much, and with another certified media specialist, the advantages

to the students would be endless. This report provides the information for a data-driven

educational system, and would be hard to ignore for planning of future instructional

goals of the school, county, and district.

Another goal would be to have qualified faculty and staff to utilize their expertise in a

collaborative measure for the online classes. Many classes are not in Mrs. Canup’s

discipline of educational certification, and this would be a help to her as a resource, and

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would definitely be a necessary need for the student’s gain of instructional application.

She is such an asset to this school and the entire school system, and it is incumbent upon

the school to recognize and provide assistance for her media center and for the student

body at large.

Appendices

Appendix A: Observation Checklist

Center Observation Checklist: Evidence of in Media Center Observed

1 Technology is sufficient and available to students and staff

2 Media Center resources are maintained, current, and reliable

3 Technology literacy is promoted and supported

4 Staff technology integration is supported with staff development

5 Technology issues are handled in a timely manner

6 Methods of obtaining technology and planning is implemented

7 School website, Facebook, and Twitter is maintained and current

8 Development of password needs and structure is evident

9 Classes are developed and maintained for student success

10 Information for technology is communicated to staff and students

11 The planning for literacy to promote future success is integral and demonstrated in curriculum design

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Appendix B: Interview Questions for the Media Specialist

Interview Questions for Media Specialist/ Technology Coordinator

1 Can you provide the mission and goals of the EJCHS Media Center?

2 Who are the center’s stakeholders?

3 What are the jobs and responsibilities of key personnel who staff the center?

4 What activities are used daily by the media center?

5 What technology is evident and used for the media center?

6 What technology tools are available to staff members and students?

7 How is instructional technology planned and delivered to staff members?

8 How does instruction in the media center integral to student success and acquisition of life-long skills?

9 What personnel support is given to implement goals for the media center?

10 What is the history of the EJCHS Media Center?

11 How does instruction and implementation of technology align with school, county, and district expectations?

12 What professional communities are represented through membership and convention participation?

13 How does the media specialist support use of instructional technology applications with staff?

14 How is instruction used in collaboration with faculty and staff?

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Appendix C: Interview Questions for EJCHS Faculty and Staff

Interview Questions for EJCHS Faculty and Staff

1 How does the EJCHS Media Center support your technology needs?

2 What technology resources are available to you?

3 What is the speed of requests concerning literacy and technology being met?

4 In what ways do you and your students regularly interact with the media center?

5 How can the services of the media center be improved?

6 What professional development resources do you utilize on a regular basis?

7 How can the media center collaborate with classrooms in the development of curricular needs?

8 How can the media center promote literacy and the love of reading to students?

9 Is the media center accessible for students needs of research and project-based learning?

10 Is your media specialist qualified and current with 21st Century Learning skills and STEM initiatives?

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Appendix D: Website

EJCHS Media Center Website

http://sites.jackson.k12.ga.us/hcanup/

Appendix E: Media Specialist Job Description

EJCHS Media Specialist/ Instructional Technologist

Job Expectations and Responsibilities: Mrs. Holly Canup

Online

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Run 3 platforms for Online Education: Edunuity, eDynamics, Grad Point with

various classes running sim Customize Edgenuity classes (all freshmen

computer classes have to be hand touched)

All target dates have to be individually entered

All Classes added manually to 3 platforms

Many classes run simultaneously during each period.

Resets at night

Grade hundreds of papers on eDynamics

Created a Program of Study that equates online classes to state course code,

using CAPS site from GaDOE.

Responsible for looking at student transcripts to help determine which

elective, CR/UR class students need.

BYOT

BYOT/ WIFI check boxes in IC. (2000 hand touches)

Then all those names and student number have to be listed and sent to Rita.

BYOT does not work until this process is complete.

Teaching Teacher Webpages and Edgenuity trainer

Social Media

School Webpage, Facebook, Twitter (been instructed to provide training to

Cindy and Lisha)

Kiosk Training

EJCHS Blueboard keeper of the calendars

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Professional Development

Required to provide 2 staff developments per month after school

Achievement Series

Achievement Series, add all new accounts and run all scantrons

Media Specialist

Media Center duties for grades 8-12 (2 libraries in one)

Laminate

Poster Making

Paper Carts

Uploads for Destiny

Tickets for computers that is not working

Ring Ceremony

In charge of Ring Ceremony

Infinite Campus/Novell

Parent Infinite Campus issues, Kids password reset issues

Kids Novell login resets

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