State: Maryland | Number of Students: 15,950 |
School Type: Public School District | Free and Reduced Lunch: 22.0% |
Grade Level: PK-12 | English Language Learners: < 5% |
School Context
Funding: Calvert County Public Schools received $22,000 in 2014 from the Dominion Foundation to support projects related to energy and the environment. The funding came inthe form of four grants that were awarded to Calvert Country School ($10,000), the science departments at Calvert, Huntingtown,Northern and Patuxent High Schools ($10,000), Sunderland Elementary School ($1,000) and Mill Creek Middle School ($1,000).
Growth for All Students: CCPS is focused on increasing student growth and achievement. This includes the incorporation ofUniversal Design for Learning into instruction and using targeted interventions to support each student.
Strong Staff: The district aims to attract highly qualified staff, and to retain educators who are highly effective in the classroom.
Positivity Counts: Calvert County is focused on creating positive learning environments for teaching and learning that supportdiversity, equity and safety for all students and staff.
Collaborative Community: CCPS values collaboration amongst staff, families and the community in order to support studentgrowth.
State of Technology
School-Home Connection: CCPS knows that a teacher’s day never ends.Through coverage from The Microsoft Home Use Program, CCPS has made itpossible for staff to have access to home installation and use of the MicrosoftOffice Suite and the Windows Operating System (for both Windows and Mac).There is a small fee for this program, and the software must be used for workrelated to school.
365 for Collaboration: CCPS began the initial phases of implementationof Office 365 during the 2013-14 school year. Staff members were trainedon Office 365, all necessary documents were transferred, and MicrosoftExchange became the email system of choice. Every school and departmenthas a SharePoint site, which houses content used by the district. All staffhave access and can use SharePoint to collaborate with colleagues. Each staffmember also has access to Microsoft Office Online and can create and editdocuments from a web browser. Finally, Microsoft Lync allows staff membersto engage in online meetings that can include video chat, a whiteboard andinstant messaging. In the near future, students will also have access and willbe able to use SharePoint to form study groups and clubs. They will also beable to use Lync for distance learning.
The Power of PD: CCPS believes that in order for students to get the mostout of technology, teachers must acquire the knowledge and skills thatstudents will be asked to learn. That is why CCPS prioritized professionallearning. The district offers multiple learning pathways to teachers includingPD at the local school system level, and online learning opportunities throughPD 360 and the Maryland Virtual Schools program.
Prep for PARCC: CCPS is preparing for the PARCC assessments. Thispreparation includes upgrading and increasing equipment in the schools.
Tech Needs & Requirements
The district needs a solution to house evaluation and observation data for teachers and administrators.
Initiatives
PARCC Assessment Prep: CCPS is preparing for the online PARCC Assessment.
Office 365: In 2013-2014, CCPS began initial implementation of Office 365. This included staff training and transferringdocuments. Currently, staff have access to email, sites, online document editing and storage, and web conferencing throughMicrosoft Lync. Soon, students will have access, too.