TVs & Bulletin Boards
16.June.2011 05:55 Filed in: Instruction
Bye, Bye TVs!
As this post is being published, the first phase of the projector installation project is already coming to a close--all classroom television sets will have been removed by the end of this week! (See below!) These TVs are being stored in each school until they are removed for environmentally safe recycling later this summer. Additionally, each school has been given the option of keeping a few TVs for their school for use with the few remaining VCRs to help ease the transition for teachers away from analog media. These TV/VCR combinations will be on carts in the school, and once either the TV or VCR breaks, it will no longer be repaired or maintained.
Marking the Walls
As the TV removal work has been completed, each classroom is also being visited to determine which projector type will best function in the room (450w vs. 410w: See previous post for more information). During these walk-throughs three signs are being hung in each classroom: one to identify the location of the projector, one to identify the location of the outlet for the projector, and one to identify the location of the VGA box. (See image below--Red ovals represent each sign.)
The locations of the mountings have been determined by specific structural factors and as a result of walk-throughs initially conducted with building principals in May 2009 after the Board of Education initially directed District 21 staff to move forward with trying to implement this project within budgetary guidelines. (Twice before, RFPs were created for this project, and each time, the project came back too expensive to bring to the Board of Education for approval. With some changes, it came in far less expensive this time!) In some cases, teachers may need to re-orient the direction of what they consider to be the front of the classroom in order to use the projector. Additionally, in all cases in which the wall structure allows, the VGA box in which the teacher will connect her or his laptop is being placed near existing Ethernet ports and away from the classroom door.
Electrical Work & Your Bulletin Boards
We have already entered the second phase of this project as the electricians are now installing outlets for the projectors To do this work and to facilitate the forthcoming installation of the projectors themselves, sections of bulletin boards will need to be removed and bulletin board materials will need to be taken down. Had time allowed at the end of the school year, it would have been better for everyone if teachers had been able to do this prior to leaving for the summer. Unfortunately, there was simply not enough time to understand and communicate this detail. So, as building walk-throughs are being completed some materials are being removed from bulletin boards. These materials are being removed carefully by District 21 staff (not by contractors). These materials are being placed on the teacher's desk whenever possible and when that's not possible due to the "summer condition" of the room, these materials are being placed in a safe, yet conspicuous, location in the room so the teacher will find the materials at the end of the summer. Maps and old projector screens are also being removed. Rooms with dry erase boards will not utilize a projector screen at all. Rooms with chalkboards will receive high quality existing screens or new screens.
An example of the section of board that might be removed is pictured below by the rectangle. Also, note the arrows for the screens and maps that will be removed.
We know that this will be an inconvenience and surprise for teachers, and we apologize for that. We have done our best to minimize this disruption to our classrooms. At the same time, teachers have been desperately wanting classroom projectors, and this is one necessary step in the process of installing those projectors. As you consider this project, please understand its scope: projectors are being installed in 426 rooms!
Outlets on the Wall
Finally, in the past two days, outlets have begun being physically installed at Cooper M.S. (See the image below.)
This project will continue to progress from school-to-school, and the projectors will arrive shortly. When the projectors do arrive, they will be installed following the installation of the outlets. Projectors cannot be used until the fall, when staff members receive additional materials and initial training on the projectors, though all of this will be provided at the building-level during the opening days of school.
Thank you for your support, understanding, and patience as we quickly move to accomplish a major Technology Plan project (and an item high on the wish list of many, many instructional staff members)!
As this post is being published, the first phase of the projector installation project is already coming to a close--all classroom television sets will have been removed by the end of this week! (See below!) These TVs are being stored in each school until they are removed for environmentally safe recycling later this summer. Additionally, each school has been given the option of keeping a few TVs for their school for use with the few remaining VCRs to help ease the transition for teachers away from analog media. These TV/VCR combinations will be on carts in the school, and once either the TV or VCR breaks, it will no longer be repaired or maintained.
Marking the Walls
As the TV removal work has been completed, each classroom is also being visited to determine which projector type will best function in the room (450w vs. 410w: See previous post for more information). During these walk-throughs three signs are being hung in each classroom: one to identify the location of the projector, one to identify the location of the outlet for the projector, and one to identify the location of the VGA box. (See image below--Red ovals represent each sign.)
The locations of the mountings have been determined by specific structural factors and as a result of walk-throughs initially conducted with building principals in May 2009 after the Board of Education initially directed District 21 staff to move forward with trying to implement this project within budgetary guidelines. (Twice before, RFPs were created for this project, and each time, the project came back too expensive to bring to the Board of Education for approval. With some changes, it came in far less expensive this time!) In some cases, teachers may need to re-orient the direction of what they consider to be the front of the classroom in order to use the projector. Additionally, in all cases in which the wall structure allows, the VGA box in which the teacher will connect her or his laptop is being placed near existing Ethernet ports and away from the classroom door.
Electrical Work & Your Bulletin Boards
We have already entered the second phase of this project as the electricians are now installing outlets for the projectors To do this work and to facilitate the forthcoming installation of the projectors themselves, sections of bulletin boards will need to be removed and bulletin board materials will need to be taken down. Had time allowed at the end of the school year, it would have been better for everyone if teachers had been able to do this prior to leaving for the summer. Unfortunately, there was simply not enough time to understand and communicate this detail. So, as building walk-throughs are being completed some materials are being removed from bulletin boards. These materials are being removed carefully by District 21 staff (not by contractors). These materials are being placed on the teacher's desk whenever possible and when that's not possible due to the "summer condition" of the room, these materials are being placed in a safe, yet conspicuous, location in the room so the teacher will find the materials at the end of the summer. Maps and old projector screens are also being removed. Rooms with dry erase boards will not utilize a projector screen at all. Rooms with chalkboards will receive high quality existing screens or new screens.
An example of the section of board that might be removed is pictured below by the rectangle. Also, note the arrows for the screens and maps that will be removed.
We know that this will be an inconvenience and surprise for teachers, and we apologize for that. We have done our best to minimize this disruption to our classrooms. At the same time, teachers have been desperately wanting classroom projectors, and this is one necessary step in the process of installing those projectors. As you consider this project, please understand its scope: projectors are being installed in 426 rooms!
Outlets on the Wall
Finally, in the past two days, outlets have begun being physically installed at Cooper M.S. (See the image below.)
This project will continue to progress from school-to-school, and the projectors will arrive shortly. When the projectors do arrive, they will be installed following the installation of the outlets. Projectors cannot be used until the fall, when staff members receive additional materials and initial training on the projectors, though all of this will be provided at the building-level during the opening days of school.
Thank you for your support, understanding, and patience as we quickly move to accomplish a major Technology Plan project (and an item high on the wish list of many, many instructional staff members)!
