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Appendix A
PUBLIC FORUMS AND
FOCUS GROUP COMMENTS
District Organization and Management
Educational Service Delivery and Performance Measures
Personnel Management
Community Involvement
Facilities Use and Management
Assets and Risk Management
Financial Management
Purchasing and Contract Management
Food Service
Transportation
Safety and Security
Computers and Technology

COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY

  • More technology needs are at the intermediate and high schools. Require more technology classes for the teachers. Give them time to take classes (use subs) so that they don't feel stretched beyond their bonds.
  • Technology at the elementary schools (North Pointe) is nonexistent. Computer was taken out of the block schedule, but we still retain a computer teacher. Why not use that salary for teaching or use those funds to better educate the teachers so that they may better instruct the children.
  • Elementary have enormous computer labs and computers in every room. These computers are not being utilized, especially in the lower grades. Put them in the grades that can use them.
  • There are three iMacs in a classroom at Landolt. Why are all three broken and unusable? The teacher has had a work order request in for three months since mid-summer to get them fixed but to no avail. The computer technology instructor on campus won't even discuss the subject, she says she's a "facilitator" not an "instructor."
  • Teachers need to use schoolnotes.com. Friendswood mandates that teachers keep their schoolnotes updated. This can be used as a tool by the students and parents. Insist that all teachers' use and keep their schoolnotes site updated!
  • Computers and technology must be supported by all. Our society is becoming totally dependent on these fields. At the elementary level, computer teachers are being taken out of the computer classrooms-this is a step backwards-regular classroom teachers are not equipped to teach the students the skills they will need. As many computers that can be distributed to each campus is a "must." Also, campuses need printers that are working. Most printers are on overload so maybe more need to be out on the campuses.
  • Please put a second copier at Wedgewood so that volunteers don't spend their entire day waiting to do their work. It doesn't have to be an extra fancy one-just an alternative.
  • I would like to see adequate computers and printers in each classroom. I understand that this is not possible at all schools due to the age and capability of the schools. The district should spend the money to bring all schools up to the standards necessary.
  • Schoolnotes.com is a good resource. The district needs to keep encouraging its use.
  • In the elementary school (North Pointe), the teachers are mostly "technologically challenged." The kids are not being allowed any productive computer time.
  • The iMacs are garbage.
  • Previous technology teachers have generally been useless. Hiring standards for this position should be set.
  • The district has done some really good things, like website info, on-line grades (coming soon), and telephone messages to parents.
  • Recommend more classes and hands-on opportunities. Everyone needs computer skills and with enough skills, jobs are available.
  • I like the level of technology in our child's class. The teacher is instructing using LCD screens, digital cameras and computers. Her website helps us stay in touch with the class. E-mail is a great form of communication that she uses.
  • The intermediate schools are requiring "Exploring Technology" courses that are very easy and unproven to be effective. It is expensive to provide these resources; especially dubious to require the course for students who are already capable of all skills presented in the class. Why not pre-test and only require the class for students lacking in computer skills.
  • Computer hardware needs to be standardized for what is commonly found in the workplace. Apple computers don't cut it. My wife is a teacher and has three different computers in her class. Very confusing.
  • I think it is ridiculous that funding is being phased out for computer educators (like at Ferguson Elementary) because they want the classroom teachers to "integrate" computers into the classroom. I strongly feel that computer technology classes need to be kept at all schools, as well as having computers use integrate into the classrooms. It seems that without technology classes for the kids to learn the software, the regular classroom teachers will spend too much time trying to help kids figure out the software, thus wasting the precious time that could be spent using the computers to learn and broaden the scope of learning in the academic classes. If teachers are trying to teach subject matter and content they should not be expected to have the burden of teaching computer skills also. With computer use as widespread in the business world today, it is imperative that our children have this as part of their education in order to be competitive in the real world.
  • We feel pretty lucky that the district has the resources to expose our kids to technology. Academics are not our concern. We want to focus more in the social aspect of teaching.
  • We are in the process of building a Control Tech-Center. I like the services that it will provide and it will give us a distance learning ability that we don't have now. Do you agree that is a good program?
  • We need computer lab back in the block rotation in elementary schools. Our children are missing out not having this continually reinforced by experts in the field (instead of relying on occasional use by classroom teachers.)
  • My daughter is learning more and more in computer class and is able to bring the information home and use it.
  • At least on the elementary and intermediate level, I think CCISD is doing good in preparing children in the proper usage of computers.
  • Computers are the future. My daughter is in Ferguson Elementary and the block rotation this year does not include computers. Instead, she is getting double physical education. The expense has been incurred to purchase computers already and two professionals have been hired to teach the course, however, none of the third grade will get computer unless their classroom teachers teach it. These teachers are not trained in this area and would do an insufficient job of teaching a course they do not know well. Please see that all students get computer taught to them by a well-trained staff. Otherwise, we are wasting our money on the equipment.
  • I feel that technology is very far below what it should be for a district at this size and in the shadow of NASA, one of the most technologically oriented and advanced operations in existence. I feel that this is a matter that voters must support. The district has no choice if there is not a sufficient budget. Unfortunately, the ones that suffer from this the most are those who cannot afford computers in their homes. Possibly, the fact that so many residents have computers actually makes matter worse. We need technology for those who are disadvantaged.
  • The computer labs are well taken care of. They are up-to-date and provide the children with excellent skills.
  • I am pleased that both my daughters have had access to "cutting edge" technology and have had excellent instruction in computer skills through CCISD. The district technology curriculum is rigorous and does a great job of preparing students for the future.
  • For the district living in the space area, we are so far behind other districts. One of our high schools doesn't even have enough electrical updates to plug any other computers. They are sitting in boxes at the school.
  • On the elementary level, we are lacking in technology. We need newer technology system and better books.
  • My children have learned a lot about computers and the things they can do with them through the teachers at Clear Lake Intermediate.
  • The schools need to invest in more computer resources and have more educational opportunity for the children.
  • We need to be doing more. We live in a high tech area (NASA) and our school district doesn't reflect it.
  • More money should be spent to get books in computers to eliminate the need to carry 25-40 pounds backpacks home every night. If you look at the posture and gait of our children, you will see a serious health risk.
  • The decision that the district made to reduce or eliminate the computer infrastructure and now it falls on their homeroom teacher to perform these duties. I'm not sure if the students will now have quality computer instruction.
  • The elimination of computer teachers at Brookwood Elementary is a huge mistake. The one skill our children must learn in order to work and exist in the world is computer literacy. My child can do well in life not coloring a picture, but will struggle if computer illiterate. I don't feel the classroom teachers have been properly trained to lead a computer class. They also are being pulled away from their already challenging curriculum.
  • The district finds it hard to recruit and retain qualified teachers in computer technology because of the vast difference in salary between the public education sector and the business world. Staff does receive some training in technology, but most of the training and workshop has to be paid for by the individual.
  • CCISD has done an awesome job acquiring grants and bond money to put computers in the classrooms. The staff development opportunities are vast. Integration of technology into elementary classrooms still needs improvements.
  • The computers and technology department services our district with a can-do attitude.
  • I like the new concept of requiring all teachers to become computer literate and utilize technology in their teaching. This way, they can model and demonstrate applicable technology throughout the school day, not just "computer time."
  • CCISD is in the process of eliminating the computers and technology instructors in favor of the classroom teachers teaching the material. The classroom teachers will be unable to maintain the LANs and computers. They are running the computer and technology section into trouble.
  • I'm having trouble using the district's computer and technology resources. Moving files between MACS and IBM can really be a problem. Please hold some "parent training classes" about the computer resources and how our students should be using them.
  • The district has done a good job keeping pace with the rapidly changing world of computer technology. The board and administrators have obtained input and involvement of local community leaders and experts in identifying IT improvement options. This will always be a moving target and I would encourage our administrators to stay on this track and leverage this technology to the utmost. I appreciate that the district is listening to local experts in this realm especially since we are located where so many scientists and engineers live and work.
  • I think the district is making a major mistake regarding computers and technology in the coming year. The computer instructors should not be eliminated and replaced by the classroom teachers. Our teachers have enough to do in learning what curriculum and special children's needs are necessary without dealing with a classroom of computers. Cut costs elsewhere.
  • The introduction of the new scheduling software is an example of the incompetence in the computer area of CCISD. After carefully selecting the new software, the decision was made to train some employees but apparently a bare minimum were trained. Then, no one ran a beta-test with data to work out the kinks. In August, the high school barely pulled together a master schedule and didn't have schedules ready on the Friday before school began on Monday (except for freshmen who did get them on Thursday). They must have been "hot off the press" because there were many errors. They also failed to "link" Fall and Spring classes. A simple input was overlooked. So, many students switch to new teachers for the same year-long course in the Spring. I think they should re-run the program and attempt to keep more students with the same teacher.
  • Removing the computer class from block scheduling made some students very unhappy.
  • We finally have a technology teacher at our school (CLCE) and it wonderful. The children are able to learn to use many things. We have a 5th grade teacher whose class last year did a PowerPoint presentation about them and it was amazing. We do not, however, have a scanner that is compatible with any of our computers.
  • Websites are poorly managed. Surely, parents can volunteer to manage websites. This issue is severely overlooked. Email and Internet connection should serve as a primary method of communicating with students and parents.
  • CCISD website is very informative. I would like to see updates from the superintendent on the website, as well as an e-mail for the superintendent and board members. I would like to see as much effort spent on the individual school websites. The Wedgewood website is not current due to a staff shortage.
  • We have funded technology through bonds but there is no additional support staff to see that the technology is fully used or maintained. We do outsource some maintenance of technology but there is inadequate in house staff to provide adequate support for hardware or software.
  • Our business software is outdated and I believe it is cost effective to spend the money to upgrade as we will be able to do more with less staff. There was a good argument made for spending money to replace the inadequate telephone system in CCISD as this would pay for itself in less than 4 years (I think it was 4) with cost savings on trunk lines. The Board of Trustees refused to spend the cash out of bond interest.
  • As a result of a state law, the children no longer have a computer time. While having experienced (i.e - over 40 years old) teachers is beneficial to the children in a lot of areas, the children desperately need time in the computer lab with a computer literate person. Both of my children this year have experienced teachers that know very little about the computer. Both teachers have let the children on the computer, but no assistance is given - hence no additional skills are being acquired.
  • Technology in CCISD needs to continue to grow, with a focus to the integration of technology with the curriculum. In order to continue this growth, it is my opinion that the Technology Applications teachers at the elementary level need to continue in their roles as instructors for teachers and students. The current job description for these teachers calls for their jobs to be dissolved in 2004. This should not happen and is not an area where the Clear Creek schools should cut back. We need to give our students the opportunity to compete with others in technology. Starting at the elementary level, we should devote our time and money to those programs that provide our children with the best chance to succeed and be competitive with other Texas students. It is my opinion that we should make technology a primary focus by continuing with Technology teachers at the elementary level.