Brownwood ISD is an official demonstration site for technology, as deemed by the Texas Education Agency Connections Grant.  On Wednesday, January 15th, four representatives from Snyder High School visited Brownwood High School to observe technology use.  Snyder ISD is issuing Mac laptop computers to students in grades 5-7 in January and will expand the 1:1 initiative to high school students in August.

Attending the visit from Snyder High School were Principal Trig Overbo and teachers, Jamie Hall, Christy Smith and Richard Hester.  Leading the tour from Brownwood were Connections Grant Administrator and District Librarian, Pam McGhee, District Instructional Technologist, Elizabeth Gilmore, District Technology Director, Edward Yantis and BHS Assistant Principal, Andy Gill.

The group’s first stop was with Carrie Morrow, English teacher, who explained the use of iCal, journaling and Moodle.

Next, they visited the Theater and Fine Arts Department with Larry Mathis and Donnetta Shelton.  Mr. Mathis showed examples of Garage Band and how students create video announcements for the flat screen TVs in the student center as well as video for the jumbo-tron at Gordon Wood Stadium. Mrs. Shelton showed how her freshmen theater classes made digital performances.

In the Science Department, Gretchin Geye showed Physics projects her students made with iMovie, and she shared ways she incorporates technology in the classroom.  Telise Murray and Joanna Young both discussed the use of digital textbooks, online Math Tutor and teacher web pages.

Connie Sliger, Family and Consumer Science teacher, illustrated how her students blog about current classroom topics.

In the Mac Lab, Snyder visitors met with Technologist Noe Ceniceros and learned about the logistics of maintaining over 1,000 laptop computers.

The tour concluded with a general question and answer session with BISD staff.  Overall themes discussed were digital assignments, discipline, rollout logistics and software such as Moodle, Eduphoria and Quia.

After observing and discussing for about four hours, the guests from Snyder departed saying, “Thank you! That was a lot of information.”

Pictured above: Noe Ciniceros (far left) talks with Snyder High School staff about laptop repairs, warranty and logistics.  Photo Contributed by BISD.