On the Verge with....

Support
Jeff Billings
October, 2007
Paradise Valley School District
 Objectives

• Define “Support” from my perspective.

• Provide a synopsis of “Support” in PVUSD today, as I
see it.
• Provide a vision of where I think “Support” should be.
• A plan for how PVUSD might get there.
• Challenge our thoughts on K12 Support.
• Be controversially fun......;-)
 Definition
• “Tech Support” is viewed by the uninformed as
“advanced screw turners”, or “Techies” using those
skills required to keep the stuff running.
• “Tech Support” can consist of the time consuming
chores that keep us away from the meaningful
work of innovation and integration.
• But, “Tech Support” is much more than.....
 Support is Much More

• Technology support in K12 is screw turning,

network monitoring, people calming, professionally
developing, integration supporting, convergence
migrating, and innovation pushing, to create the
future major breakthroughs in learning.
• Our industry’s failure to embrace this “soon”, will
marginalize many current jobs, and irreversibly
alter many educational institutions.
• Not good or bad, just inevitable.....
 Back Up and Set Stage

• PVUSD is a “neighborhood-based”, K12 enterprise.

• Serves N. Central-NE Phoenix and N. Scottsdale
• 33,000 students
• 3,200 employees
 Schools a Plenty.....

• 31 Elementary Schools

• 7 Middle Schools

• 5 High Schools

• Alternative Schools
• Operational Facilities
 Technology a Plenty....

• 15,000 computers - 70% mobile (mobile labs)

• Big MacOSX deployment - 85%
• Every teacher, every principal - mobile
• Every classroom multimedia cart
• All classrooms wired and wireless with 802.11
• WWAN - 100 to 600 mb/s
• 200 mb/s to internet
 The Laws....

• Long Range Plan

– Greater than 98% network uptime
– Greater than 95% device uptime
• Technology Plan (5 goals)
– Academic Achievement
– Professional Development
– Equitable Access
– Infrastructure
– Communication
 Network Uptime of 98%

• Technology Leadership Team

• Specialists, Support Staff, Site Personnel
• Prioritization (1-5)
• Employ tools (CiscoWorks - Interpmapper - Terminal -
ARD - NetBoot/Image)
 Device Uptime of 95%

• Combination of humanoid, organization and

professional development
• Balance centralized specialties with site efficacy
• Awareness, Comprehension, Application, Analysis,
Synthesis, Evaluation
• Dynamic process based on monitoring, evaluation and
response of systems, tickets, and calls
 Humanoids

• Technology Leadership Team

• Technology Department
• Technology Advisory Committee
• STS - site-based FTE
• STR - site-based addenda
• PowerUsers - site-based PBP
• Advocates - site-based volunteers
 Organization

• Prioritization Scheme (1-5)

• Hot Line for Priorities 1 and 2
• Online Ticket System (PVITTS)
• 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week - Support Line
• SWATS - Department, STR and STS
• Flex time, over time, addenda, release days,
evangelize, food
• Try to focus on the mission - learning
 Technology Department Org Chart

• 31 Strong
Staff
• Strong
Leadership
Team
 Technology Plan and TAC

• Technology Advisory Committee (TAC)

• Good, Hard Stakeholders
• Developed the Technology Plan (ADE approved)
• 5 Goals
• Academic Achievement
• Professional Development
• Equitable Access
• Infrastructure
• Communication
 Equitable Access - Technology Plan

• All schools have a ratio of students/student computer

of about 2.5 - TAC set this ratio.
• TAC developed a technology request and proposal
process for approximately $8 million in capital
- 1/3 for infrastructure
- 1/3 for support of existing
- 1/3 for proposals
Proposal Factors
 Technology Plan and TAC

• Technology Advisory Committee (TAC)

• Good, Hard Stakeholders
• Developed the Technology Plan (ADE approved)
• 5 Goals
• Academic Achievement
• Professional Development
• Equitable Access
• Infrastructure
• Communication
 Infrastructure and Convergence

• 2006 - Technology Department got Phones

• 2007 - Technology Department got TV and Video
• 2007 - Technology Department got Video Surveillance
• Best “Support” - Converge those suckers
• VoIP and pCHAT
• pTV, pTUNES, pMOV, pVO
 VoIP and Video

• Just rolled our first two VoIP Schools and Departments

• Cisco solution (for now) - Linux Call Manager - Soft Phone
• Video - Cox Television converted to Quick Time Streaming
Server - Open Source Codec
• Live and Tape Delay through Quick Time Broadcaster
• Deliver digital snippets and converted movies through
pMOV and pTUNES
• Synchronous A/V through pCHAT
 pTV

• IP-based television channels - from Cox - at NOC

• Discovery, CNN, Animal Planet, History, CSPAN, etc.
• Web-based
 pTV

• Deliver simultaneously to 15,000 computers.

• Getting rid of TV’s and analog head towers.
• Converged Support...
 pMOV - VCRs (bye bye)

• Converged Support - Move 47 sites with analog TV’s,

VCR’s, specialized cabling and towers to the 21st
century.

“Canned” content (e.g.,

PVUSD’s, United
Steaming, etc.) to pMOV
and deliver to the
desktop
 pCHAT

• Our own iChat server and accounts.

• Secure, internal and external.
• Converged, Communication “Support”
 Technology Plan and TAC

• Technology Advisory Committee (TAC)

• Good, Hard Stakeholders
• Developed the Technology Plan (ADE approved)
• 5 Goals
• Academic Achievement
• Professional Development
• Equitable Access
• Infrastructure
• Communication
 Professional Development

• Professional Development
- 2.1 - PVUSD will provide the means for all users
to move from analog to digital users.
- 2.2 - PVUSD will develop innovative programs
that encourage all staff to develop proficiency
with technology.
 Brutal Facts

• 50% of tickets are user-based - How do we “Support”

- Don’t know how to do, or do it wrong
• The majority of our teachers and principals are in the
“A” to “B” quadrants of the Rigor/Relevance
Framework1
• PD is now the Key for PVUSD
• And, district-PD is the first goal on my 07/08 Plan of
Improvement....;-)

1 - International Center for Leadership in Education

 Rigor/Relevance Framework1
Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis
C D
Assimilation Adaptation
Application

Comprehension A B
Acquisition Application
Awareness

Knowledge Apply Apply Apply Apply

in one knowledge knowledge knowledge knowledge to
discipline in one across to real-world real-world
discipline disciplines predictable unpredictable
situations situations

1 - International Center for Leadership in Education

 PVUSD Status
Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis
C D
Assimilation Adaptation
Application

Comprehension A B
Acquisition Application
Awareness

Knowledge Apply Apply Apply Apply

in one knowledge knowledge knowledge knowledge to
discipline in one across to real-world real-world
discipline disciplines predictable unpredictable
situations situations

1 - International Center for Leadership in Education

 PD is now our Key to Support

• How do we move our district to Quadrant D?

• How do we fulfill the targets of the Technology Plan?
- 2.1 - PVUSD will provide the means for all users to move from analog
to digital users.
- 2.2 - PVUSD will develop innovative programs that encourage all staff
to develop proficiency with technology.
• We’re targeting this over next three years and we’ll
integrate the new ISTE Standards.
 Innovative PD Delivery and Models

• KOA - “Kamp” at the sites

• Transition STRs to Instructional Technology Leaders
• Mentor/Mentee Programs
• Project-based Courses
• Online Courses
• Needs-Based Deployments - PD with New Technology
• PBP & Professional Growth Initiatives
• PD Embedded in TAC Awards
 Anytime, Anywhere PD and Support

• Use pTUNES , pMOV and Broadcasting

• ConnectMe Conferences
• Google Apps - pvlearners
• Commercial Snippets - Atomic Learning, YouTube and
TeacherTube
• Online Surveys to listen and evaluate - TLA, NetDay...
 pTUNES and PD
• Collaboration between ASU, Apple and PVUSD
• Multimedia training, information sharing, “support”,
instructional best practices...
• Teachers receive PD and digital camcorder/document
camera for use with multimedia cart and beyond
 Target Leaders for PD

• All Principals, Educational Directors and Educational

Cabinet have MacBook Pros
• Information Sharing, Whole Group, Small Group
training
• Using multiple meeting formats (Principal, CCC,
Liaison, PD days, etc.) for delivery
• pTUNES, SmartCards, Summer Camps
• Establishing expectations - needs/wants
 GenYes - PD Support

• Went from three schools in 06/07

• Now at 60% of schools in 07/08
• Only U.S. Department of Education “Exemplary”
Model for professionally developing teachers with
technology.
• Targeting 90% penetration by 08/09
 Technology “Support” at PVUSD
• Operational Efficiencies - systems to tickets to hot lines
• Efficacy - Leadership, Departments, Sites, STS, STR, &
PowerUsers, GenYes
• Converge - Technologies and Management
• Professional Development - strive for “D” quadrant
• We have much to do - I give us an “A” to “M” on the
“FAME” scale
• But, we’re....”on the Verge with”....Support, Integration
and Innovation.......
Thank You and Questions.....