School 2.0: Making East Providence a digital domain


East Providence Public Schools will be working and providing extensive onsite training for all teachers to bring more digital services to teachers. Utilizing digital resources provides convenience, saves time and reduces costs. There are many great ways to use digital resources, some we have thought of and some we will certainly discover together!

Here are some of the ways we will be creating opportunities this year to make East Providence a digital domain...

1. Introduce Elementary and Middle School Parents to Powerschool for Parents.

The launch of Powerschool Parent met with success during our rollout to High School parents. Parents who sign up for Powerschool Parent will have access to schedules, grades, class assignments and more online, anytime. Encouraging the use of Powerschool Parent will allow the school district to save money by reducing the need to print information or schedules or wait for the Guidance Office to call back. It's easier and more convenient for all.

2. Change the school websites so each school can update their own websites easily.

A great way to communicate with parents is to update your school website. Our old websites were based on programming code and needed trained personnel to update them. The websites were difficult to keep fresh with new information. This summer, we updated the elementary websites to a content based system (free software yippee!) that can be updated by anyone, from any computer. All you need is a username and password....no programming skills necessary.

Schools will provide faster and more relevant information as well as add pictures, sound and video to their sites. If you can use Word or send email....that's about all you need to update the new sites! We hope schools use their website to keep parents updated reducing the need for backpack memos further reducing costs to the distict.

3. Add email addresses to ConnectED so parents who prefer electronic messages can receive them.

Call your local school and have your email address added to ConnectED. This way, when we send out a message you can have a voice or email notification. Utilizing the auto-dialing system, ConnectEd, is a very inexpensive way for the district to communicate messages to our parents and staff. By adding emails, you can receive information directly to your cell phone with less interruptions.

4. Offer high capacity/low cost printers and scanning to all teachers and staff.

The district has a high capacity laser printer and scanner available for every school. The least expensive way to print is to use the large SAVIN printers. Each school will receive training how to utilize the SAVINs. Since we do not have printers, scanners and copiers available for every room, the SAVINS will be made available for all teachers. Teachers can scan worksheets, handouts, and save those documents to their Google Docs accounts. For confidential printing, teachers and staff can add a special number to their print job and access the print job at the printer. This way IEPs and other documents are not left on the printer.

5. Add students to Google for Education

The possibilities of going digital dramatically expand by adding our students to our Google for Education account.

•Instead of printing out your syllabus, homework assignments and handouts, upload your documents to Google Docs and share with your students.

•Add your Lesson Plans to Google Calendar and share with your principal (no need to leave the lesson plans for the substitute since the front office has a copy online).

•Create documents once, post them and you have them whenever you need them.

•Need color? When you use Google Docs and upload your documents online, your handouts for students will always be in color. No more black and white apples and pictures. With a little training, you can make any document interactive, adding links to websites, articles, sound and videos.

•Post your lessons and share with other teachers within your grade level, or subject matter.


6. Implement an online case management system for Special Education and add LCD projectors to IEP/Parent meetings.

Special education is an area that has extensive record keeping and to date has been entirely paper-based. IEPs require contributions of several specialists and without an online system, the IEP had to be printed and reprinted multiple times. By implementing TIENET, the IEP can be updated securely by all staff members. We have also started to add LCD projectors to meeting areas with parents so everyone can read the IEP without printing multiple copies. The final IEP can be printed and signed.

We plan to work hard providing the necessary training to help teachers and staff create, save, share and access their documents. More information will come and be posted online. We will work together to best utilize our resources and find new, effective ways to provide a great education for all students.

Kelly Ahrens
Director of Technology
East Providence Public School District