Garden County Schools Receive Technology Grant
NDE Awards ARRA Grant to GCS

The Nebraska State Board of Education, in action taken during their January 6, 2010 meeting, approved the awarding of the ARRA technology grants to school districts throughout the state.  These funds are part of the government’s stimulus package to states under the terms of the American Relief and Reinvestment Act.  Garden County Schools was one of twenty school districts in the state to be awarded a grant, receiving a total of $52,250 to be spent in the area of technology.

To see a list of all Nebraska Schools who received ARRA Technology Grants, follow this link: 
http://www.nde.state.ne.us/federalprograms/titleii/PartD/index.html

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ARRA specifications require these funds be applied to the area of technology, focusing on student learning outcomes, curriculum integration, 21^st century classroom core components, and staff development. 

Garden County Schools continues to seek ways in which the district can utilize technology to teach students more effectively, increase student engagement and learning, and provide 21^st century skills to make our students competitive in today's global society.  Listed below are some of the technological enhancements that the district has incorporated or are in the process of incorporating during this current school term.

• Wireless enterprise system installed at Garden County High School and Garden County Junior High
• Increased wireless access at Garden County Elementary (wireless access point in every room)
• New network servers at the high school and elementary school
• SonicWall firewalls installed at every attendance site for increased network security
• Connecting classroom teachers with personal laptops for greater teaching flexibility
• Exposure to both the Windows and Apple platforms and operating systems
• Interactive white boards installed in twenty classrooms throughout the district
• Updated computer labs at the elementary  and junior high
• Addition of 20 student laptops added to the junior high inventory
• Utilization of SchoolWebLocker  at GCHS for web-based student/teacher data storage, retrieval, and teacher-student interaction
• Utilization of administratively monitored student email for increased communication between teachers, students, administration, and educational purposes
• One-to-one laptop initiative for students in grades 11 and 12
• Expansion of the GCHS laptop initiative to students in grade 10
• Increased use of web-based student management system (PowerSchool) for parental/student access to grades, attendance records, lunch balances, and teacher-student-parent communication