October 17, 2001
Old Mission embraces new technology
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Starting this school year, a new face on the staff of Old Mission Elementary School serves as a testimony to the school's commitment to integrating technology into all facets of their curriculum.
Patty Fabian came on board as their computer lab coordinator. Fabian will help coordinate computers and curriculum at all grade levels and oversee two dozen parent volunteers who help in the lab.
The money to pay for the part-time position came in part from the $10,000 Ameritech STAR award the school received last spring from the Michigan Association for Computer-Related Technology Users in Learning. The Old Mission PTO will pay the rest of position's salary.
PTO president Wendy Weckstein saw the notice of the award while surfing the Internet last January looking for grants for the school. Her goal for the year had been to find funding for a computer lab coordinator and upgrade lab equipment.
After reading that the STAR award was looking for schools who used technology in the most efficient, innovate and creative ways, she thought Old Mission had a chance to get their computer lab coordinator.
"When I started looking at the prerequisites, I thought we could win and I went for it," noted Weckstein, who said there were three STAR Awards, one each for the top high school, middle school and elementary school in Michigan.
Just one week from the deadline to apply, she shifted into high gear and churned out a 15-page application, answering the 11 questions about the school's technology and curriculum in depth.
In March, the school was notified that it had one the award, keeping company with two schools in the Detroit area that won the high school and middle school awards. In fact, most of the 100 applications received were in the elementary school category, making for tough competition.
However, Old Mission Elementary School's application was notable, said Ric Wilse, executive director of Michigan Association for Computer-Related Technology Users in Lansing.
"Their application stood out because of the wide variety of technology usage across their school," he said. "A lot of schools are doing maybe one or two things well with technology, but Old Mission really stood out because there were a lot of different areas across their curriculum where they were using technology, from their weather station to their TV production to computers in their computer lab."
How does technology make a difference at Old Mission Elementary School?
Just ask sixth-grade students who last year completed the Student Meteorologist program and this year are beginning the Naturalist in Training program. Both programs integrate a variety of technology - ranging from a digital thermometer to a Ecolog - to learn about and track Old Mission's unique ecosystem. Students measure weather conditions every day and upload them onto a computer for tracking and analysis.
Ask students of any age who use the computer for a variety of educational software or who have learned to use video production equipment. Ask second grade students who are learning some keyboarding skills or older students doing research for a project. Recently the sixth-grade students used the web to gather information on an animal for a research project.
"I used the web for 90 percent of this project, looking up about the Golden Lion Tamarind," said Raffi Appel, a sixth-grade student.
Much of the technology at the school has come courtesy of the parents of Old Mission Elementary School, whose unflagging fundraising and volunteer efforts have spearheaded its purchase and use. They see firsthand the benefits for everyone at the school and continue to quest for more technology.
"The PTO over the years has purchased quite a bit of technology for the school and I have been so impressed with the energy of the teachers at Old Mission who incorporate technology into their curriculum," Weckstein said. "Basically, they took the technology and ran with it, enhancing the learning at the school."