East Anchorage High School supports a wide range of computer-based technology to assist both students and staff on a daily basis. Each member of the East community may be affected in different ways, depending on the type of technology used and the purpose toward which it is applied. A primary goal of our technology implementation is to see that all students apply technology tools in as many learning tasks as possible.
Student learning in all disciplines is assisted by computer-based technology through
Students use a variety of technology components in several locations within the East complex.
We also recognize the importance of providing state-of-the-art technology to East's teaching staff.
In addition, the school's Student Services Area, Main Office Area, and a dedicated teacher workroom within each academic house provide counselors, administrators, support staff, and teachers with additional computers and a variety of specialized applications. The Anchorage School District provides East with a high speed network feed, enabling access to Information Technology and Internet node servers, including email, and an SMTP Internet gateway.
East's introduction to technology in the classroom started in November of 1993 when two technology innovations began enriching the curriculum: placing "pods" of computers in classrooms, and the creation of East On-Line. Not only have we progressed far beyond these humble beginnings, we have done so in a remarkably short time. East On-Line used a BBS (bulletin board system) and modems to provide access in and out of our network. Simple cabling was strung by hand to connect eighteen classrooms with their simple computers.
With the meteoric increase of interest in and importance of the World Wide Web, EOL/EdCom redefined itself as the electronic backbone of East's internal communications network. The school completed a major renovation of its network services through a Net Day. This event was completed as planned on August 29 and 30, 1998 and provided Ethernet network connections to all rooms at East High. Our ultimate goal was to create a "school of the future" at East High, with electronic attendance, grade keeping, and email in every classroom.
New for the 1999-2000 school year was the ASD's first "cyberclass". Using our FirstClass server/client software, we offered an English class (LA 10) via the Internet, the first such class in the district.
The FirstClass intranet has become the hub of school communications, allowing electronic scheduling of all computer labs, equipment, and library resources. In addition, teachers are making use of the collaborative classroom model allowed by electronic media and are offering coursework and student resources on-line. In addition, East has a site license for an electronic gradebook that features the ability to email grade reports to students or parents at any time, as well as to post this information on our FirstClass website.
The East High staff and administration have made a commitment to supporting educational technology. Mike Graham, principal, created the first East High Technology Department in 2001. This creates a budget and continued support for the technology support staff.
Here we go!