Elem+Tech+Facilitators

=**The LMSD** **Elementary Technology Facilitator Program**= is designed to promote and support the implementation of the Lower Merion School District curriculum for Information and Computer Technology in the elementary grades. Implementation of the curriculum is a shared responsibility of all teachers throughout the elementary grades.

Principals select Elementary Technology Facilitators in grades 1 through 5 for their schools. In addition, Facilitators are selected to work with colleagues from all elementary schools in the areas of reading literacy, librarians, special education, challenge, FLES, music, art, physical education, and kindergarten.

Curriculum:
The **Elementary Technology Curriculum** may be accessed through the LMSD Website by visiting the Online Curriculum Guide:
 * [|Public Access: http://lmcg.lmsd.org/]
 * [|Staff Access: http://lmcg.lmsd.org/staff]
 * [|Quick Reference Chart: http://www.lmsd.org/district_info/technology/pdfs/ElemTechCurriculumChart.pdf]

Responsibilities:

 * New Facilitators are expected to attend one after-school orientation workshop session scheduled in September that focus on the elementary technology curriculum, the goals and expectations for program implementation, and strategies for working with colleagues to incorporate the technology curriculum in the classroom.
 * Facilitators coordinate and guide collaborative work among their colleagues during three full release days or 12 hours of before/after school time (or a combination of the two) to develop and document projects implementing the technology curriculum with students within their own curricular areas.
 * Project descriptions are shared in a web-based application for the benefit of all elementary teachers and their students within the district.
 * Facilitators are expected to attend a minimum of 3 after school Facilitator Program meetings during the year (for new Facilitators, this is in addition to their orientation meeting in September). Meeting dates are announced by early September.
 * All Facilitators also attend a release-day wrap-up workshop near the end of the school year for project sharing and program evaluation.
 * Facilitators must complete the Levels of Technology Implementation (LoTi) online survey during the District Data Collection Period (second semester).
 * Facilitators are required to have a district-issued laptop and will participate in the Teacher Laptop Option if not already doing so. The responsibilities for the Facilitator Program meet all the requirements of the Laptop Option Program.

Benefits:

 * Facilitators are paid the contract-specified stipend (Article 38, Section I.) – distributed in two installments, at mid-year and at the end of the year.
 * Participating teachers (non-Facilitator members of each group) receive the contracted after school workshop rate for before/after school time scheduled by the Facilitator. Facilitators should coordinate submittal of district time reports to the Technology Department for compensation of before/after school hours for participating (non-Facilitator) teachers in their group.
 * Act 48 credit is awarded for release and/or before/after school group meeting time. Facilitators receive 1.5 times the group meeting hours for their leadership during the scheduled meeting time for their group. Facilitators are responsible for recording and submitting the Act 48 time reports to the Technology Office.
 * Facilitators receive a total of 25 hours of Act 48 credit beyond their group meeting time for attending after school and release-day Facilitator-only meetings, preparation and online submission of project work for sharing, and additional work done for the Facilitator Program.
 * An optional summer workshop with the focus on technology implementation in the curriculum may be offered depending on funding and availability. Registration may be restricted to Facilitators and Technology Mentors on a first-come, first-registered basis.

[|Facilitator Information Online Submission] //(You must authenticate with your LMSD network username and password to access this link.)//