Blake Middle School Academic Year in Review: Technology

Editor's Note: Medfield Patch will provide a summary of Robert Parga’s end of the report for Blake Middle School and take an in-depth look at goals for the 2011-12 academic year; Blake’s upgrades in technology; the school’s China Trip; A new bell schedule and personnel changes. We will conclude the series with the transition from Parga to as Blake Middle School principal. This is part two of our seven-part Blake Middle School series.

One of the major goals for the Medfield School Committee and administration this year was to improve the district's technology. With both the town's and community's support, the was passed and the school district was able to move forward with upgrades in technology.

Former principal Robert Parga detailed the school's expected upgrades in his end of the year report to the school committee in June.

"We are going to be installing presenters in all of our learning classrooms," Parga said. "It will be another avenue for students to engage in the classroom and allow teachers another way for delivering instruction."

Blake's Technology Goals for 2011-2012:

• Epson interactive presenters will be installed in 45 instructional spaces. 
• 55 new computers will be purchased for teacher use.
• Restructure the technology staff, including a new full-time position (Technology Integration Specialist). This position will cover grades six through 12. 

"We are happy to have a technology integration specialist now," Parga said. "That person will be working over at Blake and the High School. We wanted to make a concerned effort to look hard at a classroom teacher who can really support teachers with technology. Instead of perhaps where we have gone before and bring in someone that is more on the technology hardware of things. We just felt if we could get a classroom teacher that knows all the intricacies of what it is like to teach in the classroom with technology to work with our teachers that would be the best way to go in terms of moving forward."

Parga said the override allowed Blake to take its technology to the next level and he is excited about the opportunities it gives teachers and students alike.

"To think teachers are now going to have this [technology] every single day is very exciting," Parga said. "I know the teachers at Blake are thrilled and are very much looking forward to getting their hands on this technology that will be implemented over the summer. I'm very pleased where we are going to be at Blake next year and they are going to have as much technology as anyone out there, which is very exciting."

To read part one of this series, .