Cherokee Tribune
Megan Thornton
April 25, 2012

The Cherokee County School District is at the top of its class in technology, according to a national educational advisory institute.

The district won sixth place among school systems of its size in the ninth annual Digital School Districts survey, awarded by The Center for Digital Education, the National School Boards Association and Converge Online magazine. Cherokee placed in the large school system category, which covers all school systems nationwide with more than 12,000 students.

In both 2007 and 2010, the district placed fourth; in 2008, the district won first overall in the Digital School Boards Survey.

Bobby Blount, assistant superintendent of technology, said continuous support from the community through Ed-SPLOST funding and dedicated adminis-trators, teachers and staff has helped the district become a technology leader.

“We have a very, very good technology vision and mission for the future,” Blount said. “Our teachers and administrators have (made) a commitment to continually learn about technology. We have very strong leadership through our superintendent, an incredibly supportive Board of Education and we just have amazing students … that effectively utilize these technologies.”

The winners showcase exemplary school boards’ and districts’ use of technology to govern the district, communicate with students, parents and the community and to improve district operations through answers to the survey questions, according to the center’s website.

Overall, districts are judged on their online presence, technology applications that allow the public to interact with school board members, administrators and teachers as well as their access to information such as school board meetings, districts policies, and technology use in the classrooms.

“New and emerging technologies challenge the process of teaching, learning and the way education is managed,” said LeiLani Cauthen, vice president of the Center for Digital Education. “Survey responses reflect innovation in action, and how boards and districts are adapting curriculum, communication and collaboration by embracing digital technologies.”

Blount said he thinks the district fares well in the survey because they perform extensive research and often collaborate with other school districts on technological matters.

He said a major initiative within the district is the Bring Your Own Learning Device program, which will be implemented in all district schools in the fall.

“It’s just a growing trend in education where parents are able to use tools they’ve already bought for their student,” Blount said. “Our teachers are capturing ways to engage our children in this type of instruction.”

Blount said the district continues to look at the affordability of new technologies and the impact they could have on learning.

“Times are tough and the money’s not always following,” Blount said.

“We put a lot of effort into being (financially) responsible.”

The top 10 districts in each student population category were recognized during an awards reception Saturday at the National School Board Association’s conference in Boston.

‘Our teachers and administrators have (made) a commitment to continually learn about technology. We have very strong leadership through our superintendent, (and) an incredibly supportive Board of Education.’

— Bobby Blount,

assistant superintendent of technology