WVUSD: 2016/2017 Year-End Results
Educational Services staff is planning for the shift to the Next Generation Science Standards
(NGSS), as the District moves through three phases:
Awareness, Transition, and
Implementation. Teachers and administrators will participate in professional development to
increase their understanding of the new NGSS and instructional practices, in addition to
analysis of Science textbook programs being developed by publishers for future adoptions.
The Language! Live program continues to grow as a tool for the instruction of students with
special needs. The tool is used as an intervention for developing students’ reading, listening,
and speaking skills.
Use of technology has continued to expand across the District. WVUSD now has over 14,000
student devices (5,700 Chromebooks, 900 VDI stations, 1,200 iPads, 370 Apple Computers,
and 5,900 Windows Based Computers) being used for learning. This number represents an
increase of more than 4,000 total devices from last year. Additionally, to further support an
increasing focus on instructional technology and work productivity, teacher laptops and office
staff computers were refreshed in Summer 2016.
As technology grows in devices and utilization, it is vital to keep the technology infrastructure
current and reliable. Several wireless access points have been added in key locations to
provide more wireless coverage. Data-center networking switches have been upgraded to
provide high speed and redundant access. Phone system servers have been upgraded with
both new hardware and software. A new disaster recovery system has been implemented to
increase data capacity and replicate critical data to the cloud, in case of major failure, and a
new mobile device management system (Meraki) has been implemented to further support the
growing number of iPads.
To deliver a constant and efficient technology support system, the Technology Help Desk has
expanded its service to cover both comprehensive high schools. Over 2,500 technology help
desk tickets were created between the two high schools during the 2016/2017 school year.
WVUSD’s MyPortal was released this school year giving staff and students a single place to
go for school information and access to their applications. There are currently twenty
applications inside MyPortal that are integrated with single sign-on, which alleviates the need
to remember different usernames and passwords for every application. The list of supported
applications will continue to grow over the summer and next school year.
All students now have access to the full Microsoft Office 365 suite, the ability to install Microsoft
Office and the full Adobe Creative Suite on five of their personal computers. Secondary
students also have access to District issued email accounts.
The Elementary Library Reboot initiative has kicked off with the completion of the C.J. Morris
Elementary School Library. The new modern library has a large interactive display, research
collaboration areas, Maker’s spaces, and individual reading and research zones. Over the next
two years, each elementary school will have their library rebooted and customized for their
individual needs.
15