Re: School Internet Accounts

Joe Frantz (jfrantz@muse.sfusd.k12.ca.us)
Mon, 4 Mar 1996 15:17:29 EST

Jim Barton wrote:
>I need some input and advice from those that have internet access in your
>schools (K-12). We are soon to install a 56K line. All staff would
>(could?) be provided with an internet address account - and possibly
>students. My feeling is that the school should provide such services as a
>part of doing business - subject to acceptable use policies of course. My
>superintendent is considering charging staff (maybe students?) if they want
>an account because they would probably use it at home for personal use
>rather than school use. This would also be a way to recoup some of the
>cost to the district. What are you doing in your district in this type of
>situation?

San Francisco USD is providing an email account and dialup SLIP access to
all staff in the district who request it. Providing students access to
Internet resources and integrating those resources into the curriculum is
essential to becoming a 21st century school district. Teachers cannot bring
these resources into the classroom until they have had the opportunity to
explore and become comfortable with them. There is no time to do this in the
school day. Your superintendent is wrong to think of your teachers' home use
as "personal;" it is essential staff development and class preparation time
donated by the teacher. Our superintendent is so convinced of this that he
has arranged a corporate donation of over 2000 386 and 486 computers, which
we are equipping with modems and software, and providing one free to any
teacher who learns to use it. He also believes that our staff needs to grow
in professional and collaborative skills, and that putting electronic
communications tools at their disposal is the best way to encourage this.

Good luck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joe Frantz, Internet Resource Teacher | Voice: (415)759-2950 Fax 759-2903
San Francisco Unified School District | "Technology serving a
2550 25th Ave., San Francisco CA 94116 | Community of Learners"
jfrantz@muse.sfusd.k12.ca.us