The Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for Technology was established to advise the State College Area School District Board of School Directors on matters related to Information Technology including the appropriate use of technology for instructional and administrative purposes.  The CAC for Technology is a standing and continuing advisory group to the Board. The CAC for Technology will meet at least quarterly. The CAC for Technology may receive specific requests from the Board for study.  Such requests will be made in form of a memo to the chair of the CAC for Technology.

The Board will select at least seven (7) citizens and two (2) SCASD employees to serve on the CAC for Technology.  Those members will select a chair from among their members.  A liaison from the Board and the SCASD Director of Technology will serve in an advisory capacity to the CAC for Technology.

2011-12 priorities for the CAC for Technology:
  1. A review of the SCASD Educational Technology Plan (required by Pennsylvania Department of Education)
  2. Make recommendations for the proper use of social media (Web 2.0 technologies) for students, staff in their official capacity, and the administration. Such recommendations should include the appropriate use of the official SCASD Facebook site.
  3. Research best "teaching and learning with technology" practices and determine how those practices may be integrated with current instruction and curricula.
  4. Examine the cost savings of replacing our traditional laptops and desktops with netbooks, tablet computers, or thin clients.  This examination should include the implications of these choices on back end systems and the choice of software and applications on these back end servers.  The goal is a financially sustainable technology life cycle.
  5. Examine the use of information technology applied to existing and evolving School District workflows.
  6. Make recommendations and collect best practices for the use of technology and information technology to achieve energy savings.  In particular, as new District buildings come on-line, seek opportunities to make the automated energy monitoring information available for curricular purposes.
  7. Make recommendations and collect best practices for the use of technology in support of SCASD virtual school initiatives.
  8. Coordinate with the CAC for Finance and the Business Manager to determine the budget implications of District technology.
  9. Prepare a plan for including technology training in staff professional development.

Next Meeting: