Fall 2003 Bytes Newsletter Articles
NERIC
e-Learning Blackboard Service
by
Steve Janover
The NERIC Instructional Unit is offering a new service for the 2003-04 school
year. The e-Learning Blackboard Service will offer
districts the ability to create their own online curriculum and courses that
facilitate teacher-to-student,
teacher-to-teacher, home/school, and teacher-to-parent
connections.
The
Blackboard software is housed on a server at the NERIC. The service will provide
participating districts with accounts that enable users to create online course
and informational materials. Participating districts will also be able to access
a database of NERIC and district developed courseware, models and best
practices.
The base
price for the service is $1200 for the school year. Districts participating in
the NERIC’s Instructional Model Schools, Shared Learning Objectives or Onsite
Training services can subscribe to the service at $960. The base price includes
10 user accounts for the current school year with training to be provided to
each account holder at the NERIC or at a centrally designated location.
Subscription to the service also includes access to NERIC’s Online Course
offerings. As of August 2003, there were five different sessions available, with
new sessions to be added every semester. Additional accounts and training are
also available. An instructional coordinator will provide support and
coordination for the service.
Districts
can purchase individual accounts at $146/each. This fee includes training at a
centralized session to be held at the NERIC. Blackboard trainings are scheduled
at the NERIC on 9/29, 10/30, and 12/19/03 and will be listed in our upcoming
training calendars.
Please contact Steve Janover at 518-456-9217, or via sjanover@gw.neric.org for more information.
by
the Part 200 Management System Support Team
For
current Part 200 users, student data and history will transition to ClearTrack
200 seamlessly. School districts
will receive the same high quality service as they did using the Part 200
Management System. Demonstrations
have been given at our June User Group Meeting and at several districts. Call
your Part 200 Coordinator if you would like to schedule a demonstration at your
distirct.
School
districts who have enrolled in ClearTrack 200 for the upcoming year are: Berlin,
Cairo-Durham, Chateaugay, Corinth, Fonda-Fultonville, Gloversville, Granville,
Guilderland, Hudson City, Lake Placid, Mohonasen, Ogdensburg, Schenectady, South
Glens Falls, Wells, Whitehall, Moriah, Peru, Salmon River, Gouverneur,
Edwards-Knox, Ticonderoga, Taconic Hills, Tupper Lake and Chazy. Saranac and
Northeastern Clinton piloted the application this past spring.
ClearTrack 200 is developed by Broome-Tioga BOCES in cooperation with the New York State Education Department/VESID.
EMAP
Fixed Asset Inventory Module Compliant with GASB 34
By
Robert Christy
As
part of its effort to address the ever-changing financial accounting
requirements of school districts, EMAP (Educational Management Assistance
Program) has greatly enhanced its fixed asset module to include GASB 34
(Government Accounting Standards Board – Statement 34) compliance.
The automated creation of fixed asset inventory records upon payment
approval as well as the ability to calculate depreciation for any range of dates
is crucial in maintaining adequate financial records.
Further, EMAP will update the fixed asset inventory records to include
current value and period depreciation as well as create the necessary journal
entries. Additional reporting
capabilities as well as the ability to create spreadsheets for further analysis
have been incorporated into the module. Functionality,
completeness, and level of detail are the hallmarks of EMAP.
In this regard, the enhancements to the fixed asset inventory module will
undoubtedly save an enormous amount of valuable time and tedious calculations
while providing for accurate and timely results.
For more information on EMAP as a NERIC service or to schedule a demonstration please contact Robert Christy at 315-386-4504.
E-Rate Update
By Elaine Banach
Check out our E-rate services link on the NERIC’s website
at http://www2.neric.org/services/erate/erate.htm.
Helpful links and new E-rate information is posted.
Instructions and revised Forms for 486 and 479 are
available by clicking on: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/form/default.asp#applicants
FY2001: The NERIC distributed $888,065 in E-rate
reimbursement to districts and BOCES that purchased Internet access and
telecommunication services through the NERIC in FY2001.
FY2002: BEAR forms for FY2002 have been submitted to
the SLD by the NERIC. Once all of
the reimbursements for FY2002 have been received at the NERIC, a distribution to
BOCES and school districts in the NERIC region will be processed.
FY2003: The cumulative funded total for FY2003 is
now $877 million for applicants of the E-Rate program. Internal
connections are currently being funded at 85%. In the NERIC region 81 districts
and 3 BOCES have been funded to date for a total of $4,433,000. The NERIC is
still waiting on a funding commitment decision letter for our FY 2003 471
Consortium application.
FY2004: We are starting to get ready for FY2004 submissions. In order for your district to be included in the NERIC’s 471 Consortium application, a Technology Plan that covers the 2004-2005 school year needs to be SED approved. A letter was sent to School Superintendents of the NERIC region in July to those districts without the approved Technology Plan for this time period. Technology Plans need to be submitted to the NERIC for review by 11/01/03. If you would like to make sure that your district has an approved Plan or to get more information on Technology Plans, please contact Elaine Banach at 518-456-9256 or email at ebanach@gw.neric.org.
Finance Manager Human Resources Module Implemented at Capital Region BOCES
By Ralph Scorza
In November 2002, the Finance Manager Human Resources
module was implemented in the Capital Region BOCES Human Resources office by the
NERIC financial services team.
Finance Manager tracks and ties together all of the
components of the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR). Each school
district and BOCES is mandated by the state to have an APPR in place for all
teachers and other certified members of the teachers union. “Prior to Finance
Manager, schools were not able to tie evaluations to professional development.
They were two separate mandated things that needed to be tied together. Finance
Manager allowed us to do that and that is a big, big deal,” says Marjorie
Kelly, Director of Human Resources for the Capital Region BOCES.
School districts and BOCES are required by law to
fingerprint all employees hired on July 1, 2001 or later who have the potential
for contact with students. Fingerprinting for the Capital Region BOCES is being
tracked in Finance Manager. This has allowed the BOCES fingerprinting service
and the Human Resources office to share the fingerprinting records of BOCES
employees.
Also, mandated trainings for BOCES employees such as Sexual
Harassment, Hazcom, Blood borne Pathogens and School Violence Prevention are
being tracked in Finance Manager. Daily attendance for NERIC employees is being
recorded in Finance Manager. Seniority, certification and benefits tracking will
soon be done in FM.
The BOCES divisions will have access to Finance Manager and
will be assisting the Human Resources office in maintaining employee records.
“For the first time in BOCES history, we have the ability through Finance
Manager to establish, maintain and share historical personnel information
between the Human Resources office and the divisions,” says Marjorie Kelly.
Microcheck
Rebecca
Armsby: Senior Typist
Brian
Backus: Supervisor - Security & Safety Management
Beverly
Barnes: Computer Services Coordinator
James
Beck: DDP Trainee
David
Blades: Student Services Coordinator –Medicaid
Richard
Gangwer: Instructional Services Specialist
Terry
Harcelroad: DDP Coordinator
Ruth
Low: Senior Typist – Receptionist
Derrick
Seymour: Administrative Specialist
John
Van Splinter: Instructional Services Coordinator
Robert
Womble: DDP Coordinator
Sheila
DeCoste: Administrative Services Coordinator
Joe
Defazio: DPP Coordinator
Lisa
Grant: Administrative Services Coordinator
Mike
Ippolito: Applications Analyst II
Gail
Newcomb: Administrative Services Specialist
Ralph
Scorza: Managing Coordinator – Financial Services
Neil
Waldbillig: DDP Coordinator
Employee
of the Month Winners:
September 2002 – Eileen Easterly: Administrative Services Coordinator
October 2002 – Bill Adam: Testing Services Coordinator
November 2002 – Pat Dorn & Carol Sheeran: Data Entry Operators
December 2002 – Don Marino: DDP Specialist
January 2003 – Joan Rowland: Documentation Specialist
February 2003 – Bernie Winney: Operations Supervisor
March 2003 – Jeff Granger: LAN Coordinator
April 2003 – Penny Roberts: Customer & Planning Services Coordinator
May 2003 – Jon Flatow: Help Desk Specialist
June 2003 – Chuck Gallup: Distance Learning Coordinator
July 2003 – Ruth Low: Senior Typist – Receptionist
August 2003 – Shawn Connors: Applications AnalystRetirements
Terry
Johnston retired
from his position of Administrative Coordinator – Student Services with the
NERIC on July 4, 2003. He was honored at the
October 2002 Capital Region BOCES Board Meeting for having over 30 years of
BOCES service. Terry joined the
Washington-Saratoga BOCES in 1967. When the
Saratoga Regional Computer Center merged with the Albany Regional Information
Center in 1988, Terry became a staff member of the NERIC. Over the years, Terry
supported student transcript services in the mainframe environment with NYSSCSS
and SIS; and distributed and networked PC environments with Solstar and WISDIM.
“Terry brought 36 years of experience, and a rich historic memory to his
position. His experience was invaluable,” William Colgan, Managing Coordinator
– Student Services.
How
Did You Spend Your Summer Vacation?
By
Kim Greiner
If
you’re like the teachers, administrators, and support staff from more than 5
school districts who attended the Bethlehem Technology Camp, you learned all
kinds of new applications and ideas for using technology.
Over 300 participants embraced the theme of “Energize Your Future”
with digital cameras, desktop computers, handheld computers, and wireless
laptops. They learned how the
network functions (“Where DO those files go?”) and a variety of applications
such as GroupWise, AppleWorks,
Word, PowerPoint, FrontPage,
iMovie, Publisher, and Easy
Grade Pro. Participants used
web-based resources such as Blackboard, United Streaming, and FreshPond to
create, store, and collaborate on instructional materials.
Some people even made iron-on transfers for T-shirts!
If you didn’t join us this year, you really missed out on some great
fun and learning.
Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.-- Chinese proverb