Rollout Strategy
The numerous benefits of a program like Waukesha One are difficult to understand, realize, or measure in small, incremental changes. This stated, it is important to note that the constraints of budget, technology support, professional development resources, and the environmental and cultural changes that will take place in a school becoming a Waukesha One school, are too great to consider transforming the entire district within a short time frame (1-2 years). For these reasons, district leadership believes that it is important to transform entire buildings as they are selected, not just pockets of teachers, grade levels, or departments. It is the goal of the district to convert the entire district to Waukesha One within 3-5 years.
To achieve this goal, unnamed buildings will continually apply for consideration to become a Waukesha One school, demonstrating their building's readiness in the application. The Waukesha One Selection Committee will rank these applications and recommend schools for each wave of implementation until the district is entirely converted to Waukesha One.
Building Readiness
A building must demonstrate readiness for the implementation of Waukesha One. There are four key areas of emphasis that demonstrate readiness to the selection committee.
Instructional Readiness:
Waukesha One is not about devices, it is about great instructional practices and meaningful learning experiences. This will look and feel different in a technology rich environment. While the devices are a big part of that transition, shifting instructional mindsets, strategies, and practices must be started long before the devices arrive.
Leadership:
A strong commitment to personalized learning in a technology infused environment is not for the feint of heart. It requires adopting strategies to encourage changes in culture, showing a willingness to embrace new approaches, and committing to maintaining the best educational experience we can offer our students as we learn to best utilize these new tools and opportunities. Leadership (from both administrators and educational staff) is one of the most important elements in any undertaking -- Waukesha One is no different.
Staff Commitment:
The people who will make the shift to Waukesha One successful are those who work with kids every day. Introducing new tools, learning to use those new tools effectively, and determining how to turn those tools into learning opportunities and experiences will take commitment from the entire building staff, not just a few teachers who happen to enjoy using technology. Waukesha One is about collaboration, sharing, learning from each other, and growing in our professional practice -- that only happens when the entire staff demonstrates commitment to Waukesha One.
Ability to Analyze/Evaluate Program Effectiveness:
The ongoing question that must be asked within Waukesha One schools is, "Is this change making a positive difference?" The only way to know is to consistently assess the success of the program. While the school district will have its own measures of success, each school is going to be asked to measure success in their own ways. Those schools who have thought about what success looks like, and who have determined ways to measure success of Waukesha One, demonstrate a greater readiness to implement the program.
Device Distribution
When a school is selected as a Waukesha One school, devices will be distributed in two phases.
Teacher Deployment of Devices
Teachers will receive devices approximately six months in advance of students. This is to provide adequate time to prepare for the arrival of student devices. During this time teachers will be given opportunities to grow professionally in their understanding and use of these devices, but the devices will not be required by students in classrooms during this period.
Student Deployment of Devices
Students will receive devices six months (or more) after staff members receive devices (this can vary by school dependent upon the plan set forth by that school). Each school will set forth and communicate a plan for student distribution of devices. That communication will outline time, dates, processes, and parent information relative to each schools deployment.
Wave One
Wave One staff received their devices in March of 2013. Wave One students received their devices in Fall of 2013.
Wave Two
Wave Two staff received their devices during 1st semester of 2013/14 school year. Wave Two students will receive their devices during 2nd semester of the 2013/14 school year.
Wave Three
Wave Three staff received their devices during the 2013/14 school year. Wave Three students are scheduled to receive devices in Fall of the 14/15 school year.
Wave Four staff will receive their devices during the 2014/15 school year. Wave Four students are scheduled to receive devices in Spring of the 14/15 school year.
Wave Five
Wave Five staff will receive their devices during the 2014/15 school year. Wave Five students are scheduled to receive devices in Fall of the 15/16 school year.
