Somerset County has made a substantial commitment to technology over the past ten years. Technology has become an integral part of both the instructional program and administrative services. Equipment, support and training are provided in order to increase the efficiency of the administration, as well as student engagement and achievement in our classrooms. The links below will take you to more information about each division of the technology department as well as special initiatives.

What is PARCC?

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a group of states working together to develop a  computer-based assessments linked to the new Common Core State Standards.

The new assessments replace the Maryland School Assessments in English and Mathematics in grades 3-8, and replace the High School Assessments in Algebra I and English 10.

Links for Parents:

Prepare for PARCC

PARCC Resources For Parents

PARCC Frequently Asked Questions

Join the conversation on Twitter:

#PrepareForPARCC 

Please do not contact the IT Technical Support Staff directly. Please submit issues to the SCPS help desk by Sending an Email to SCPS help desk. 

If you have issues with PowerSchool please contact Allison Romano at Send Email to Allison Romano. 

If you have issues with Aesop, SafeSchools, EAC or eFinance, please contact Edie Smith at Send Email to Edie Smith.

SCPS Technical Support Staff: 

Joe Chelton, Network Technician

Cody Whittington, Network Technician

Bruce Field Jr., Lead PC Technician

Steve Corbin, PC Technician

Doris Dvorak, PC Technician

Gary Marshall, PC Technician

Somerset County Public Schools embraces technology as an effective and essential tool which expands the learning opportunities and improves communication among students, staff and the community. All students will utilize state-of-the-art technology resources and digital content to acquire 21st century skills necessary to attain success in the rapidly changing world. Stakeholders will recognize the importance of technology and support the efforts of the school system to provide all students and staff with these opportunities. Improved student learning will be achieved through engaging classrooms, universal access and the seamless integration of technology into a rigorous curriculum. 

Classroom Technology

The majority of classrooms are equipped with the technology to provide engaging instruction for our students. Every classroom has an LCD projector and one or more desktop computers with Internet access. Currently 73% of the classrooms have document cameras for teachers to use and 50% of the classroom have Promethean Boards. 

Special Initiatives

Elementary High Tech Classrooms

Professional Development

Professional Development opportunities for technology integration remain critical to effective instruction in classrooms.  Training for teachers is provided on a variety of applications and systems based on need.  Teachers will be given several professional development opportunities throughout the school year including various trainings given after school throughout the year or they can attend intense technology academies in the summer.  

Resources

Students and staff have access to a number of digital resources. Most of them are available from both school and home. A list of these resources can be found on the Resources page.

PD Evaluations Survey

Vision Statement

School library media programs are integral to student achievement. They provide all students and staff members with equitable and timely access to ideas and information. Through an integrated instructional program, school library media specialists ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information.

Philosophy 

A unified media program is an integral part of the instructional process of the Somerset County Public School System in helping students achieve the outcomes of the Maryland School Performance Program. Since education is best achieved through a a variety of multi-sensory learning approaches and teaching techniques, the media center through a centralized collection of materials with a common retrieval system is designed to support the educational goals of the school system and serve all students (pre-K thru 12). The collection of materials should be specifically designed to meet the curriculum needs of the school and to enhance the intellectual freedom and personal and social development of the students served.

The Somerset County System and the library media personnel involved in instruction have the responsibility for providing leadership for the Library Media Program. This responsibility includes support for planning, development, analysis, management, and evaluation of library media programs and services and the integration of library media programs into the instructional program.

Selection Policy

PURPOSE:

To establish procedures for selection of both print and non-print media materials.

DEFINITION:

Instructional materials will be defined as all print and non-print materials, which are utilized as basic materials, supplemental material, and cursory materials., Basic materials include those intended for use by every teacher of the subject or grade, with every student each year. Supplemental materials are used to support, enrich and/or individualize the curriculum or to meet specific needs. Cursory materials are those items which are of interest or value for a short period of time.

POLICY:

The primary objective in the selection of educational media is to provide the best available resources for the enrichment of the teaching-learning situation.

Selection is a cooperative process involving the media specialist, the teaching staff, administrators, parents, and students. Emphasis is placed on providing resources that meet the requirements of the curriculum, providing for the diverse levels of student ability, maturity, and interests. Selection should reflect current trends in education. 

Evaluation is an integral part of selection in that standard bibliographical tools are used to aid in selection and materials are re-evaluated from time to time.

POLICIES RELATED TO MEDIA

Selection of Media Materials Policy 500-19 

Use of Copyrighted Materials Policy 500-35

Library/Media Handbook

Selection Guidlines 

A. In selecting instructional materials, the staff will rely on educational research, reason, and professional judgment. Instructional materials selected will include, but are not limited to those which: 

1. Enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the various instructional needs, abilities, and maturity levels of the students served.

2. Stimulate growth in conceptual thinking, factual knowledge, physical fitness and the development of ethical and literary standards.

3. Provide for the elimination of gender and protected class bias in all textbooks and instructional materials. 

4. Contribute to the development of an understanding of the ethnic, cultural, and occupational diversity of American life. 

5. Provide sufficient variety as well as opposing views of controversial issues in order that young citizens may develop the sills of critical analysis and informed decision-making.

6. Present objectively the concerns of racial, ethnic, religious and cultural groups, those that are historic, current and without gender bias, with the understanding that under certain conditions, prejudiced materials may represent appropriate resources in presenting contrasting and differing points of view.

7. Provide models which may be used as a vehicle for the development of self-respect, ethnic pride and appreciation of cultural differences, based on respect for worth, dignity, and the personal values of every individual. 

B. Although extreme care is taken in the selection of materials, there may be, on occasion, some objection to certain selections that have been made. If this happens, the following procedures will be followed:

1. Those individuals who wish to make a complaint about material in a school library media center and/or classroom can arrange a conference with the building principal and appropriate school staff.

2. If the concerns are not resolved at the first conference the individual can register his/her specific concerns in writing on the form provided by the Somerset County Public Schools (Citizen's Request for Reconsideration of Material) and submit it to the school principal.

3. Appropriate staff personnel, parents, representatives from the review committee and the principal will arrange a second conference with the individual and attempt to resolve the complaint. Each committee member will read, view, or listen to the material in question in its entirety, and read professional evaluations pertaining to the material. The principal will arrange a second conference with the individual and attempt to resolve the complaint.

4. If the complaint cannot be resolved at this level, a copy of the review, along with the actions taken at this level, will be sent to the Superintendent of Schools.

5. At this point, the material in question will be removed from circulation until a ruling can be made on its appropriateness.

6. Upon receipt of the review, the Superintendent will refer the matter to the Assistant Superintendent of Instruction. The Assistant Superintendent of Instruction will then appoint an Investigating Committee composed of the Supervisor of Instruction for the grade level involved, the Supervisor of Media Services, and a teacher representing the level of the material in question. The committee will then study the item in question and the action taken by the school. The supervisor of Media Services will compile professional evaluations of the material gathered by the committee.

7. The committee will send a report of its recommendations to the Superintendent of Schools for approval. When approved, the Superintendent of Schools will send a copy of the approved recommendations to the school principals involved. 

8. The principal of the school involved will inform the individual of the decision of the committee and implement the recommendations in the school. If the material in question is an integral part of the county curriculum, principals of schools serving the same grade level will be informed of the decision.

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment

PPRA is a law protecting the rights of parents and students in regards to information collected for surveys, analyses or evaluations and making sure that parental consent is given before participation.

Children's Internet Protection Act

CIPA was enacted by congress to ensure the schools and libraries put Internet safety policies and protective measures in place to protect children from obscene or harmful content over the Internet.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

FERPA is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

COPPA is a law that imposes privacy and consent requirements on websites and services for children under 13.

Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act

The Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act is an amendment to CIPA to ensure that Internet safety policies provide for the education of students regarding appropriate online behavior and cyber bullying awareness.

Jon Berlin

Information Technology Supervisor

Send Email Jon Berlin

Ted Gibson

Supervisor of Instructional Technology

Send Email Ted Gibson