Helena, Montana, nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, is Montana's capital city. The Helena School District, which serves 8188 students, includes two high schools, two middle schools, ten elementary schools, an alternative high school, a transitional middle school and an Instructional Materials/Technology Training Center. The district employs an exceptionally well-educated staff of 500. These highly motivated professionals serve our children, schools and community with incredible dedication and compassion. Helena Public Schools has a long tradition of excellence in all areas whether it be academics, the arts, technology, or sports. We continue to strive to meet the mission of the Helena Public Schools, which is: to challenge our students to maximize individual potential and to become a competent, productive, responsible, caring citizen.

District Technology Plan for the School District was begun in 1990 and has been completed. It is a dynamic document that is constantly revisited and revised. Each school includes a technology section in their Annual School Improvement Plan. Each building's Annual School Improvement plan must address the role of technology in enhancing teaching and learning. Further, the plan must describe how technology will be acquired and used to maximize improved student learning.

The District established a District Technology Coordinator position in January of 1997. This position oversees and coordinates the implementation of technology in the District. A network manager position was created and filled during the 1998-99 school year. This position is responsible for security at all levels and for all systems. Network authentication protocols are being established and implemented. Business applications, student management applications and library applications are password protected. An Elementary Technology Specialist position was established in 1994 and in 1997 responsibilities of the Training Center Coordinator were included in that position. Library Media Specialists in some locations have accepted responsibility for building level technology support. Each high school has a technology teacher position and the two middle schools have also established technology teacher positions.

The District Technology Training Center was established in the fall of 1996. An extensive Professional Development program was developed and professional development opportunities for District teachers as well as teachers from surrounding Districts and community members continues today. The Center operates in the evenings, on weekends and throughout the summer months. Non district staff are charged a nominal fee to help defray overhead costs.

The District has invested in and implemented local area networks in its high schools, middle schools and the first five elementary schools. The remaining elementary schools are scheduled to be wired during the 99-00 school year. Sites with a local area network are connected in a wide area network using wireless communications tools. The District selected and implemented a District wide K-12 Student Management System during the winter of 1997-98.

High school and middle school libraries are automated and provide a wide array of resources both electronic and print which support teaching and learning. Elementary libraries will be fully automated in the fall of 1999.

All students and staff in our high schools have comprehensive access to the tools of technology. Access includes classroom, mini-lab, full lab and library lab access. Further all high school instructional sites have both local and wide area network access. The two middle schools and ten elementary schools have centralized access to network resources and varying levels of access to technology tools.

Each school has a District web site which highlights school activities and student work. Each high school web site also includes instructional information provided by classroom teachers. Email accounts are provided for all staff members.

A set of essential technology skills has been identified at each grade level. Work continues to insure that technology is used as a tool to support teaching and learning and that fundamental skills be used in the context of the curriculum. Efforts at evaluation have tended to be tied to specific programs. The Accelerated Reader Program has been extensively evaluated over a period of five years. Student achievement has been documented through a series of standardized tests, student performance records and other assessments. Students participating in the Problem Based Learning project have provided anecdotal evidence of improved achievement through oral assessments. Additionally, students participated in pre and post assessments which measured their technical abilities. No evaluation has established an absolute and direct link between student achievement and technology integration.