Currently the Reading School District has approximately 4,500 computers for our 17,000+ students.  These computers all have filtered Internet access and curriculum based software, along with other desktop software. Desktop operating systems are Windows XP/2000. HP computers are the most widely used platform in the district. 

The goal of our technology plan is to blend technology into our curriculum and to increase student achievement.
 

The following are summaries of the various phases of our district's technology growth:

Phase I (completed as of 2001)

Installed a wide area network (network backbone), which connects all the buildings to the Internet and each other. Novell 5.0 is our network operating system. The WAN is based on cable modem technology and all internal LAN connections are Ethernet (CAT5E). We are using CISCO for our switching and routing needs. 

Reading High School -  installed  8 computer labs for the business department. Each lab consisted of 30 computers and one networked laser printer. Also at Reading High School, the library was networked and computers were upgraded. 

Added 5 computers to every 4^th and 5^th grade classrooms running curriculum software called SuccessMaker, a NCS Learn product.

Created a district wide email system using Novell GroupWise.

Created Internet access, with filtering, for all networked computers. 

Installed administrative and curriculum servers in all buildings. 

Phase II (completed 1/2002)

Reading High School – installed 5 computer labs for the 9^th grade academy running Plato software, upgraded the CAD lab and Art Labs. Each of the Plato labs have 30 computers, one data projector and one laser printer.  The CAD and ART labs each have 25 computers. 

Northeast Middle School – installed  9 computer labs running SuccessMaker and upgraded the library. Each lab has 30 computers, one data projector and a laser printer.

Northwest Middle School – installed 8 computer labs running SuccessMaker and upgraded the library. Each lab has 30 computers, one data projector and a laser printer.

Southern Middle School – installed  7 computer labs running SuccessMaker and upgraded the library. Each lab has 30 computers, one data projector and a laser printer.

Southwest Middle School – installed 7 computer labs running SuccessMaker and upgraded the library. Each lab has 30 computers, one data projector and a laser printer.

All elementary schools – installed 5 computers in all 3^rd grade classrooms, special education resource rooms and ELA classrooms.

Phase III – is a three year plan with the following completed school year 2002-03

Added computer labs to 12 elementary buildings. Each lab to consist of 30 computers, a data projector and a laser printer.

Added 5 computers in all 1st and 2^nd grade classrooms to access SuccessMaker

Added 1 computer to the Kindergarten and Pre-K grade classrooms to access the internet.

Created a wireless infrastructure for mobile computing in all secondary buildings.

Upgraded all elementary school libraries.

Installed 45 wireless laptop at Northwest Middle School.

2003-04

Added 4 mobile computer labs of 30 laptops, one lab per middle school.

Installed 21 laptops for elementary school Reading Coaches.

Installed  250 wireless laptops for Reading High School professional staff.

Installed  14 wireless laptops for Southern Middle School professional staff.

2004-05

Installed 87 wireless laptops for Northeast Middle School professional staff.

Setup 4 new technical education labs, one at each middle school to support a pre-engineering curriculum. Each lab consisting of 30 computers.

Installed a new district wide backup solution.

Installed 40 wireless laptops at Southwest Middle School

Upgraded Reading High's Journalism lab.

Installed a wireless mobile lab of 30 laptops at Reading High to support the English Language Acquisition program.

Installed software to support the English Language Acquisition program at the 4 middle schools.

Upgraded all Novell servers to version 6.5 and Zenworks.

2005-06

Installed a infrastructure with a 1GB fiber backbone and a 45mb internet access.

Installed  3 new technical education labs, 1 at the high school, 1 at Northeast Middle School and 1 at Northwest Middle School. Each lab consisting of 30 desktop computers running pre-engineering courseware based on the Project Lead the Way curriculum.

Upgraded the district's email to GroupWise to 6.5

Completed rollout of wireless laptops for all secondary teachers.

Selected Waterford courseware for Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms.

Replaced Reading High School's Art lab computers.

2006-07

Upgrade SuccessMaker courseware to SuccessMaker Enterprise for grades 1-8.

Install Novanet courseware at Reading High School

Creation of a technology rich environment at the 2 new magnet schools.

Upgrade student information system to Eschoolplus from Sungard Pentamation, Inc.

Reading School District
800 Washington Street • Reading, Pennsylvania 19601
610-371-5612

Tip Line: 484-955-9343

 webmaster - Linda Greth