9454748 Yoho The main objective of the Keystone Community Network planning grant is to bring together the ideas and resources from individuals in a widespread, diverse community to construct a network infrastructure accessible by everyone. The planning process will involve visits to test sites, presentations and consultation by experts, and structured release time for educators and community members to put together the network infrastructure plan. While the technology should be transparent in our network, its benefits will be seen everywhere. It will provide for the following: (1) equal opportunity educational services to our large geographic area community of schools. Schools in remote areas will have access to the full scope of the KCSD curricula offerings via network telecommunications. Educators in the district will be able to collaborate on discipline-specific as well as interdisciplinary projects. And building walls will disappear as students learn to access information as needed from global libraries, data bases, and experts on-line. (2) It will be used to link pre-service and in-service activities between KCSD and LHU to better prepare tomorrow's educators, as well as updating present staff. Preview of lesson plans and materials for student teachers and in-school participating University students by the same University faculty who were responsible for their early preparation will enhance continuity between theory and practice. Already in place is a science program which provides for pre-service training with in-service teachers who have been trained in specific elementary science benchmark lessons. Other elementary teachers in the district can be participate in the lessons via interactive TV classroom to classroom. (3) It will link members of the community, both business and residential, to each other, to worldwide networks, and to information resources in new and crea tive ways. From health care to small business, accessing the network will bring connectivity urgently needed in this rural community. There are so many positive possibilities. By making it a community effort, and integrating it into the school curricula, collaborative problem-solving will provide the ways for this community to best utilize its network.
