South Putnam hires Gardner as technology integrator for corporation

Tona Gardner

In an effort to keep up with the new state standards that will soon be coming out as well as keeping up with ever-changing technology, the South Putnam School Board appointed one of its own to be the corporations new director of curriculum, instruction and technology integration.

As recommended by Principal Kieth Puckett during a special meeting held Monday evening, former middle/high school media specialist Tona Gardner will begin her new role immediately taking over technology integration for K-12.

"There's a freight train coming down the tracks July 1, that's the new state curriculum," Puckett said. "It's going to be the common core, but it's going to be adjusted. As you know, we're really undermanned in curriculum. We all do what we have to do and only what we have to do and starting July 1 it's not going to be good enough."

Not having enough staff to properly implement all of the upcoming changes, is just one of the challenges the corporation will be facing within the next year. The corporation has also been fighting the need to implement more technology in the classrooms, as many know that textbooks may become obsolete sooner rather than later.

In hopes of keeping up with many of the schools across the county that are now making strides to go one-to-one with technology, it is the hope of not only Puckett, but the corporation to get the ball rolling.

"There's just a tidal wave of schools going one-to-one in some version or another. I've heard the board talk enough to know that we really don't want to be left behind," Puckett said. "School in this day and age is competitive. We have to attract students, they're your clients and we can't be left behind in technology."

So, in an effort to save money and not have to hire two people, a curriculum director and a technology integrator, Puckett proposed promoting Gardner as she is already on her way to completing a masters in curriculum and currently serves at South Putnam as a media specialist.

"We don't want to lose Tona from the high school, but it has my complete support if it's a K-12 venture," Puckett said. "There's so many different places you have to go workshops you have to go to stay current and she just represents us well. If she's the lady from South Putnam, then we really are putting our best foot forward."

Gardner who was in attendance at the meeting, advised the board that she is more than ready for such a challenge.

"I'm very excited for this challenge," Gardner said. "I'm excited about being able to communicate with everybody and bring everybody together. To be able to support the teachers in all grade levels is really important as we transition."

Keeping South Putnam in line with other area schools is something that the board has always aimed to do and by bringing Gardner in, the corporation believes that she can show staff how to properly take advantage of the existing technology within the corporation as well as introduce them to new technology when the time comes.

"One of the things we've talked off and on about for some time now is, we all understand that 21st century learning skills involve digital curriculum," Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt. "We know we're going there. It's how we're going to get there is the important thing. You cannot buy a bunch of hardware, give it to the teachers and the students and say there, go at it. For us to move forward in this digital curriculum, we need someone that understands it and has the capability to work with our teachers."

Making the transition to one-to-one will not come quickly. Gardner's first step will be to try to attempt to create a rough timeline, which she will do with the help of Five-Star Technologies representative Steve Ricketts.

"There's a lot of work we can do right away, part of that will be providing some professional development to strengthen the way that teachers are using the technology they have as well as addressing the standards that are coming in," Gardner said. "Also right away will be gathering information, working with the principals and working with teachers to see where we're at."

Gardner will also be applying for grants in the future to help with the initial development costs that go along with bringing in more technology to the corporation. It was also noted that having someone in such a position as hers, makes the corporation eligible for a variety of other grants that would not otherwise be available.

"We'll be able to utilize that money to then go out and do school visits, talk about the different devices that are out there, do the initial professional development to start building that digital curriculum," Gardner explained. "So, by the time we get the devices in there, you're not putting a device in the hands of a teacher and saying, 'so here's a device, now three months from now this is how you're going to run your classroom.' It's starting that process now so, by the time the devices are in the students hands and in the teacher's hands we're already going to have that foundation."

By having Gardner in place, the staff will gain a knowledge base and have a foundation on how to use such technology before it gets into the hands of students, which can happen as soon as three years from now.

"I think that we are at a huge advantage to have someone like you in our corporation that we can just shift around as to bringing someone from the outside," board member Angie Nichols said. "I think it's going to be a good thing. We want to be able to have those answers when parents ask questions and when we get asked things, we want to feel confident in the person we have in place there."

With the promotion of Gardner, South Putnam will be hiring an instructional assistant to help with Gardner's workload as a media specialist and will look to hire a full-time specialist for next year.

"I would like to thank the South Putnam School Board for the opportunity to serve in this new position," Gardner said. "I am honored to assist as we transition and evolve in order to continue to prepare our students for their education, work and lives beyond South Putnam. South Putnam is where my heart is and I am blessed to be here."