Wow! What a great day!

Hi!

Today was a great day!  Today was the first day of
school....for the
teachers (the kids come tomorrow morning).  Why was it so
great?  I
finally had the opportunity to really show off our new
"system" where we
now use a combination of Edubuntu desktops and thin-clients.
 I also had
the opportunity to present to the staff on the arrival of
"the digital
natives" to our school.  Yep....the children of
today....the digital
natives and how we must adjust our teaching and content
delivery to
accomodate their "world".  The excitement was
electric.  I was a bit
nervous as I really had no idea how things could go. 
Yes...we've been a
predominantly Linux school for about 6 years....but this was
the biggest
step forward we've taken.  We no longer have any classroom
machines that
boot to Windows.  As part of my "dog and pony"
show....I showed them
Celestia (ran the cool demo)....showed them a virtual field
trip via
Google Earth....showed them how kids can collect research
via Google
Notebook or Zoho Notebook....showed them how I was able to
put a TON of
clipart into OpenOffice ( I used Open clip art and the
extensions from
OxygenOffice)...and a whole bunch of other things.  Once I
was
finished....the mood in the room was one of excitement about
the new realm
of possibilities.  Shortly after I went around to each of
the "team
meetings" to ask what I could do for them (after
all...they are one of my
"customers" so to speak).  I was inundated with
requests for more
thin-clients and computers.  I was shocked.  I had no idea
the impact that
had been made, but I was ecstatic.  But...I'm ready (that's
the key)...as
soon as the new monitors arrive later this week.  I have a
bunch more
workstations and about 15 more thin-clients that I can
deploy to an
already "well-stocked" school.  I'm so psyched! 
The teachers are already
asking me about workshops to learn all of the new programs
available to
them.  Edubuntu is LOADED with them!  The combination of Web
2.0 apps and
the open source apps on Edubuntu have made for a very
exciting combination
and a platform that is poised to make a HUGE difference in
the delivery of
content and teaching at our school.  Several computers and
thin-clients in
every regular classroom....in addition to the labs that
already exist. 
Each classroom is now a min-lab unto itself!  Access! 
That's what it's
all about!  

Tomorrow the kids arrive....(tonight at Open House they were
pretty
excited).  You can bet I'll be blogging and photo-blogging
all of the
smiling faces!  Gosh I love this job!    It's Open
Source and free of
encumbering licensing....I get to design and create new
magic every school
year!  This is SO COOL!  (When no one tells you what and how
you have to
do something...and you are free to do what you know is right
and what will
work....that's VERY powerful and inspiring!)

Gosh...I hope I can sleep tonight!  

David N. Trask
Technology Teacher/Director
Vassalboro Community School
dtraskvcsvikings.org
(207)923-3100



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Rock on! That is so sweet.

I'm curious, of course, about the grades (elementary?) and
what apps
the teacher's are stoked about.I'm also wondering about what
web
resources and non-Edubuntu resources they are using.

-Jordan

On 8/27/07, David Trask <dtraskvcsvikings.org> wrote:
> Hi!
>
> Today was a great day!  Today was the first day of
school....for the
> teachers (the kids come tomorrow morning).  Why was it
so great?  I
> finally had the opportunity to really show off our new
"system" where we
> now use a combination of Edubuntu desktops and
thin-clients.  I also had
> the opportunity to present to the staff on the arrival
of "the digital
> natives" to our school.  Yep....the children of
today....the digital
> natives and how we must adjust our teaching and content
delivery to
> accomodate their "world".  The excitement was
electric.  I was a bit
> nervous as I really had no idea how things could go. 
Yes...we've been a
> predominantly Linux school for about 6 years....but
this was the biggest
> step forward we've taken.  We no longer have any
classroom machines that
> boot to Windows.  As part of my "dog and
pony" show....I showed them
> Celestia (ran the cool demo)....showed them a virtual
field trip via
> Google Earth....showed them how kids can collect
research via Google
> Notebook or Zoho Notebook....showed them how I was able
to put a TON of
> clipart into OpenOffice ( I used Open clip art and the
extensions from
> OxygenOffice)...and a whole bunch of other things. 
Once I was
> finished....the mood in the room was one of excitement
about the new realm
> of possibilities.  Shortly after I went around to each
of the "team
> meetings" to ask what I could do for them (after
all...they are one of my
> "customers" so to speak).  I was inundated
with requests for more
> thin-clients and computers.  I was shocked.  I had no
idea the impact that
> had been made, but I was ecstatic.  But...I'm ready
(that's the key)...as
> soon as the new monitors arrive later this week.  I
have a bunch more
> workstations and about 15 more thin-clients that I can
deploy to an
> already "well-stocked" school.  I'm so
psyched!  The teachers are already
> asking me about workshops to learn all of the new
programs available to
> them.  Edubuntu is LOADED with them!  The combination
of Web 2.0 apps and
> the open source apps on Edubuntu have made for a very
exciting combination
> and a platform that is poised to make a HUGE difference
in the delivery of
> content and teaching at our school.  Several computers
and thin-clients in
> every regular classroom....in addition to the labs that
already exist.
> Each classroom is now a min-lab unto itself!  Access! 
That's what it's
> all about!
>
> Tomorrow the kids arrive....(tonight at Open House they
were pretty
> excited).  You can bet I'll be blogging and
photo-blogging all of the
> smiling faces!  Gosh I love this job!    It's Open
Source and free of
> encumbering licensing....I get to design and create new
magic every school
> year!  This is SO COOL!  (When no one tells you what
and how you have to
> do something...and you are free to do what you know is
right and what will
> work....that's VERY powerful and inspiring!)
>
> Gosh...I hope I can sleep tonight!  
>
> David N. Trask
> Technology Teacher/Director
> Vassalboro Community School
> dtraskvcsvikings.org
> (207)923-3100
>

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Rock on! That is so sweet.

I'm curious, of course, about the grades (elementary?) and
what apps
the teacher's are stoked about.I'm also wondering about what
web
resources and non-Edubuntu resources they are using.

-Jordan

On 8/27/07, David Trask <dtraskvcsvikings.org> wrote:
> Hi!
>
> Today was a great day!  Today was the first day of
school....for the
> teachers (the kids come tomorrow morning).  Why was it
so great?  I
> finally had the opportunity to really show off our new
"system" where we
> now use a combination of Edubuntu desktops and
thin-clients.  I also had
> the opportunity to present to the staff on the arrival
of "the digital
> natives" to our school.  Yep....the children of
today....the digital
> natives and how we must adjust our teaching and content
delivery to
> accomodate their "world".  The excitement was
electric.  I was a bit
> nervous as I really had no idea how things could go. 
Yes...we've been a
> predominantly Linux school for about 6 years....but
this was the biggest
> step forward we've taken.  We no longer have any
classroom machines that
> boot to Windows.  As part of my "dog and
pony" show....I showed them
> Celestia (ran the cool demo)....showed them a virtual
field trip via
> Google Earth....showed them how kids can collect
research via Google
> Notebook or Zoho Notebook....showed them how I was able
to put a TON of
> clipart into OpenOffice ( I used Open clip art and the
extensions from
> OxygenOffice)...and a whole bunch of other things. 
Once I was
> finished....the mood in the room was one of excitement
about the new realm
> of possibilities.  Shortly after I went around to each
of the "team
> meetings" to ask what I could do for them (after
all...they are one of my
> "customers" so to speak).  I was inundated
with requests for more
> thin-clients and computers.  I was shocked.  I had no
idea the impact that
> had been made, but I was ecstatic.  But...I'm ready
(that's the key)...as
> soon as the new monitors arrive later this week.  I
have a bunch more
> workstations and about 15 more thin-clients that I can
deploy to an
> already "well-stocked" school.  I'm so
psyched!  The teachers are already
> asking me about workshops to learn all of the new
programs available to
> them.  Edubuntu is LOADED with them!  The combination
of Web 2.0 apps and
> the open source apps on Edubuntu have made for a very
exciting combination
> and a platform that is poised to make a HUGE difference
in the delivery of
> content and teaching at our school.  Several computers
and thin-clients in
> every regular classroom....in addition to the labs that
already exist.
> Each classroom is now a min-lab unto itself!  Access! 
That's what it's
> all about!
>
> Tomorrow the kids arrive....(tonight at Open House they
were pretty
> excited).  You can bet I'll be blogging and
photo-blogging all of the
> smiling faces!  Gosh I love this job!    It's Open
Source and free of
> encumbering licensing....I get to design and create new
magic every school
> year!  This is SO COOL!  (When no one tells you what
and how you have to
> do something...and you are free to do what you know is
right and what will
> work....that's VERY powerful and inspiring!)
>
> Gosh...I hope I can sleep tonight!  
>
> David N. Trask
> Technology Teacher/Director
> Vassalboro Community School
> dtraskvcsvikings.org
> (207)923-3100
>

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David,

I would like to know more about your installation. How many
servers, clients etc. What software do you use mainly in the
different grades. Do you have any provisions for using older
windows applications?

Thanks!

Ben Willis
Anderson School District Five
Anderson, SC



-----Original Message-----
From: edubuntu-devel-bounceslists.ubuntu.com on behalf
of David Trask
Sent: Mon 8/27/2007 10:34 PM
To: Edubuntu Edubuntu; edubuntu-userslists.ubuntu.com
Subject: Wow!  What a great day!
 
Hi!

Today was a great day!  Today was the first day of
school....for the
teachers (the kids come tomorrow morning).  Why was it so
great?  I
finally had the opportunity to really show off our new
"system" where we
now use a combination of Edubuntu desktops and thin-clients.
 I also had
the opportunity to present to the staff on the arrival of
"the digital
natives" to our school.  Yep....the children of
today....the digital
natives and how we must adjust our teaching and content
delivery to
accomodate their "world".  The excitement was
electric.  I was a bit
nervous as I really had no idea how things could go. 
Yes...we've been a
predominantly Linux school for about 6 years....but this was
the biggest
step forward we've taken.  We no longer have any classroom
machines that
boot to Windows.  As part of my "dog and pony"
show....I showed them
Celestia (ran the cool demo)....showed them a virtual field
trip via
Google Earth....showed them how kids can collect research
via Google
Notebook or Zoho Notebook....showed them how I was able to
put a TON of
clipart into OpenOffice ( I used Open clip art and the
extensions from
OxygenOffice)...and a whole bunch of other things.  Once I
was
finished....the mood in the room was one of excitement about
the new realm
of possibilities.  Shortly after I went around to each of
the "team
meetings" to ask what I could do for them (after
all...they are one of my
"customers" so to speak).  I was inundated with
requests for more
thin-clients and computers.  I was shocked.  I had no idea
the impact that
had been made, but I was ecstatic.  But...I'm ready (that's
the key)...as
soon as the new monitors arrive later this week.  I have a
bunch more
workstations and about 15 more thin-clients that I can
deploy to an
already "well-stocked" school.  I'm so psyched! 
The teachers are already
asking me about workshops to learn all of the new programs
available to
them.  Edubuntu is LOADED with them!  The combination of Web
2.0 apps and
the open source apps on Edubuntu have made for a very
exciting combination
and a platform that is poised to make a HUGE difference in
the delivery of
content and teaching at our school.  Several computers and
thin-clients in
every regular classroom....in addition to the labs that
already exist. 
Each classroom is now a min-lab unto itself!  Access! 
That's what it's
all about!  

Tomorrow the kids arrive....(tonight at Open House they were
pretty
excited).  You can bet I'll be blogging and photo-blogging
all of the
smiling faces!  Gosh I love this job!    It's Open
Source and free of
encumbering licensing....I get to design and create new
magic every school
year!  This is SO COOL!  (When no one tells you what and how
you have to
do something...and you are free to do what you know is right
and what will
work....that's VERY powerful and inspiring!)

Gosh...I hope I can sleep tonight!  

David N. Trask
Technology Teacher/Director
Vassalboro Community School
dtraskvcsvikings.org
(207)923-3100



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ANDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT FIVE NOTICE: This email may contain
business related information that is
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL. If you have received this email
in error, this does not
constitute permission to examine, copy or distribute the
accompanying material.
If you receive this message in error, please notify the
sender immediately or call 864-260-5000.


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David,

I would like to know more about your installation. How many
servers, clients etc. What software do you use mainly in the
different grades. Do you have any provisions for using older
windows applications?

Thanks!

Ben Willis
Anderson School District Five
Anderson, SC



-----Original Message-----
From: edubuntu-devel-bounceslists.ubuntu.com on behalf
of David Trask
Sent: Mon 8/27/2007 10:34 PM
To: Edubuntu Edubuntu; edubuntu-userslists.ubuntu.com
Subject: Wow!  What a great day!
 
Hi!

Today was a great day!  Today was the first day of
school....for the
teachers (the kids come tomorrow morning).  Why was it so
great?  I
finally had the opportunity to really show off our new
"system" where we
now use a combination of Edubuntu desktops and thin-clients.
 I also had
the opportunity to present to the staff on the arrival of
"the digital
natives" to our school.  Yep....the children of
today....the digital
natives and how we must adjust our teaching and content
delivery to
accomodate their "world".  The excitement was
electric.  I was a bit
nervous as I really had no idea how things could go. 
Yes...we've been a
predominantly Linux school for about 6 years....but this was
the biggest
step forward we've taken.  We no longer have any classroom
machines that
boot to Windows.  As part of my "dog and pony"
show....I showed them
Celestia (ran the cool demo)....showed them a virtual field
trip via
Google Earth....showed them how kids can collect research
via Google
Notebook or Zoho Notebook....showed them how I was able to
put a TON of
clipart into OpenOffice ( I used Open clip art and the
extensions from
OxygenOffice)...and a whole bunch of other things.  Once I
was
finished....the mood in the room was one of excitement about
the new realm
of possibilities.  Shortly after I went around to each of
the "team
meetings" to ask what I could do for them (after
all...they are one of my
"customers" so to speak).  I was inundated with
requests for more
thin-clients and computers.  I was shocked.  I had no idea
the impact that
had been made, but I was ecstatic.  But...I'm ready (that's
the key)...as
soon as the new monitors arrive later this week.  I have a
bunch more
workstations and about 15 more thin-clients that I can
deploy to an
already "well-stocked" school.  I'm so psyched! 
The teachers are already
asking me about workshops to learn all of the new programs
available to
them.  Edubuntu is LOADED with them!  The combination of Web
2.0 apps and
the open source apps on Edubuntu have made for a very
exciting combination
and a platform that is poised to make a HUGE difference in
the delivery of
content and teaching at our school.  Several computers and
thin-clients in
every regular classroom....in addition to the labs that
already exist. 
Each classroom is now a min-lab unto itself!  Access! 
That's what it's
all about!  

Tomorrow the kids arrive....(tonight at Open House they were
pretty
excited).  You can bet I'll be blogging and photo-blogging
all of the
smiling faces!  Gosh I love this job!    It's Open
Source and free of
encumbering licensing....I get to design and create new
magic every school
year!  This is SO COOL!  (When no one tells you what and how
you have to
do something...and you are free to do what you know is right
and what will
work....that's VERY powerful and inspiring!)

Gosh...I hope I can sleep tonight!  

David N. Trask
Technology Teacher/Director
Vassalboro Community School
dtraskvcsvikings.org
(207)923-3100



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ANDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT FIVE NOTICE: This email may contain
business related information that is
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL. If you have received this email
in error, this does not
constitute permission to examine, copy or distribute the
accompanying material.
If you receive this message in error, please notify the
sender immediately or call 864-260-5000.


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manthaubuntu.com writes:
>Rock on! That is so sweet.
>
>I'm curious, of course, about the grades (elementary?)
and what apps
>the teacher's are stoked about.I'm also wondering about
what web
>resources and non-Edubuntu resources they are using.

Grades K-8  about 600 users

Apps...

Celestia was a huge crowd pleaser....as was Stellarium

OpenOffice with all the clip art and templates I loaded.  We
should talk
about this....the extensions from OxygenOffice (formerly
OpenOffice
Premium) are free and may even be Creative Commons or
FOSS....they add a
lot of templates and clipart to the mix...important to
elementary teachers
and believe it or not....one of the things that has actually
caused
OpenOffice to win out over MS office for them.

Younger kids....the old standby's....Tuxpaint, Childsplay,
GCompris....etc.

Online apps....Google Docs, Google Notebook, Zoho Notebook,
Zoho Writer,
TeacherTube....etc.....

We have a Google Apps for Education account


David N. Trask
Technology Teacher/Director
Vassalboro Community School
dtraskvcsvikings.org
(207)923-3100



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manthaubuntu.com writes:
>Rock on! That is so sweet.
>
>I'm curious, of course, about the grades (elementary?)
and what apps
>the teacher's are stoked about.I'm also wondering about
what web
>resources and non-Edubuntu resources they are using.

Grades K-8  about 600 users

Apps...

Celestia was a huge crowd pleaser....as was Stellarium

OpenOffice with all the clip art and templates I loaded.  We
should talk
about this....the extensions from OxygenOffice (formerly
OpenOffice
Premium) are free and may even be Creative Commons or
FOSS....they add a
lot of templates and clipart to the mix...important to
elementary teachers
and believe it or not....one of the things that has actually
caused
OpenOffice to win out over MS office for them.

Younger kids....the old standby's....Tuxpaint, Childsplay,
GCompris....etc.

Online apps....Google Docs, Google Notebook, Zoho Notebook,
Zoho Writer,
TeacherTube....etc.....

We have a Google Apps for Education account


David N. Trask
Technology Teacher/Director
Vassalboro Community School
dtraskvcsvikings.org
(207)923-3100



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