Technology can be found at every level in the schools

Quick read: "One certainty is that there is no escaping technology. It is prevalent wherever you look. It is also certain that its uses will only increase with time and those with strong skills will be at the forefront to succeed."

There are some things we do every day that are so commonplace that we take them for granted.

When we stop for a moment and think about what has changed in our daily lives in the past 10, 15 or 20 years, most of us can quickly reference changes related to technology.

If someone told me 20 years ago I'd be receiving e-mail messages with ease from around the world through a small desktop computer, I'd have been amazed.

If they told me I'd also be receiving the same text messages and sometimes photos through my cell phone, I'd have been really amazed.

You might recall 15 years ago cell phones were not slender devices with colorful screens that could slide easily into your pocket. They also frequently came in a cumbersome carrying bag and had to be plugged into your car for power.

And most certainly our students did not carry phones with them during the school day.

But times change, and technology is a very visible indicator of the milestones.

One certainty is that there is no escaping technology. It is prevalent wherever you look. It is also certain that its uses will only increase with time and those with strong skills will be at the forefront to succeed.

So how are we preparing Indian Prairie Unit District 204 students for the future?

First, they have a distinct advantage. They have grown up surrounded by technology. They approach computers with a different perspective. If you watch a young person navigate through Web sites, they do so with speed and ease -- nothing represents a stumbling block.

Technology is integrated into lessons seamlessly at all grade levels in the school district. As early as second grade, students learn to use PowerPoint when they prepare slides for a presentation on animal habitats.

Third-graders learn graphic design when they create a brochure as part of a lesson on the history of their community.

At the middle school level, students can select electives such as robotics, structural engineering and computer-aided drafting.

By the time students reach high school, they have a technical skill set that allows them to go even further in exploring technology.

High school students have access to resources that allow them to do very sophisticated technology coursework. I recently was in one school and saw some incredibly detailed construction drawings of buildings that could have been hanging in an architect's office.

Taking that a step further, one program offers students the opportunity to blend technical and artistic skills to create three-dimensional images of those drawings.

Although we have technology imbedded throughout our curriculum, we do not have a specific technology curriculum. As such, there is currently no formal, standardized measurement of how we are doing in this area.

Another challenge is that we face limitations in what is available to our students based on the "backbone" of our technology.

If you have home Internet access and moved from a dial-up service to a faster service, you can relate. There is so much more you can do if the "pipe" carrying information into your home is larger. The district's "pipe" is maxed out and that limits our students.

I hope to discuss changes in the area of technology with our staff and board members in the coming months.

One of the most immediate changes will be the addition of a Chief Information Officer. The district will look to this new staff member to lead the charge in developing a technology curriculum and making sure Indian Prairie is at the forefront of technology so students have access to all the tools they need to succeed.

We must make sure we are doing everything possible to prepare our students for the future.