Director of Technology Interview

"The mission of the Information & Technology Services department is to:

Enhance the education of our children with both practical and demiurgic technological solutions.
Provide innovative solutions for teachers to educate the children and track student progress.
Equip school administration with the ability to consolidate student information for analytical assessment and advance the teaching mechanisms to use within their school.
Promote the use of technology for the purpose of streamlining centralized administration objectives. " Walton County Public Schools Technology Department, http://www3.walton.k12.ga.us/departments/its/Pages/Information.aspx

The following are brief excerpts from an interview with Todd Antwine the Director of Technology for Walton County Public Schools.

Mr. Antwine was hired as Director of Technology in 1996 when the department was first created. He installed AS/400 so that student and financial data could be housed and maintained. Mr. Antwine also started an NT4 domain and installed Windows NT 4.0 and Microsoft Exchange 5.5 which allowed users to communicate using email. Since implementing this in 1996 and 1997 the county has been technology driven to maintain the latest technology to keep teachers and students up to date.

What is your background and expertise?
Mr. Antwine: BBA in Management of Information Systems from UGA. I have been the Director of Technology for 12+ years now.

What is your function as the Walton County Schools Director of Technology?
Mr. Antwine: My responsibilities include the student information systems and other administrative software applications. I’m responsible for the state reporting for FTE, CPI and Student Record and other ad-hoc data requests that are presented. I’m also responsible for all network functions for the system: internet, filtering, anti-virus, anti-spam, all servers, data storage, data backups - - basically anything that goes with the network. We also support all hardware in the classrooms via helpdesk tickets. We support all phone systems, wireless and video surveillance.

What do you think the biggest challenges in this role?
Mr. Antwine: Several – funding for replacing outdated equipment, staffing to keep up with the increased numbers of equipment and increased areas to support (voice/video surv., etc…), and the ever changing world of technology

What do you think the greatest need is for educators when it comes to technology?
Mr. Antwine: Staff development and keeping equipment up to date and working in the classroom

What technology needs is the county looking at to implement in the future?
Mr. Antwine: We are looking into thin-client computing as well as trying to expand the technology in the classroom (smart boards, classroom response systems, etc…

Are educators taking advantage of the technology that this county does offer?
Mr. Antwine: For the most part -- yes, Projectors in the classroom, smartboards, classroom response systems

The interview was very informative and Mr. Antwine who is extremly busy took time to answer questions and speak with me about the technology department.