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RCPS Technology Staff
With over 14,000 technology users and more than 4,500 computers to support, the 23-member technology staff is led by Joe Hill, Director of Math and Technology.
 What do we do? See a partial list and meet our staff!
General Information about
Technology in RCPS
There are in excess of 4,500 computers in Rockingham
County Public Schools. There is at least one networked computer in each
classroom. Each high school has at least six computer labs including at
least two mobile, wireless labs; each middle school has at least five
labs including a mobile, wireless lab; all elementary schools have two
labs.
There are over 14,000 technology users (students,
teachers, administrators, and staff).
Technology use in RCPS is guided by our Technology
Plan. Click here
for the latest update of that plan, created originally in 2007 and revised annually.
Elementary and middle school instructional networks
are 100% Macintosh. Click to see why
we buy Macs High schools have both Windows and Macintosh
computers on the instructional network. All administrative computers,
K-12, are Windows.
All schools use the PowerSchool student management system
from Pearson
Education. A PowerSchool support page is maintained by RCPS.
The RCPS School Board has approved an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
for all users. Click here
for a copy of it in pdf format. Specific classroom and staff-related issues pertaining to technology use in RCPS are discussed on this page.
All professional employees must verify that they
possess the Technology
Standards for Instructional Personnel. Click here for a copy
of these standards in pdf format.
 Rockingham employs seven Instructional Technology Resource Teachers (ITRTs) who are charged with helping teachers integrate technology as a part of their regular classroom instruction. ITRTs schedule formal inservices, conduct impromptu one-on-one training sessions, demonstrate new hardware and software, and assist teachers during actual student instruction in order to facilitate technology use by the teacher. They encourage you to contact them if you seek technology training assistance! Visit this site to learn more about each of them.
RCPS Networks
In each school, all classrooms, libraries, labs, and
offices are wired with an instructional network (LAN) which delivers
instructional software from multiple file servers at each site. Click
for a detailed description of the RCPS LANs.
The RCPS LAN uses traditional wired ethernet as well as wireless
802.11b networks in many locations.
The division has a wide area network (WAN) featuring
T1 and fiber lines which provide Internet access to each school. All
middle and high schools are connected via fiber; all elementary schools have at least a full T1 connection to the internet.
Internet access, provided by Net.Work.Virginia.,
is available in every classroom, library, lab, and office.
Internet access is filtered using DeepNines software running on Redhat
Linux utilizing Squid
Proxy.
RCPS E-Mail
All schools have a FirstClass®
e-mail system for employees. There are over 1,800 FirstClass users
(teachers, administrators, support staff). The e-mail system includes
private e-mail, bulletin board messaging, calendaring, conferencing,
web posting, and chat. It is accessible from every networked computer
in the division and can be accessed from home via a free client which
can be downloaded from www.firstclass.com.
There is also a web-based interface that can be used to access e-mail
with any browser. Click here
for more information about accessing FirstClass e-mail through the web.
General e-mail (yahoo.mail, aol.mail, hotmail, etc.)
is blocked. However, some secondary students are given controlled
e-mail through a subscription RCPS maintains with SharpSchool. Click here to learn more about
student e-mail. No elementary school students are provided with e-mail.
RCPS Web 2.0
RCPS maintains a Moodle server for online classroom content management.
RCPS also maintains a WordPress server for blogs and websites.
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