The Challenge An overview of the LA Challenge grant project.	District Personnel/Lead Teachers Introduction to the Monroe City Schools personnel involved in the Challenge project, including email links.	Model Classroom Initiative An overview of the project plus information on the Monroe City Schools  Model Classroom.
Community Partners/Projects The local project partnerships formed and communinty projects undertaken including specialized resources and directories.	Educational Resources  An extensive list of online resources by curriculum area and lesson plans developed for the project.	Presentations The Challenge facilitators presentations at national conferences.
Photo Gallery  Pictures of Challenge activities

	The challenge, "How can we use the information superhighway and powerful new technologies to improve learning, enhance economic competitiveness, and strengthen citizen participation?," was issued by the US Department of Education in the form of the Challenge Grant. The Natchitoches Parish School Board and the Goals 2000/LaNIE Technology Challenge Grant Consortium met this challenge with the proposal, "A Systemic Model to Enhance Student Achievement by Networking Underserved Communities." The proposal was one of 509 submitted nationwide and one of the 19 funded in October 1995. This award of $4.3 million to the LaNIE Grant Consortium brings $596,198 to the Monroe City School district over the next five years. The Challenge project builds upon the initiative of the LaNIE grant project and utilizes the same five sites: Calcasieu Parish, Jefferson Parish, Lafayette, Monroe City, and Natchitoches Parish. Each site will develop transferable models for providing underserved students access to technology, increasing student achievement, and documenting successful practices for widespread use in other communities across the country. Each of the five sites, guided by a district technology committee, is developing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive district plan for using educational technology to raise the level of student achievement and to attain educational goals. During the first year, each district will develop standards-based curriculum materials and expand access to off-campus locations at community centers, playgrounds, libraries, and churches. Professional development activities for teachers, students, parents, and administrators of community organizations will be offered. During the second and third years, additional community sites will be added and teacher-developed curriculum materials will be disseminated on-line through the ISTE gopher and web servers. During the fourth and fifth years, video conferences will be used to transfer model practices to other parts of Louisiana. In addition, the project will work with the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana Board of Regents to develop technology standards for preservice and inservice education.
	Holly Casey Pilot Site Director   Karla Bowlin Telecommunications Facilitator
	A call for volunteers was issued to the faculties of the Challenge schools. The call promised a networked computer in the classroom and training in its use in return for an individual willing to learn new instructional technologies, to integrate online resources into the curriculum, to participate in online cooperative learning projects, and to lead the technology efforts in their school. The response was so positive and enthusiastic that the original plan to select twenty lead teachers was expanded to include twenty-nine. The five Challenge schools and the teachers who will spearhead their technology efforts are listed below. Click on the name to see a picture and to get an e-mail link! Berg Jones Elementary Principal: Mr. John Ross, Jr. Davis Bamburg, Valeria Benson, Karla Brown, Evelyn Gilbert, Harvey Hanson, Pam Henry, Shirley Hollinquest, Penny Smead, Carla Walters     Lincoln Elementary Principal: Mr. Roy Shelling Glynda Aulds, Jacqueline Bradley Brown, Kathy Daughdrill, Joyce Dotson, Nancy Hodges, Gayle Madison, Loretha Profit, and Kitty Smith     Wossman High School Principal: Dr. Don Smith Thomas Atkins, Clara Breithaupt, Rhonda Davis, Barbara Hodges, Tamra McCarter, Dorothy McNeal, and Autherine Murphy Carver Elementary Principal: Dr. LaVargne Gunn-Ford Bessie "Kittie" Cash, Mary Causey, Margaret Henderson, Glenda Hughes, and Oretha Whitley     Jefferson Junior High Principal: Ms. Debbie Blue Elaine Burrell, Elaine Burrell, Jodie Moorhead, Pearlie Nabors, Earl Osborn, and Barbara Young

The Challenge | District Personnel | Lead Teachers | Model Classroom Initiative | Community Partners/Projects | Educational Resources | Presentations | Photo Gallery

MCS Home | District Information | Schools | Email | Search Engines | Technology Initiative | MIS | Instructional Technology | Educational Resources | Community Projects | AUP