EXTREME NETWORKS CASE STUDY: ELMBROOK SCHOOL DISTRICT
ExtremeWireless™ Solution
Supports 1:1 Google
Chromebook Initiative
Overview
ELMBROOK SCHOOLS
ENVIRONMENT
• 8,000+ Students, Faculty, Staff
• 10 Schools
The School District of Elmbrook is a top-tier public school district located
fifteen minutes west of Milwaukee, comprised of ten schools. Already a leader in
educational technology with over 3,500 computers supporting 8,000 students
and staff, the school district put together a four-year plan to move to a 1:1
computing environment for the students. As part of this plan, all K-12 students
have moved to Gmail and Google Apps, and Google Chromebooks are being
TECHNOLOGY NEEDS
• e-Learning
• Wired and Wireless
• Scalability/Consolidation
• Deploy Lenovo X131 Chromebook
with management license
PRODUCTS UTILIZED
• ExtremeWireless
• Wireless APs, Controllers
• ExtremeSwitching
• B, C, D-Series Switches
• ExtremeControl
• Management Center
• Access Control
RESULTS
acquired as the primary student mobile device.
Innovative Teaching and Learning
Drives Technology
The Elmbrook school district prides itself on being among the highestperforming school districts in the state with its two high schools ranked in
the top 5 for their ACT composite scores and participation levels. Despite its
highly regarded student achievement results, the district continues to search
for ways to improve student engagement and individual student growth.
Chris Thompson, CIO for the Elmbrook Schools, characterizes the mission of
the district as, “Our goal is to authentically engage every student in their
learning and to have every child meet their annual growth target.” To kickoff
their approach to innovation, a team of 26 Elmbrook teachers gathered to
study innovative teaching and learning practices and the concept of the
learner-centered classroom. Participants visited area schools and classrooms,
and had local access to what has been described as an innovation zone
in education.
Elmbrook School District partnered with the Cooperative Educational Service
Agency #1 (CESA #1) to implement a radically-different approach to engage all
• Powerful, easy-to-use device
learners and better prepare them for college and career success. The Institute
• Online collaboration through
Google apps
@ CESA #1 conducted a regional study of districts implementing personalized
• Ease-of-management with the
Google management console
elements and a framework to guide other district’s approaches towards
• Increased student engagement
the foundation of the Elmbrook School’s learning plan. The honeycomb model
• Anytime, anywhere access
learning practices that resulted in the identification of common learning
personalized learning. The result was the honeycomb model, which became
has three elements at its core: learner profiles, customized learning paths, and
proficiency-based progress. To complement this model, Elmbrook felt that
strategically integrating technology could help enhance and accelerate its
personalized learning approach.
Elmbrook School District – Case Study
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fact that the network infrastructure works reliably behind
the scenes, enables the teachers and the technical team
to concentrate on personalizing learning. “Our focus is
to change teaching and learning practices supported by
technology,” Thompson emphasizes.
In addition to supporting the 1:1 Chromebook adoption, the
school district’s Extreme Networks wireless infrastructure
also handles its BYOD program, which supports a variety
of personal devices and a KG-3rd grade classroom iPad
deployment.
Network access policies for the Chromebooks vary by grade
and location across the school district. To implement this,
the district synchronizes Active Directory with the Extreme
network management software as well as Google
Active Directory.
Figure 1: The Elmbrook Personalized Learning Initiative is based on the
One-to-One
CESA#1honeycomb model shown above.
With a four-year plan in place to achieve 1:1, Elmbrook
To measure its progress towards academic growth for all
launched its innovation process in the 2013-2014 school year,
students, Elmbrook utilizes the MAP (Measures of Academic
encouraging teacher proposals for technology integration in
Progress) assessment. MAP is a computer adaptive test which
their classrooms. A total of 900 Chromebooks were added in
provides educators with the detailed information needed
20 grade 4-12 classrooms, prioritizing teacher readiness and
to flexibly respond to students’ needs. The first MAP exam,
a commitment to personalized learning. “The first step was
administered in the fall semester, predicts the expected
about piloting new practices supported by technology. We
growth of the students for the spring semester through
are scaling that to another 50 classrooms this year,”
targets in math and reading. Elmbrook seeks to improve
says Thompson.
upon its historical rate of approximately 70% of students
In the coming 2014-15 school year, Elmbrook will be adding
reaching their target, ultimately with 100% reaching their MAP
1,200 more devices, with plans to scale by grade level over
growth targets.
Google Chromebooks and
Extreme Networks Technology
Implementation
The personalized learning plan includes a one-to-one
the next two years. By the fall of 2016, the District will have
deployed Chromebooks to all students in grades 4-12. “While
our deployment timeline may be slower than some districts
around us, we recognize the complexity of transforming
teaching and learning and the commitment we have
made to our students and parents to sustain a high level of
student achievement.”
computing program (1:1) phased in over a four-year period
with teacher readiness driving the deployment of technology
across the district. A district team selected Google
Chromebooks as the mobile student devices for this program.
“We didn’t want teachers to focus on the technology, but
rather on changing their practice. Google Chromebooks
solved this by providing a guaranteed, consistent device that
is purpose-built for the classroom,” says Chris Thompson,
CIO of Elmbrook.
“The number one change we want to see in our
classroom is authentically-engaged students. We
want teachers to focus first on the engagement
of students, and Chromebooks supported by our
Extreme Networks wireless infrastructure allows
them to
do this.”
Extreme Networks was selected to provide ongoing network
infrastructure based on the district’s great experience with
the quality of products and services from the company.
CHRIS THOMPSON
CIO, ELMBROOK SCHOOLS
Unlike other vendors, Elmbrook found Extreme Networks to
have a genuine interest in education, technical insight and
understanding of the district’s one-to-one objectives. The
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THE INNOVATIVE CLASSROOM
The first phase of the Chromebook implementation has been very successful.
The Google management console is easy-to-use and maintain, and reduces the
time involved in getting devices into the hands of the students. The teachers
and the technology team both agree that the Chromebooks enable them to
focus on what matters most. In the classroom, the technology works behind
the scenes allowing teachers to provide individualized learning.
With the integration of the Chromebooks, Elmbrook is able to emphasize
the Four-Cs of creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking;
the skills necessary for the 21st century. Students can easily connect to
various internal and external resources and collaborate through Chrome apps,
extending learning far beyond the classroom.
An example of how the Chromebook technology has enhanced the educational
environment is evident in an upper-level advanced placement language arts
course. “The quality and depth of feedback that students are able to share
with each other through the Google platform has just been astounding,” says
Thompson. “The traditional learning model is flipped. The students’ first source
of feedback now often comes from other students in the classroom. The
teacher is always there for personal feedback and support at the expert level.”
In math classrooms, the Chromebooks are used with ALEKS (Assessment and
Learning in Knowledge Spaces), a self-paced web learning system. ALEKS
provides teachers with knowledge of each individual student’s math skills,
allowing teachers to provide personalized assistance. Teachers are able to
let students work independently, which enables a more productive learning
environment. Teachers at Elmbrook School District are very happy with the
results of the honeycomb model and Chromebook technology integration.
According to Thompson, “The power of that model has blown them away.”
The Chromebooks, combined with Extreme Networks Wi-Fi, have enabled
some Elmbrook teachers to make use of a flexible classroom design. Some
rooms make use of flexible seating, even couches, as well as high tables and
different styles of lighting. The environment signals to students and teachers
how work will get done, establishing a mindset and commitment to delivering
personalized learning. As a result, one enterprising teacher abandoned her
classroom desk in favor of a tool belt kit filled with notes, pens, and references
as she floats around her English Language Arts classroom.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Chris Thompson and the school district are very happy with their
progress to date. “The number 1 change has been authenticallyengaged students", says Thompson.
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