Red Cedar Elementary School

Program Evaluation
Executive Summary
Red Cedar Elementary School is a cutting edge educational institution located in Bluffton, South
Carolina for students in grade pre-K-5. Through multiple observation and interviews with the
teachers that compose Red Cedars Technology Department I know the biggest secret hidden in
Beaufort County School District. Red Cedar was named Palmettos Finest for the 2014-2015
school year. The schools population is predominately Hispanic. Because of the high rates of free
and reduced lunch, Red Cedar is categorized as a Title 1 school. The schools media center is one
of a kind in Beaufort County School District. It is complete free of paper books. Instead, it is
equipped with Promethean Tables and Promethean boards used for engaging student lesson
designed by the Media Specialist, Mrs. Simpson. In Accordance to Beaufort County School
Districts Connect 2 Learn technology plan, each student is assigned an iPad to use for
instructional purposes. The school produces its on morning news with students used as the
newscasters. One of the most interesting clubs offered is the Robotic club. Students began
learning how to code apps beginning in Kindergarten. Overall, Red Cedar Elementary School
serves as an amazing school and technology center. Teachers and students consider it a privilege
to work in such a technologically advanced school system.
Organizational Chart
Teresa BinnsTechnology Assistant

Rebecca UlmerTechnology Teacher

Beth Simpson- Media

Specialist and
Technology Education

Vicki Ratzel- Media

Assistant

Principal-Dr. Corley

Classroom Teachers

Methods
My data was collected through observations and interview with the different staff member that
compose the technology department. I also interviewed students that were in the Media Center
and Technology class. My observation originally began with me wondering aimlessly through
the hallways of RCES in hopes of getting a feel of how the school operates on a daily basis. The
first person I had the pleasure of interviewing was the media assistant. During my visits, I also
interviews Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Ulmer. I observed Mrs. Ulmers class and interviewed her
students as well as a fifth grade class and Kindergarten class in the Media Center.
Interview Questions For teacher:
1. How would you describe the technology usage at RCES?
2. What do you believe to be the biggest strength of the technology implementation at
RCES?

3. What do you consider to be a weakness is the technology implementation at RCES?

4. What are you most proud of at RCES?
5. What would you change for the upcoming year?
Interview Questions for students:
1. How would you describe technology usage at RCES?
2. What is your most memorable technology project or activity?
3. How would you rate your technology abilities now compared to your first day at
RCES?
4. If you could change anything about RCES what would it be?
Center Context and Goals
Red Cedar Elementary school opened its doors in 2009. Its vision statement states, We, the
families, staff, and community of Red Cedar Elementary, strive to foster a love of knowledge,
self, and others within each of our students, while empowering them to be life-long learners,
innovative thinkers, and citizens of good character in an ever-changing world (Vision
Statement). The goal of Red Cedar Elementary School is to enhance students learning through
the use of technology and project based learning. The stakeholders consist of 75 faculty and staff
members, students of RCES, parents and the community. The job titles include Principal,
Assistant Principal, Media Specialist, Technology Assistant, Media Assistant, Teacher and much
more. In 2016, Red Cedar Elementary School won the award, Palmettos Finest, for their
academic progression in the 2014-2015 school year.
Center Activities
Some of the activities at Red Cedar Elementary School include but are not limited to the
following:
Red Cedar Media Center- The Media Center is completely electronically based. It consist
of a green screen to record the news broadcast, Imagination Playgrounds, a Lego wall,
Promethean tables, and three Promethean Touch boards. The media center is targeted to
the students of RCES. The teachers reserve time in the Media Center and the Media
Specialist sets up activities for the students to complete in rotations.

Moring News The morning new is recorded in the media center a day prior to being
aired. The Media Specialist, Mrs. Simpson, records the news reporters of the day using an
app called TouchCast. The script is written by Mrs. Simpson. However, the news is
reported by different students daily and geared towards the students.

Robotics Club- The robotics club meets every Friday morning at 7:45 A.M at RCES.
Students who are interested in the club were allowed to sign up. In robotics club, students
create robots and coding Sphero Robotic balls to provided designated functions.

Evaluation
After reviewing the data that I obtained through observation and interviews, I am convinced that Red
Cedar Elementary School is accomplishing their goal and succeeding in their mission to develop
innovative thinkers. While sitting in Mrs. Ulmers Technology class, I was able to interview fourth grade
students who shared their projects they had previously completed. One students most memorable project
was when he coded his Sphere Robotic Ball to complete a maze he created on the floor with tape. On the
day of my visit, the students were creating trading cards for memorable people during the Civil War

times, like Harriet Beecher Stowe. The atmosphere of Red Cedar is inviting and positive; students are
encouraged to dance through the halls during transitions as current music plays over the intercom. The
teachers welcome to use of technology into their classrooms and co-teaches with the Media Specialist and
Technology teacher as much as possible. The students at Red Cedar can use about every technological
device owned by the school. However, the Media Specialist expressed a desire to what to educate students
on the Dewey Decimal system and how to organize books on shelves.
Suggestions: I suggest training teachers on ways they can implement technology in their classrooms to
allow the Media Specialist and Technology more time developing their lesson. The teachers seem to be
too reliant on the Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. Ulmer. In addition, the work of the students should be
celebrated. There are marvelous things going on in RCES that citizenship of Beaufort County know little
about.