Update - March 2007

It has been almost 3 years since I created this portfolio, so I want to update you on what I have been doing lately. I continue to teach computer and information literacy courses for Galesburg-Augusta Middle School. I retired from the director position of MACUL SIGPD in 2005. My good friend Manette Crawford has picked up the baton and is doing a wonderful job with her team. I worked with MDE’s Technology Integration Workshops during the summers of 2005 and 2006. We created technology enhanced lesson plans aligned with the Michigan Educational Technology standards, the Michigan Curriculum Framework, and the Grade Level Content Expectations for all Michigan educators to use. I received a TAP Award (Technology for Authenticate Problem Solving) in 2006. Finally, I continue to be involved with MACUL through presenting at the annual conferences. In 2006, I presented a workshop called Excel-lent Integration Across the Curriculum.

At the 2007 conference, I will be presenting What a Way to Wiki

Professional Background

My name is Phyllis Bartosiewicz. I teach computer technology courses for Galesburg-Augusta Middle School. With a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of Michigan in Dearborn and post-baccalaureate certification from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, I began teaching chemistry and mathematics in 1990. Looking for a new challenge and an opportunity to re-invent myself, I pursued a  masters degree in educational technology and completed the program at Western Michigan University in the spring of 2003. I have taught at G-A Middle School for four years. I lead a team of teachers from our building in the ATA Technology Academy program following the summer of 2001. I am a member of the district Technology Leadership Team and provide technology integration training and support for district staff.

School and Student Population

Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools serve the neighboring communities of Galesburg and Augusta. The communities are located in southern Michigan, along the I-94 corridor, between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. There are approximately 1200 K-12 students. The district has four buildings: an early elementary building for grades K-3, an intermediate building housing grades 4-5, a middle school building for grades 6-8, and a new high school building for grades 9-12. Thirty one percent of district students are considered economically disadvantaged and eleven percent are classified with special education needs.

I have the opportunity to work with most of the 300 students in the middle school building each year. During a typical school day, I teach 6th grade students an introductory computer course, while 7th grade students learn productivity skills using Microsoft Office software. My 8th grade students focus on information literacy skills in a class I designed and team-teach with another teacher. The class is called MILC--Making Information Literacy Count and our class slogan is "Got MILC?" 

Technology Environment

As a computer technology teacher, my classroom is a computer lab with 24 student computers and 2 teacher computers. I have a printer and a scanner in my room, also. The Galesburg-Augusta community recently voted to support a technology bond. This has resulted in an influx of technology into our buildings. All of the computers in my computer lab were updated this last year. We have new Dell desktops running Windows 2000, with the Microsoft Office Professional integrated productivity package. We have T-1 access to the Internet from the lab, with wireless access in the rest of the building. We also have 3 digital cameras. I teach with a ceiling-mounted LCD projector that runs through a VCR/DVD player and amplifier. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new Smart Board for my classroom. Teachers in the building have access to 2 laptop carts, each with 15 computers. We have laser printers, both colored and black and white.