Cullman City Schools

Sometimes in education, the right people, the right ideas and adequate resources come together and provide an opportunity to do something extraordinary for students.  By implementing a 1:1 Laptop Initiative and an immersion of technology and training, the Cullman City School District is in the sixth year of an extraordinary adventure that is allowing us to do extraordinary things for students.  Like Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, we are on a challenging adventure to explore, discover, and guide others to a new and relatively uncharted land.

The Cullman City Schools technology team was selected as the 2011 of the Consortium of School Networking Team Award for its effective leadership in using technology to increase opportunities and accessibility for student learning, build community with parents, teachers and school leaders, and improve instruction, teacher training and student learning.

“The Cullman City Schools team is one of the most innovative, technologically-savvy in the country, and CoSN welcomes this opportunity to put a spotlight on their many achievements,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN. “From their implementation of a one-to-one laptop initiative to ensuring that teachers have the training and tools needed to use technology to enhance the educational experience, the Cullman City Schools team is an exemplar for other school districts and is well-deserving of this honor.” Cullman City Schools, located half-way between Birmingham and Huntsville, and serving nearly 3,000 students, was also selected as one of NSBA’s Technology Leadership Network Salute Districts in 2009.

Five years ago, Cullman City Schools was the first school district in Alabama to adopt a One-to-One Laptop Initiative, providing laptops and wireless Internet access to students and educators. Since launching the initiative, Cullman City Schools has enjoyed significantly improved student test scores, increased student attendance and improved discipline in the classroom. In addition, the district has been active in the community, from conducting research to providing education technology guidance, and was recognized for its visionary leadership. Cullman City Schools has garnered over $500,000 in grants for its efforts, and in 2010, district superintendent Dr. Jan Harris was selected as an eSchool News Tech-Savvy Superintendent.

“While our efforts to infuse technology into the classroom have been fruitful, we are constantly trying to find new and innovative ways to use technology to supplement instruction and our curriculum, enhance learning, and improve educational outcomes,” said Dr. Harris. “Every day we continue work to uncover ways to provide the best 21st century education for our students, and we know we must find new strategies to engage our students if we want to inspire them to achieve at higher levels.”

Through the laptop initiative, the district has established an online classroom management system – an all-in-one online portal enabling students and teachers to complete assignments and post grades/assignment feedback instantly. The district also set up online learning through ACCESS – the Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, & Students Statewide – offering a variety of educational courses to its students.   

The team at Cullman City Schools works closely with local government officials and community partners to receive input on the design and implementation of its technology program, including Gov. Bob Riley, Lt. Governor Jim Folsom, Rep. Robert Aderholt, Rep. Jeremy Oden, Alabama State Superintendent Dr. Joe Morton, Alabama Lions Clubs, INTEL, and the Wachovia Foundation.