New Initiatives

Bethpage Schools is committed to the central role of technology in the learning environment. Among the highlights of our technology program are:
 

• Bethpage Academy of Technology- A program designed to meet the growing need on Long Island for IT workers. This void in the job market must be filled if Long Island hopes to continue as a high-tech center for the nation.
       
• Science Labs- The district has two Dell Labs on mobile carts for use in the science labs at JFK Middle School and Bethpage High School. These carts are wirelessly connected to the district WAN and the Internet. Each cart has a complete set of science probes for experiments. The district uses PASCO probes.
   
• Staff Development- The district continues to invest in staff development as a means of insuring the proper use of technology. A Professional Development Academy provides teachers with the opportunity to extend their technology proficiency.
  
  
• Thin-Client Deployment- The district will further deploy thin-client technology where appropriate. The WAN allows us to consolidate servers to a server farm. As currently deployed in all five Bethpage schools, our thin-client solution allows students to access their files and our applications over the Internet from home. This is a major step forward in the district's home-school philosophy, extending learning outside the classroom.
   
• Videoconferencing- Bethpage is a leader in the use of videoconferencing in all five schools. We use Polycom IP video-cameras and have videoconferenced with such cultural institutions as the Albany Museum of History and Art, Bronx Zoo, Cleveland Museum of Art, Intrepid Museum, and Museum of Television and Radio.
  
  
• Wide Area Network- The district has in place a Gigabit Ethernet WAN running over fiber-optics provided by Lightpath (a division of Cablevision). The WAN allows better communication between schools, a state of the art VoIP phone system, and curriculum projects that involve collaboration between students in different schools. The WAN allows the centralization of servers that saves the district money.