Technology is all around us. From the TI calculator for Geometry and Calculus to the high powered, high capacity computer servers that manage our email and student data.

Our commitment to technology is unparalleled. Sheffield City Schools may be a small city school system but our technology can be compared to any large system in North Alabama. Our commitment is to equip administrators, teachers, and students with the technological tools needed to compete in the 21st Century and beyond. Superintendent Dr. Richard Gardner says that, “Sheffield City Schools will strive to continue to provide staff and students all the technology to help them become successful. The district wide technology committee comprised of teachers, students, and administrators continues to search for ways to keep SCS a technology leader.”

The District IT department is headed by Brian Craig. He is a graduate of NW Shoals Community College and is a 20 year resident of Sheffield. He brings 13 plus years of experience to Sheffield City Schools. He has proven to be a perfect fit for this School District and the IT Department.

Over the last few years, the school district has experienced enormous advancements in technology. For beginners, the creation of new computer labs at every school campus has allowed students to be able to have technology and its benefits at their fingertips. Teachers are using LCD projectors connected to laptops to show video presentations for every subject which creates more involvement for the students. Sheffield High School is an ACCESS Distance Learning partner with the State Education Department. The High School broadcasts live foreign language classes to other schools in the State that need foreign language but have no teachers or curriculum. Also, our central office and our school campuses are now connected via a fiber optic network. This network is providing 100Mbs of data transfer speed which allows for quick Internet and administrative data flow.

The vision of future technology is clear and far reaching. Examples are the use of mobile computer labs creating a situation where the teacher or student would not need to leave the classroom to engage in Internet research or PowerPoint creations; With the distance learning capabilities that SCS now enjoys, virtual field trips, say, to the Smithsonian or the Kennedy Space Flight Center are all possible; Teachers and parents alike could access school documentation from the comforts of home using new programs that are being created or are already a part of our software systems. All of these are realistic plans of the Sheffield City Schools’ Technology Department. Come be a part and grow with us as we venture into the next generation of technology!