1. Secure a person to be the STLP Coordinator/coach. Some STLP schools have more than one teacher helping to support the students' projects, products and services. Many parents and community persons support STLP.
2. Offer stipends to coordinators/coaches when possible. Many districts do.
3. Gain the endorsement of the Principal, Superintendent, and District Technology Coordinator (DTC)/CIO.
4. Communicate to parents and the community. Market the program.
5. Open STLP to all students. STLP is for ALL interested students, so your STLP should reflect your school's population. Use a variety of on-going approaches to recruit. Try to attract students who are "naturals" with technology, but make sure all students get a chance to join. Data shows these students benefit: ones new to the school; ones not doing well in class, ones who do not have a computer at home, ones with special needs, ones who speak another language, and ones who rarely receive a teacher's positive attention. Work to recruit new members, especially girls in the upper grades. Your STLP should have members from across the school's population.
6. Your STLP should be multi-age and multi-grade over time.
7. Do not exclude students. Do not allow your schedule or the student's schedule or transportation problems limit your STLP. This means, be clever and creative on how, when, and where students can help the school and community. Not all students must be involved in all projects all at the same time.
8. STLP is project driven. Projects may spring from classrooms, after school or community needs. Let where students are during the day, and what projects they have an interest in, drive some of the projects in the program.
9. Publicize your meetings. Let students know when and where the meetings will take place. Some meet during a class; some meet before or after school.
10. Have you joined the STLP School Listserv? Your students may join the STLP Student listserv. Join both at http://www.uky.edu/Education/kylists.html
11. Discuss the STLP Mission and Goals. Talk about the structure of your STLP. Structure is centered on the 5 levels of participation (see page 4), a schedule of when and how your STLP meets, and the goals the group wants to accomplish. There is no one way to structure. Make the structure fit your school and its needs.
12. Consider the Technology Program of Studies for students, the teacher technology standards, the school's consolidated improvement plan, and the needs and interests of the students and community, when planning projects, products and services. Student-designed projects, products and services drive STLP and impact learning and the school and community.
13. Some projects may lead to a service for the school or community; and some may make a profit and are entrepreneurial; or teach others; some are very technical in nature. These projects can be shared at a school event, and/or a district or fall showcase. Watch for statewide projects your school can participate in this year.
14. Decide at what levels to be involved. (Local, district, regional showcase, statewide event) Decide what categories students will excel and compete.
15. Decide what events (regional or state) your STLP will attend.
16. Continue to market the program year round.
17. Contact Elaine Harrison anytime you have any questions.
Recruitment of STLP Students
Recruitment of students allows for the program to grow and be diverse. Diversity helps strengthen the program. Below are ways to recruit:
Announcements first weeks of school
Be flexible with student schedules
Continuously sign up students (open enrollment)
Dance sponsored by STLP
Everyone has a chance
Flyers around building
Grade level talks
Help in classrooms
Interest levels shape the program
Join Lego, robotics, programming, ThinkQuest or other related contests
Kid-vine (let the kids tell the kids)
Learning opportunities draw in students
Multi ways to meet
Newspapers and posters
Organize program early in year to capture students from other 'clubs'
Parent recommendations
Queue parents
Recycle old computers
Summer camps
Teacher recommendations and advisor/advisee groups
Uniform T-shirts
Very pretty certificates and logo lapel pins
Web links to invite students
Xtra attention, nametags, duties
Yearly awards and rewards
Zero in on Student Technology Standards (TE POS & NETS)
What does a coordinator do when so many students want to join STLP?
STLP coordinators will need to work with principals, TRTs, parents, STLP is for all that show an interest. STLP coordinators will need to work with principals, TISs, parents, other staff, and community persons who can help each project group have guidance from an adult. Other older students can also help lead the younger students with projects, as well.
Not all students need to meet as a large group, since STLP is not structured like a club with defined meetings, but rather structured to accomplish goals of the project. Cluster the students into groups based upon the work to do.
The STLP Coordinators will need support from the school district when more than 50 students want to be part of the program.
No interested student should be turned away. Find and develop a meaningful project, product or service for each interested student.
Email Elaine Harrison or place a question on the STLP listserv for more suggestions.
Marketing the STLP Program
Marketing the STLP program helps the school gain recognition, support of the community and strengthens the program.
Assembly presentations
Board meetings
Community involvement
District news
Educational showcase for incoming students
Featured newspaper and cable stories
Go for the Gold or Silver School Award
Help in classrooms
Inside Kentucky Schools KET show featuring STLP
Join anytime
Kentucky STLP State Championship
Lunchtime PowerPoint
Make posters, videos
News cast credits
Open enrollment
Presentations to classmates
Queue teachers needs
Radio station announcements or podcasts
School announcements and signage
Trainers in the school
Unite to Read Project
Visuals of past projects and events on display
Web Page
Xtra announcements
Yearly awards
Zoom in on projects, products and services