CANYON HIGH RECEIVES $684,000; GRANT TO BE USED TO ADD COMPUTERS, INTERNET ACCESS.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

Canyon High School has been selected by the state Department of Education to receive a $684,000 grant aimed at bringing more technology to the classroom.

The state will distribute $136 million this fiscal year to 315 high schools as part of its Digital High School Program. It is the second year of the program and the second year that William S. Hart Union High School District schools have received the award.

Last year, Saugus High School and Bowman Continuation High School received the money, which allows schools to add computers, network wiring and telephone jacks for Internet and other research access.

``This money will make a significant difference to the point where every single student has access to the Internet or other technology,'' said Canyon High School Principal Vicki Engbrecht.

Canyon High has long had the goal of improving student access to technology, but with limited funding, new equipment could be added only in small phases, according to Engbrecht.

The grant's infusion will allow teachers to develop lesson plans around advanced software in subjects such as reading and mathematics, she said.

Though some teachers might have a computer in the classroom available for students to use, they cannot allow one or two students to work at a terminal while instructing the other 30, Engbrecht said.

``It doesn't work as well compared to a computer lab or a room with five computers,'' she explained. ``It's not just technology for technology's sake, but as a resource.''

It also will allow the school to expand Internet and software availability so that students can conduct research or write term papers, she said.

``If the grant hadn't come along, we would continue to do this small piece by small piece,'' Engbrecht said. ``This allows us to do a lot more a lot sooner.''

Engbrecht said she learned a week ago about the grant and already has made arrangements to meet with department heads at her school to develop a plan for the funding, which is required by the state to receive the grant.

Getting more computers is a priority, however, Engbrecht said. Though some of the school classrooms have lots of computers, others have none at all, she said. But teachers will research the possibilities.

``We're going to send teachers to other schools that have received the grant,'' Engbrecht said. ``They may have things we haven't even thought of.''

The state developed the grant in an effort to increase the ratio of students to computer to four-to-one and to provide telecommunications access for students in every classroom and library.

Funding was determined by providing $300 per student at the selected schools for wiring, purchasing hardware and curriculum resources, and training every teacher at the school. Participating schools are required to match the grant with existing money, money already spent on technology improvements or donations.

An ongoing grant of $45 per student, which also must be matched, will provide for continued staff training, support and maintenance.