Teachers agreed

to use state lottery funding awarded to the school to help purchase new

Dell computers. The U.S. Army at Fort Gillem also donated computers, bringing

the total in the new lab to 26.

"We were

lucky to have computers donated by the U.S. Army," said Jim Uttley,

computer teacher. "I go and pick them up and refurbish them. It saves

the school money, and they work quite well."

The new learning

lab also is equipped with a smart board and LCD projector. As teachers

talk their students through various software programs, they can project

the computer monitor image on the screen and work the mouse by touching

different sections of the screen.

Students can

listen and see what their teacher is doing simultaneously, helping them

to better understand how to maneuver through different computer programs.

The lab also

has scanners and mounted digital cameras that can be removed for out-of-lab

work. Pictures and movies can then be downloaded into presentation programs

such as PowerPoint to create presentation for school projects.

The cameras

also allow students to teleconference between labs. With a camera mounted

on the computer, students from remote locations can see each other and

work together without being in the same room.

"I use

this a lot with my business students," said Uttley. "It helps

to prepare them for how business people communicate in today's work force.

When they get into the business world, they will already know about teleconferencing

and how to do it."

Teachers also

are making use of the labs to receive training needed to complete their

InTech requirements, part of a mandatory program to integrate technology

into their classrooms.

Approximately

50 percent of Flat Rock's teachers are InTech trained or in the process.

As teachers learn how technology can enhance learning, the labs are booked

solid every day, said Uttley.

"Before

InTech, teachers were apprehensive about using anything involving technology,"

he said. ":Now you can't keep them away from the computers."

Math teacher

Joy Long said with technology, she has noticed an increased interest level

and reduced behavioral problems. "Going through InTech training has

made me less apprehensive about using the computer because I now know

that I can't destroy it," she said. "I am now less hesitant

to try something new, but the important thing is that the kids love it.

I have seen their interest level go up.

"They

will watch a television screen any day before they will pay attention

to a white board," she added.

Lisa Mason,

who transferred from a school system in North Carolina this year, said

she has been impressed with Flat Rock's technology resources.

"The school

I taught at last year had brand new computer labs on each grade level

hallway and still didn't have as much technology as we do," she said.

"The variety of software that we have available to students is wonderful."

In addition

to the newest computer lab, Flat Rock has 22 computer work stations in

the media center and 26 new Dell computers in a keyboarding lab that is

open to teachers on a scheduled basis. Also, each language arts teacher

has a computer lab in his/her classroom with three to four Macintosh computers

connected to printers.

"We believe

in the value of technology for our students and continually seek to procure

and maintain state-of-the-art hardware and software to enhance the instructional

programs at our school," said Principal Tyrone Jones.

"I always

say that Flat Rock is one of the county's best-kept secrets."