NEWS RELEASE

Contacts:           Lauren Mitchell           405.416.2143            Education World
                         Barry Western             209.368.0636           Oak View Elementary
 

OAK VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
RECEIVES NATIONAL WEB SITE AWARD

(Acampo, Calif.)  -- Many schools’ Web pages get lost in a sea of other sites, but Oak View Elementary is making its presence known.  With a student-supported Web site that brings the entire community together, this school deserves national recognition for maintaining Internet excellence.

Education World®, the world’s best educational resource and search engine on the Internet (named by FamilyPC), is recognizing Oak View Elementary School (OVE) as the "Cool School of the Week" during the week of June 19, 2000.  The award-winning school can be viewed at http://www.edserv.sjcoe.k12.ca.us/oakview/.

Every week Education World (www.educationworld.com) reviews hundreds of school Internet Web sites from across the country and picks the best site for the new Cool School of the Week.  This coveted award is given to school Web sites that best illustrate several qualities: visual appeal, creativity, originality, community involvement and connection, use of technology, value to the students and school, use of curriculum on-line and practical applications in the educational setting.

Webmaster Barry Western receives assistance from his entire sixth grade class in creating and maintaining the site.  These 25 tech-savvy students contribute in many ways.

"My students are encouraged to develop their own Web pages that are included on the school’s site.  Creating these Web pages becomes an opportunity for the students to develop skills in design, word processing, importing graphics and sounds, scanning material and using a digital camera," Western said.

Sixth grade student Elizabeth Purnell enjoys having her own Web page.  "I really like being able to write about my favorite sport, soccer.  Now people can look at my page and know how I feel.  I dedicated the page to all children who have played soccer and have gotten hurt, won games, and succeeded to learn the game."

The students also make suggestions for site content, and this year they created the "Support Staff" page.

The OVE Web site serves its community by providing helpful information for students, teachers and parents.  Visitors can find an online calendar, newsletter, sports information, helpful homework links and professional resources for teachers.  In addition, the site offers a "Just for Fun" section with games and online experiments, as well as a guide for building a Web page.

"Having a Web presence connects our rural school with a vast educational community and gives our students exposure to other schools within the state, and throughout the country and the world," Western said.

Western wants his students to become proficient in using computers and the Internet.  "I see the wealth of information available to them as challenging and inspirational.  By instilling in them the confidence to use technology to enhance their own work and fuel their imaginations, they will be prepared to take their place in a swiftly evolving technological world and move through it without intimidation."

OVE feels it is important to incorporate technology into the school’s curriculum and hopes that students’ capabilities will grow every year.  "Each grade level will work on improving their fundamental computer skills, word processing skills, computer networking and telecommunication skills.  They will also learn appropriate legal and ethical conduct," said Principal/Superintendent Bill Chiechi.

Cool School award winners at Oakview Elementary School will receive exclusive Cool School T-shirts and mouse pads, two commemorative plaques, Cool School award certificates, plus a Cool School award winner button for their Web site.   All Cool School award winners are also eligible to win the title of  "Cool School of the Year."

"The students work together as a team to create a great on-line resource that brings together both the school and the community," said Brian Mauck, President of Education World.  "They put a lot of time and work into creating these sites.  We are honored to be able to recognize them for their hard work and achievements."

Nominations for Cool School awards are accepted on the Education World Web site (http://www.education-world.com).  Any student-supported Web site may be nominated.

Education World’s Cool School program is sponsored by Cisco Systems, Inc.
(NASDAQ:  CSCO), a worldwide leader in networking for the Internet.  Sponsorship of Education World is one part of Cisco’s corporate-wide initiative to provide the benefits of Internet access and international communication in today’s classrooms.  More information about all of Cisco’s education programs is available at http://www.cisco.com/edu.

For more information about Education World, please contact Lauren Mitchell at laurenm@educationworld.com or phone 405/416-2143.

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