Several Federal and State grants were won for my former school district including:

• 3 former TLCF (Technology Literacy Challenge Fund) grants:  local grant concerning using technology to develop a local history book and a video presentation;  A statewide grant concerning the use of GPS/GIS including Carthage Schools and;  a regional "Learning by the Light of the Fire" grant with nearby Charleston's Lerna School and Shelbyville Mainstreet Elementary Schools

• An Illinois State Buildings-Based Innovations grant to provide new labs and professional development for the district, including wireless interconnection of our dual latta schools (two separate telephone companies); new file servers and additional lab + much professional development

• A Goals 2000 Grant to further develop and update our servers + more professional development

• Dual "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grants" for Cowden and Herrick Public Libraries including file servers and multiple Gateway Computers and software

• 16 Challenged School District Grant which included a team that went to Chicago for training to write the first Technology Plan

• Wrote our first Technology Plan and then acquired the first E-Rate funding for connectivity and phone lines.

• Maintained continuous running servers at both Cowden and Herrick Grade Schools.  Norman Wilson of Wilson Technologies provided advanced work on servers and together with community volunteers, school personnel and Howard Taylor wired three buildings with category five wiring, as well as cable TV and telephone cables.

• Established an early version of a Linux Internet Safety Filtering System (Norman Wilson specialty)

• Many long days and nights were spent installing our systems.  Help from Mary Ann Brewer (Charleston Technology Director, Norman Wilson, Area 4 Technology Hub, and numerous other people worked a lot to get three good systems.

When I left Herrick School, I said goodbye to my first Pentium 133 NT 4.0 File Server that was still working as our webpage server and Accelerated Reading server.  As I understand this server was turned off after I left.  So sad, but I knew it was probably not useful anymore.  That's what happens when consultants take over.  New equipment had to be purchased.

That old server ran without failure for nearly five years.  How about that!

Howard Taylor

GIFTED EDUCATION ENDED AT COWDEN-HERRICK SCHOOLS

Howard Taylor worked with grand writing, management and technology from about 1995 until his retirement in 2003.  While in these years all grade school children were taught correct keyboarding, technology usage, and safe Internet.

SPECIAL GRANTS WHILE AT CHARLESTON SCHOOLS:  

"Learning Abraham Lincoln"

Technology-based Educational Foundation Grant 2005, including a study of Abraham Lincoln, original writing, webpage creation, and research concerning Charleston (Illinois) most famous former friend and visitor.

"Science in a Trunk"

G.E. classes will be having a myriad of new experiences in various fields of science starting Fall of 2007.  A Charleston Educational Foundation Grant was awarded to Mr. Taylor  for the upcoming school year.  Portable Trunks will be loaded with scientific equipment, Lego kits, and coordinated new hands-on lesson plans.

"Lowe's Outdoor Classroom Grant for G.E. and regular classrooms"

Carl Sandburg Elementary was also awarded a "Nature Trail Outdoor Classroom" grant from Lowe's.  Our own David Carey Outdoor Classroom and related trail will receive lots of new updates, including a new trail, two arbors for guard bird houses, binoculars for bird viewing and stone perches for children to sit on to view birds and animals.