Technology Software

Technology has become an integral part of not only the business functions of the school district but also the learning environment.  Technology is placed in schools to support and enhance the curriculum.  Standardized age-appropriate software is selected that enables teachers at different grade levels to focus on specific areas of the curriculum or on different skills.  Guilford County also provides various online resources, activities to address learning computers skills, distance learning opportunities, teacher productivity tools and software to computerize school operations. 

All software has been approved for use by the Technology Applications Review Committee (TARC).  This ensures a standardized and controllable network environment that supports the mission of the Guilford County School District.

Software is divided into two categories, standard software that is provided on all computers in a particular grade/area and approved software that may be purchased by schools or departments.  This section includes the following information on technology-related software used in the district.

Standard Software
Approved Software
Request For Software to be Reviewed and Approved

Standard Software

The following list of software is typically installed on every computer at no cost to the site.  The district also provides technical support for all software listed but may not provide extensive user support for individual packages.  Ongoing subscription fees will be paid from the general Technology Services budget. 

Different operating systems may require different versions of the software to be loaded. 

Standard PC Desktop Software For All Areas:

Operating System
Outlook Email
Internet Explorer
Microsoft Office Professional Suite
McAfee Virus Protection
NetSupport
Altiris Deployment and Inventory
Altiris Patch Management
InfoHandler (when required)
Acrobat Reader
SchoolCenter
PD Management
United Streaming

Additional Standard Classroom Software For Middle/High Schools:

Classroom Manager or
Scantron Performance Series
CMS Gradebook
Period Attendance X2 and X3
NC Wise Owl
NetSupport Tutor
Plato
SAT and PSAT Coach (High Schools only)

Additional Standard Media Software

Follett Library Management

Additional Standard Administrative Software For Designated Users Only

AS/400 (Payroll, Finance, Human Resource Management)
SIMS (Student Information)
LeaveMaster (School Accounting)
School Funds (School Accounting)
ConnectEd (Communication Messaging)
Help Desk (Technology Requests)
CMMS (Maintenance Work Orders)
SSP (Student Discipline Tracking)
eProcurement (Online Purchasing)
CECAS (Exceptional Child Tracking)
MealsPlus (Cafeteria Management)
TIMS (Transportation Management)
School Care (ACGS)

Approved Software

The software listed below has been approved by the TARC for use on the Guilford County Schools’ network.  Schools and departments must purchase the software and provide proof of license before Technology Services can install any program.  Minimum purchase must include all computers in an entire site, lab, grade level or department. The only exception to this is for dedicated ESL and EC classrooms, where the minimum purchase is a license for every computer per classroom.   Ongoing subscription fees should be budgeted by the school or department implementing the software.

Schools and departments should check with Technology Services for compatibility before purchasing updated versions of software.

Approved Elementary Software

Accelerated Math
Accelerated Reader
Co-Writer/Write Outloud
Edmark
- Any TNV Series (Example Sammy’s Science House)
Geoskills Primary
Geoskills Intermediate
Graph Club
Hyperstudio
ImageBlender
Inspiration
Key Skills – Network version
Kidspiration
KidWorks Deluxe
Knowledge Adventure
  - Any JumpStart Advance Series (Example The Cruncher)
Letterbugs Network
Math Blaster (Network)
Orchard
PassKey (Web-based only)
Reading Blaster (Network)
Scholastic
  - Reading Counts and Reading Inventory
Star Math
Star Reader
SuccessMaker
TLC Assignment & Tracking
  - (Example Kid Pix Deluxe)
UltraKeys
Wiggleworks: Stage A, Stage B and Stage C

Approved Middle and High School Software

Accelerated Math
Accelerated Reader
Co-Writer/Write-Out-Loud
Jostens YearTech 2003
PassKey (Web-based only)
PageMaker
PhotoShop
Publisher
StarReading
Geometers Sketchpad
Glencoe Science Voyages
Inspiration
Jaws
SuccessMaker
The Learning Company Skills Bank
World Search

Additional Approved Middle School Software

Mavis Beacon
Student Writing Center

Additional Approved High School Software

ACCES
A-Plus
Fathom Dynamic Statistics
Grammer Fitness
Glencoe Algebra 1, 2, Geometry, Advanced Math

Request For Software To Be Reviewed and Added to Approved List

To guarantee new software choices will successfully co-exist with approved Guilford County Schools’ software solutions and to make certain all business and educational technology requirements are aligned with district goals, any software not on the Approved Software List must be reviewed and approved by the TARC.

New software should be available in a current version that is designed to operate with Guilford County Schools’ hardware standards and installed operating system.  Requests will be evaluated based on:

• Initial and ongoing cost
• Impact on network and support
• Vendor economic strength, support and expertise
• Product/technology maturity and availability
• Interoperability
• Use of industry-recommended design standards
• Documentation
• Security and internal control designs
• Learning curve and training requirements for end users
• Consistency with business and educational strategies

If approved, a minimum software purchase must include an entire site, grade level or department. The only exception to this is for dedicated ESL and EC classrooms, where minimum purchase is a license for every computer per classroom. 

Further information and request forms can be downloaded by selecting the following link:

Technology Policies, Procedures and Standards Manual