WATERLOO -- Superintendent Gary Norris urged Waterloo Community Schools employees to think about their legacy Monday as he unveiled plans to pilot interactive white boards in classrooms during an opening day conference.

In a break from past years, the district's 1,400 employees stayed at their schools on the first day back rather than gathering at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus for the welcome-back speeches. But they still heard the speeches from the teachers, administrators and Norris. The hour-long program was broadcast from the Education Service Center over the district's cable access channel after technical difficulties were dealt with that left it without sound for about 10 minutes.

"The reason we're here is for our students," Norris said. "What impact will you have made in the final analysis?"

He told the employees, including about 800 teachers, to ask themselves: "What's my personal role of leaving a legacy for students, and how can I make it happen?"

Clearly, part of Norris' role is bringing more technology into district classrooms. While leading Florida's Sarasota County School District for four years, he spearheaded an effort to install ActivBoard technology in all classrooms for its 42,000 students at a cost of $15 million. The use of those interactive white boards impressed Waterloo Board of Education members who visited the district last spring before hiring Norris.

Software that comes with the system allows for both writing and manipulating images on a magnetic whiteboard. Students use wireless hand-held devices to simultaneously respond to a teacher's questions. Video streaming capabilities are also part of the system.

On Monday, Norris said the district will launch an ActivBoard pilot next month, installing a number of the devices in every school and putting them in every classroom of one school. That will include three or four at each elementary, five or six at each middle school and six to eight at each high school. He expects a total of 80 to 130 ActivBoards to be installed during evening hours in September and October.

"The question I want you to consider today is, 'Do you expect parents to want you to use the best teaching strategies and technology available?' Of course you do," he said.

Norris spoke of the "magic button" teachers find that engages a new group of students. "The challenge for all of us is the magic button has moved," he said. "Children have changed."

That is why, he added, that educators need to find new teaching approaches -- including an embrace of technology. In Sarasota County, Norris saw an impact on student engagement through use of ActivBoards. He believes the same thing will happen in Waterloo, with a corresponding growth in student achievement.

"We are all here for the same reason: We want to leave a legacy of student achievement," he said.

After the speech, he added, "Kids are driven by digital images, they're driven by color. They're really digital learners."

The district might have to upgrade "a couple servers" to increase bandwidth, ensuring the appropriate level of Internet access is available in all classrooms. Norris anticipates the pilot program will cost about $600,000, with a cost of about $5,000 or $6,000 per ActivBoard.

Sales tax revenue will be used to pay for the technology in the new schools now under construction. Other schools will use physical plant and equipment levy revenues to pay for the improvements.

Norris said every teacher will need 20 to 30 hours of professional development to fully use the ActivBoards. He said the technology is easy to operate.

"What you're really learning is what the software will do," he said.

An assessment of the pilot program will be made next spring, with a decision at that point of whether or not to install the devices across the district. Full implementation of the technology is expected to cost up to $5 million.

The staff of Lowell Elementary School, adjacent to the Education Service Center, heard Norris' speech in person. First-grade teacher Roberta Simmons, who has been an educator for 28 years, is glad the district is looking at ActivBoards.

"I think anything that we can do. I came into this technology thing kicking and screaming," she said. But now she is open to using it in her classroom.

Fifth-grade teacher Joe Graf is "definitely excited" about the prospect of using an ActivBoard in his classroom.

"Really love to incorporate technology in the classroom," said Graf, now in his fifth year with the district. "It makes sharing information more to date. 'Cause kids want to play video games anyway, it's nice to incorporate some of the computer graphics and technology they like."

And how does he feel about Norris?

"I think he has a lot of good ideas and a great vision for the future of the district," he said.

Contact Andrew Wind at (319) 291-1507 or andrew.wind@wcfcourier.com.