Ft. Zumwalt board adopts revised K‑5 technology curriculum, recommends 3‑year contract
Summary
The Ft. Zumwalt R‑II Board of Education approved an updated K‑5 technology curriculum that expands keyboarding to broader tech fundamentals, adds cybersecurity, and recommends a three‑year license purchase (staff recommended a $70,000 upfront payment to secure a 15% discount).
The Ft. Zumwalt R‑II Board of Education on a unanimous voice vote approved an updated K‑5 technology curriculum that expands keyboarding into broader technology fundamentals, adds cybersecurity standards and tighter cross‑curricular alignment, and recommends purchases of third‑party instructional resources.
District instructional technology staff said the rewrite was produced by 16 elementary tech teachers working in K‑2 and 3‑5 teams, coordinated by Hannah Bagson, an instructional technology coach. Bagson and classroom technology teachers Bethany Nill and Addie Hawkins described curriculum changes that move keyboarding to a broader “tech fundamentals” strand and split digital citizenship into digital literacy, digital leadership and cybersecurity. The curriculum references the Missouri Computer Science Standards, ISTE standards and CISA‑backed Cyber.org materials and maps units to ELA, math, science and social studies standards.
Bagson said the team piloted vendor products for keyboarding and digital citizenship and recommended continuing the district’s current TypingClub licensing under a three‑year contract offered by the vendor (EdClub). "We found out that what we have really is the best of the resources out there," Bagson said. The staff recommended an upfront three‑year payment of about $70,000 (roughly $23,000 per year) to secure an estimated 15% discount; board members were told the district’s finance staff preferred the upfront purchase to reduce the multi‑year cost.
The curriculum also maintains hands‑on coding and robotics activities using district Sphero robots, and relies on free vetted resources such as Code.org, Common Sense Media and Internet Awesome for additional lessons.
Board member Mister Helm moved the motion to adopt the K‑5 technology curriculum and to proceed with recommended resource purchases; Miss Burke seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote.
District staff said teacher input was gathered on early release days and via digital feedback throughout the year; the revised curriculum replaces a 2016 guide and will be incorporated into elementary schedules once materials and licensure are secured. Staff said final contract terms and vendor invoices will be brought to district finance staff for execution.
