Weber Receives Marbury Technology Award
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(Birmingham, AL) Mr. Faustin N. Weber, president of Montgomery Catholic Preparatory School, received the "Marbury Technology Innovation Award", given by the State Department of Education to "recognize exceptional creativity, leadership and instructional excellence in the use of technology to improve learning in his or her school." State superintendent Dr. Joe Morton presented Weber the award in the opening session of Alabama Technology Conference in Birmingham, AL, on June 15.
Among the reasons for receiving the award, Mr. Weber was recognized for working with school PTO to establish a regular means of funding technology at his school. The annual Seafood Dinner has allowed the school to purchase well over $200,000 of computer equipment for use by teachers and students over the last ten years. This has helped the school purchase nearly 100 computers, outfit two complete computer labs, install digital projectors and create a first rate school administration program. Because of these things, teachers have access to email at their desks and are able to send report cards to parents at any time in the school year on request. The school has a digital security system which can be accessed anywhere on line. An email list serve keeps families informed on a week to week basis. The school web page has on-line calendars for school and athletic events, a 360-degree virtual tour of the school, a new family information page, athletic web pages full of photos and team news, on-line applications and registration information, information for teachers to assist them in teaching and on-line photo albums. Recently Mr. Weber conducted a series of on-line evaluations of school programs and teachers, soliciting feedback to assist the school in improving services to families.
In accepting the award, Weber reflected: " I am grateful to the parents, teachers and students of Montgomery Catholic for supporting our school in so many concrete ways. In addition, I am sure that one reason I have received this honor is because I design our school's web page, and for that, I owe a debt of gratitude to my son. Three years ago, our web design teacher had to leave us be with his sick mother. There was no one on the faculty to teach basic html code to our students, so I inherited the class by default. Each night, my then 10 year old son would tutor me on a section of html code, which I would then dutifully teach the next day to our high school students. Such has the world changed that ten year olds can teach principals of high schools!"
