"I have to direct my school's instructional program, manage school resources, and focus on student achivement," Donna says of her job. Technology helps her keep up. In her school, teachers work directly with a database that tracks student performance, using their own computerized grading system. It's a great boon especially since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act; monitoring student progress in finer detail is much easier than before.

In the classroom, Donna feels, technology can be a great activator for students - to grab their attention and get them initially interested in a new subject. She believes technology is also very helpful for students who are having trouble. For example, in special "previewing classes" at Cabin John Middle, students get a leg up on new material with the help of primary sources found on the Internet. When students have a chance to become familiar with a new topic before the rest of the class, their self-confidence grows by leaps and bounds.

On the problems schools face in keeping current with technology:
"Technology's changing so fast... I can't keep up on my home computer. How could you expect a school system of about 200 schools to?"