Technology officials with the Denton school district will implement a Microsoft program this fall that introduces 21st century electronic networking skills and enhances collaboration between teachers and students.

Ernie Stripling, technology information officer, and Robert Bostic, district director of instructional technology, made a presentation before district trustees at a board meeting Tuesday about Microsoft Live@edu.

The free service includes e-mail, a Web-based calendar for scheduling events, exams and projects, instant messaging, and opportunities for users to upload and access documents and photos online to store, share and collaborate on with others. The program also includes an online data storage system known as SkyDrive, which allows users to store up to 25 gigabytes of information.

Other features will allow users to create profiles similar to social networking pages and blogs.

Bostic told trustees that the program offers district staff and students older than 13 an online platform in a secure environment that allows “communication, collaboration and creativity.”

The account can be accessed by any device that can connect to the Internet, including smart phones, he said.

“We like to call it e-mail with a cherry on top,” Bostic said. “This is an outstanding opportunity for us to push forward.”

At the start of the year, all school district staff and students will receive an account log-in that is password protected, Bostic said. Students will still be able to access the account and documents they have stored after graduating high school, he said. At some point, district officials say, they could possibly extend the program to parents.

Denton school technology officials say Microsoft Live@edu allows students and teachers to create online workspaces where they can store projects. If permitted by the user, content can be shared with others to view and edit.

That particular feature will allow students to upload homework assignments and share those documents with teachers so they can be reviewed and returned after being graded, Stripling said. Teachers, he said, will be able to send reminders and notices to students and possibly parents about upcoming events and exams, class assignments, project due dates, after-school meetings and parent-teacher conferences.

“Hopefully, this is narrowing the gap in communication,” Stripling said.

Board trustee Glenna Harris said the program can put “teachers and students on a level playing field” to learn together.

Board President Jim Alexander said the program closely resembles services offered at colleges and universities. He said by providing this type of technology to students, the more they will become accustomed to it and the better prepared they will be for college.

According to the Microsoft Web site, Microsoft Live@edu was created to work with the district’s instructional technology infrastructure. The program is used at colleges and universities around the world.

Denton school technology officials say the program has no financial impact on the district. Stripling said the district can limit what the product does. Word content and pictures will be filtered, he said.

Bostic said the accounts are owned by the district and it has full rights and privileges to control access at any level. The district can set how stringent filters are, he said.

BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876. Her e-mail address is btabor@dentonrc.com.