Local high school principals are becoming more technology savvy through a course on blogging.

Several principals, along with other administrators, have started using blogs to communicate with students, school staff and parents. Some, such as Principal Larry Raines of Verbena School, have included a link to their blog on their school’s official Web site.

“We’ve attached my blog to the school Web page so that parents can get information that way,” Raines said. “It’s just another tool for us to communicate with parents.”

Participants are supposed to add at least one entry per week as part of a special training exercise. Thus far, the project seems to be working well.

“I’m just trying to put school announcements on there,” said Clanton Middle School Principal Donny Finlayson.

Maintaining a weblog is just one part of a professional learning community for administrators focusing on technology integration and 21st century skills in education.

The program was designed and developed by Janet Taylor of the Alabama Technology in Motion program and Karen Mitchell, professional development coordinator for Chilton County Schools.

“As far as I know, this is the only professional learning community for administrators focusing on technology in the state,” Taylor said.

Principals’ blogs are accessible from individual school Web sites, which are linked to the Chilton County Board of Education’s site at www.chilton.k12.al.us.

Just click on “schools” and follow the link, or insert a forward slash after “us” followed by the school’s initials in the address bar.