For years, schools have used computers to send messages, search the Internet and store student records - hardly tapping into more sophisticated potential of modern-day technology.

But that has started to change.

Some public and private schools in the Northern San Joaquin Valley are now using technology to allow parents to monitor grades and even watch their kids on playgrounds.

For example, the Turlock Learning Center, a private school, is using hand-held computers, cameras and a touch-screen system to improve security and student safety.

And the Ceres Unified School District is tracking how well students do on tests and using new computer- controlled phone and camera systems.

We are going beyond the strata and getting data directly into the hands of the teachers and parents," said Carey Brock, coordinator of technology services for Ceres public schools. "My goal is the technology will make the teachers so much more effective, it will translate into higher test scores and better learning."

The databases are designed to track test scores and show if individual students are meeting or exceeding the state's educational standards, Brock said.

The system is color-coded, making it easier for a teacher to look at all the scores in a class and determine if a few students have problems with a subject or if the whole class is falling behind, said Mark Jeffery, the technology coach for the district.

If most of the students are at red or yellow levels (below average), that indicates more time might be needed on that subject," he said. "But if only a few students are falling behind, the teacher knows to give those students some special attention."

Parents also need information about their kids, Brock said, which is why Ceres installed a program called Parent Connect.

Parents of students at Ceres High School, and Mae Hensley and Blaker-Kinser junior high schools can start using it in the next few weeks, said Lisa Kenney, technology specialist for Ceres Unified.

Parent Connect shows parents their children's homework assignments, due dates and grades received for past work. The system also shows attendance records and report cards.

The district has made other computer advances, Brock said. Its six new schools are equipped with a phone system that lets teachers check voicemail over the Internet and e-mail with phones. The phones also display text messages from the office so teachers won't be interrupted by ringing phones or the school's intercom, Brock said.

In addition, each classroom on the new campuses has a projector that displays computer presentations.

The schools have computer-controlled security cameras, too, Brock said.

"By using the cameras, we can monitor the campuses from anywhere in the district," she said. "The security system will be linked to administrator cell phones so if something happens, they will be alerted, and they can then pull up the video cameras from their home computers."

The Turlock Learning Center also has computer-controlled cameras. But they aren't just for security, school administrator Robert Jacob said.

Passwords for parents

Cameras were installed in classrooms and on the playground so parents with Internet access can watch their kids. Only school parents will be given passwords to access the system, he said.

Kindergarten teacher Sheri Lima said she worries that viewers might catch her blowing her nose in class.

Her daughter Taylor Lima, who is a student at Turlock Learning Center, had a different take on the cameras.

"I think they are cool," she said. "They will take pictures of us."

Other new technology allows parents to sign their children into the school every morning using a touch-screen monitor in the lobby, Jacob said. When a student is logged in, the parent sees messages from the child's teacher or the school administrator.

The touch-screen computer also lets teachers know children are on campus through messages sent to the teachers' hand-held computers.

"When the student leaves the classroom to go to the library or another class, the teacher will check the student out with the (hand-held computer) and say where the student is headed," Jacob said. "The teacher in the destination room then receives a message to expect the child."

When a teacher takes a class on field trips, the hand-held computer downloads photos of all the children on the trip from the school's server, along with medical information or other notes.

"That way the teacher can tell if a student has a specific food or animal allergy while away from the school," Jacob said. "If a student wanders from the group, the teacher will be able to pull up a photo of that student and show it to security guards."

Parents at the Turlock school said they are thrilled with the new technology.

"I feel more connected to him by being able to see him in class," Kim Jantz said of her 9-year-old son.

For more information on either school district, visit their Web sites at www.ceres.k12.ca.us or www.turlocklearningcenter.com.

Bee staff writer Patrick Giblin can be reached at 578-2347 or pgiblin@modbee.com.