District 109 Advances Student Technology

All Deerfield Public Schools District 109 students will have an individual technology device at their disposal as part of a new program, according to a report of Monday’s Board of Education meeting on the District’s website.

A committee of parents, teachers and administrators from both the District’s elementary and middle schools has been meeting and determined moving to “one-to-one technology” would be the best educational practice, according to Director of 21st Century Skills Jill Maraldo.

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The committee is recommending Chromebooks for middle school students as well as a pilot program for Nexus tablets. Some of the existing devices will remain in use. The cost is not expected to exceed $327,000. The District is also acquiring a cart of Chromebooks for each elementary school.

Before the Board heard the report, student Jake Conway told the group it takes up to eight minutes for the older netbooks to load and he is afraid some of the technology the students use is not available through Google Apps on the Chromebooks.

Board member Bennett Brenner acknowledged the netbooks take a longtime to load which is one of the reasons Chromebooks are being tried. “It will give us an opportunity to determine the best technology as we move to a one-to one scenario,” he said. 

Maraldo believes a variety devices will help fit the needs of individual students. “We are looking for technology that fits different projects, focusing on the learning rather than having the technology drive the learning,” she said. 

Maraldo has also been working closely with Deerfield High School to assure consistency from kindergarten through senior year. 

For a complete review of the entire meeting, check the District’s website. 

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