1-to-1 iPad Program Launched at Sela!
We are very excited to be writing this post! As some of you might be aware, Sela was awarded a very generous STEM grant to explore and implement 21st Century learning opportunities in our school. As a result, we would like to inform you that we will be implementing a 1-to-1 iPad program in 1st and 2nd grade for the 2015-16 school year. This integration is a key component to our STEM initiative, as it will emphasize digital skills that are critical to developing, strengthening, and preparing our children for success in a 21st Century world. As educators, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children are prepared to communicate, collaborate, create, and problem solve independently, and we believe that the iPad is an excellent tool to accomplish this task.
We want to emphasize that the iPad is not a toy or a game. Instead, it is a very sophisticated device to enrich our excellent curricula. Our staff will use it to engage our students in exceptional learning experiences and enhance their lesson plans by integrating technology. Our students will also adhere to our Internet security policy. This week and on a continuous basis, our teachers will be participating in intensive training. Teachers will learn how to integrate the iPad seamlessly into the classroom and make a huge impact on our children. Our STEM goals for this professional development are to:
Create a community of responsible, digital citizens
Encourage students to use multi-media platforms to innovate and create
Prepare a classroom that emphasizes differentiated and individualized instruction
Enrich the curriculum so that learning explodes beyond the walls of the classroom
Prepare children to reach greatness in a globally connected, information rich, 21st Century world
Engage children in student-centered, project-based learning opportunities
Strengthen students' ability to think critically and independently, as well as collaborate in small groups
During the week of October 19, 2015, each 1st and 2nd grade student will be assigned an iPad to be used throughout the school year. This iPad will travel throughout the day to our students’ different classes. The iPad will remain at school in a designated storage space.
We know that you may have many questions about this implementation, and we want to address your concerns. We will hold a meeting for our Sela families and community on Monday, October 19, 2015, at 6 pm, so that you receive additional information regarding this exciting opportunity. Please RSVP by emailing our STEM specialist, Holly Seibold, at hseibold@selapcs.org by Friday, October 16, 2015, to let us know if you can attend. In the meantime, feel free to email Mrs. Seibold or me (at narthurs@selapcs.org) with any questions. Mrs. Seibold will work very closely with our staff to ensure the success of this program.
