Google Team Makes the Next steps

This year, our school took its next steps toward ensuring our students are career and college (…and trade school) ready.

The thought of having Chromebooks in the classroom — some have embraced it; others quake at the thought, and we’re talking about both students and teachers, alike. However, if you are technologically-reluctant, the reality of the situation is this: In order to help our students ready to go out in the world of work with employable 21st century skills — skills that will help them reach their highest potential, being able to skillfully utilize technology is a must for ANY career-path.

Will every student become an IT specialist as a result of the knowledge gained? Most likely, no.

Will every teacher be able to incorporate computers within their shop or classroom for every single aspect of every single lesson in every single moment? Again — most likely, no.

However, if faced with the possibility of needing to utilize a computer on the job in the future (and that is a realistic possibility), our students need to have the opportunity to embrace this requested task with confidence.

So now that the first 9 weeks is in the books and the Google Team has made a solid attempt to incorporate the availability to technology within our classrooms, our we are ready to make the next step.

Have we figured out every single thing that needs to have been figured out? Of course not. But we have learned a lot. And it doesn’t mean we won’t try new strategies using the Chromebooks; after all, there is simply so much that can be done!

Will it mean the teachers’ technology-based lessons will be without glitches? Of course not, but just as we ask our students to learn from mistakes, we, too must be able to experience a little trial and error before we find success.

Therefore, as a result of the Future-Ready Alliance meeting on November 12th and with the help of Aaron Altemus, Sarah Brooks, and Debbie Pixton, our next steps have been considered, and the planning has begun. We will ensure that all teachers have the support they need in order to experience a successful teaching experience, and we will enable the students to find success in learning within a blended environment — one that embraces both the pencil and paper AND the keyboard and screen as our tools necessary to be career-ready in the 21st Century Job Market.

Google Team — Thank you for your planning. Administration — Thank you for your support and financial backing to ensure that our students can have the opportunity to enter the workforce with employable skills. And a BIG thank you goes to the students and parents — who have been so patient and understanding throughout all of this process. Together, we will get better.

We are RISING!