Technology

1:1 Initiative Puts Laptops in Hands of Every Oyster River Middle School Student Starting in September

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Oyster River Cooperative School District
SAU No. 5
Superintendent James Morse
36 Coe Drive
Durham, NH 03824

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

1:1 Initiative Puts Laptops in Hands of Every Oyster River Middle School Student Starting in September

DURHAM — It’s with great excitement that Oyster River Middle School Principal Jay Richard and Technology Instructor Nikola Viens share news that the ORCSD School Board recently gave approval and support for all Oyster River Middle School students to each be provided a laptop in the upcoming 2018-2019 school year.

Under a technology initiative beginning this fall, all students will have access to their own school issued laptop. The philosophy behind the initiative is known as the One-to-One (or 1:1) educational technology model and differs from the district’s current model in which students are using a shared cart model for every team of four classrooms.

A group of ORMS teachers presented, on behalf of the middle school technology committee, a proposal for the technology initiative to the school board during the May 2 meeting. The presentation included a brief overview of the One-to-One initiative as well as examples of neighboring districts who have already implemented or are moving toward implementing a similar model in their schools. Each presenting teacher explained ways that a One-to-One technology initiative would satisfy a current need for more devices in the classroom due to an increased demand each year.

“Education and the potential it can reach did not exist as it does now thanks to a lot of the technology advances that have occurred in our society and definitely within public schools. If there is one thing our district does well, and any district can always do better, it’s push kids to their potential,” said ORMS fifth grade teacher Sunpreet Sadana. “The 1:1 initiative eliminates a lot of roadblocks to learning and allows educators and kids to enhance their learning and instruction and push kids to that potential.”

Equal access to technology has been emphasized during many recent board meeting discussions, along with ensuring that all students had the same access to instruction despite their individual needs and abilities. The best way to do that is to ensure that every student is using the same type of technology device in the classroom. Having a single type of device available to all students at ORMS ensures continuity across classrooms and grades at the same time it gives teachers the tools and flexibility they need to offer each student the highest level of instruction.

Fifth grade teacher Sara O’Brien explained how increased technology would affect her classroom when presenting to the board:

“All classrooms will look differently with increased technology,” she said. “When I imagine my classroom with more technology it would not mean more students are behind a screen five days a week, all day. It would mean integrating computers into portions of my lessons instead of having to use them the whole block that I have them. It would mean I would have time to teach my students about how to use a computer, not just ask them to complete assignments.”

The laptop initiative also aligns with the new competency-based approach the Middle School has adopted this school year.

“Competency-based education stresses the mastery of the skills needed for the 21st century and the philosophy embraces the idea that content is ever evolving and changing,” said seventh grade teacher Janet Martel. “At Oyster River, the teachers use new and emerging technologies to teach these skills.”

Information technology staff, ORMS administrators and members of the District Technology Committee will work diligently over the next four months to work out the details of this roll out.

Principal Richard expressed his enthusiasm about the initiative and the positive impact it will have on our teachers and students.

“We have seen published, empirical evidence that 1:1 laptop initiatives improve student performance and increase test scores,” Principal Richard said. “Putting a laptop in the hands of every student at Oyster River Middle School creates a level playing field and further reduces learning gaps for our students, resulting in improved student growth and development from the onset. I am very excited to implement this program, and I want to express my gratitude to our school board and technology staff for bringing the 1:1 initiative to fruition.”

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Melrose Middle School Awarded MassCUE Grant to Establish Idea Lab in Library

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Melrose Public Schools
Superintendent Cyndy S. Taymore
360 Lynn Fells Parkway
Melrose , MA 02176

For Immediate Release

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Melrose Middle School Awarded MassCUE Grant to Establish Idea Lab in Library

MELROSE — Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School Principal Brent Conway is pleased to announce that plans are underway to create an Idea Lab in the Victoria McLaughlin Library.

The Idea Lab will provide a space for students to explore science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) concepts. It is made possible by a $3,000 grant from the Massachusetts Computer Using Educators and a grant from the McLaughlin Foundation. MVMMS is one of just 13 recipients to receive a 2017 MassCUE Competitive Grant.

Space in the library is already available for students to work on video production and editing, along with an area where students can explore coding and robotics. However, with a formalized area and set of activities in the Idea Lab, the goal is to have students analyze complex problems, ask questions and invent a solution, create a system to collect, analyze and explain data, and use coding to persuade an audience of an argument on a regular basis.

“We’re excited to be one of the few recipients of the MassCUE competitive grant, which will help the middle school develop an established space where students can get involved with projects to accompany curriculum topics or further a subject of interest,” Principal Conway said. “The Idea Lab will generate further excitement and collaboration among kids to extend from the work that is already happening in our classrooms.”

Designed similarly to a makerspace — a community area that combines equipment, tools and resources to create and solve problems outside of a formal learning environment — the Idea Lab will give students the ability to further their learning and knowledge on STEAM topics. Hardware tools, like for cutting wood, will not be included in the space.

“Our Idea Lab will enhance our approach to learning, creating an atmosphere of taking chances, experimenting, learning from failure, and ultimately inventing solutions to scenarios posed in a project-based learning or an inquiry learning setting,” said Wendy Arnold, academic facilitator at the library, who applied for the grant.

The MassCUE grant allows the middle school to purchase MOSS Robotics, Raspberry Pi kits and a littleBits STEAM pack to assist students with developing physical models that incorporate coding and robotics based on their interests and educational needs. Students and teachers can also independently or collaboratively investigate coding and the way computer systems work within the context of school-wide learning.

Furnishing the Idea Lab is underway. The space is expected to be completed by the end of May and will be open to students and teachers during the school week from 2-4 p.m. for free play.

Arnold and Academic Facilitator Joshua Cristiano serve as the project supervisors in collaboration with middle and high school STEM Director Jon Morris and Principal Conway.

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Northeast Metro Tech Adds Robotics and Automation Program to Class Offerings

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Northeast Metro Tech
Superintendent David DiBarri
100 Hemlock Road
Wakefield, MA 01880

For Immediate Release

Monday, March 20, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Northeast Metro Tech Adds Robotics and Automation Program to Class Offerings

WAKEFIELD — School Committee Chairman Deborah Davis of Woburn and Superintendent David DiBarri are pleased to announce that the Northeast Metro Tech School Committee recently voted to implement a Chapter 74 robotics and automation program to begin in the fall.

The course will teach students about the design and development of new products and machines, and how to improve processes and manage operations and repairs, with a focus on industrial robotics. Graduates will leave with the skills needed to pursue a career as a robotics or manufacturing technician, or to study engineering in college.

During a meeting on March 9, School Committee members approved the program for the start of the 2017/2018 school year. This is the 16th vocational program offered at Northeast Metro Tech.

“We understand that over the last decade or so there has been an increased need for qualified robotics and automation technicians and we’re happy to be able to offer a program that will give our students the skills they need to succeed in their careers,” Davis said.

As part of the rollout, incoming ninth grade students will complete a week-long exploratory program for robotics and automation, as all freshmen do with each of the vocational programs offered.

Current ninth grade students will have the opportunity to choose robotics and automation as their vocation of choice and will move into the full curriculum, which is currently in the development phase, at the start of next year.

The curriculum for 11th grade will be added for the 2018/2019 school year, and 12th grade will be completed for the 2019/2020 school year, to coincide with the first set of students progressing through the program. School officials also hope to add an after school robotics club to give interested students the opportunity to get involved with robotics competitions.

Bringing a robotics and automation program to Northeast Metro Tech has been in the works for the last few years. At the School Committee meeting earlier this month, school officials presented the program to members, noting that 122 companies in the Commonwealth use robotics, and according to the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, generated more than $1.6 billion in 2015.

Potential jobs in the industry include robotics programmer, robotics maintenance technician, engineering technician, robotic welding programmer and automation controls technician.

“Robotics and automation directly align with our focus on science, technology, engineering and math,” Superintendent DiBarri said. “We’re extremely excited to have this program available next year and I expect there to be a lot of interest among students.”

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Photos: Families Participate in Melrose Public Schools’ Third Annual Family Engineering Night

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Melrose Public Schools
Superintendent Cyndy S. Taymore
360 Lynn Fells Parkway
Melrose , MA 02176

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Families Participate in Melrose Public Schools’ Third Annual Family Engineering Night

MELROSE — Superintendent Cyndy Taymore is pleased to announce that the Melrose Public Schools hosted the third annual Family Engineering Night last week, where residents came out to partake in literacy-themed design challenges.

On Thursday, Nov. 3, from 6-8 p.m., approximately 80 families and 123 students attended the event in the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School. The evening was sponsored by Title 1, with support from the Melrose Education Foundation, and open to all families in the district that have students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Using Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) strategies, school officials set up a series of design challenges based on children’s literature. Families traveled throughout three rooms and completed self-guided activities, mirroring real-life situations engineers would encounter while working on a project.

“This event continues to grow every year and serves as a great opportunity for students and their families to put their STEM skills to use in a fun, interactive challenge,” Superintendent Taymore said. “This year we chose to bring some of our students’ favorite stories to life by giving them an engineering-based challenge they needed to complete to help characters in the books.”

In one room, families met “The Three Billy Goats Gruff” (by Janet Stevens).

The problem: The billy goats ate all the grass in the valley and they were hungry. They knew that on the other side of the creek there was another meadow full of grass, but they’d have to cross a bridge to get to the other side. However, an evil troll lived under the bridge, and wouldn’t be able to go that way to get to the other side.

The Challenge: Participants decide to help the billy goats reach the opposite side of the ravine so they can eat. Participants must create a model structure to help the billy goats get from one side to the other, while using the engineering design process and only the materials provided.

Criteria: The bridge needed to withstand various weights and cross the provided ravine.

Additionally, residents completed challenges based on “Yertle the Turtle” by Dr. Seuss (where groups needed to build a castle for the king and his subjects) and “Curious George and the Boat Show” (where families constructed a boat that could hold several monkeys and still stay afloat.)

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Margaret Adams, instructional coaches Paula Jones and Melanie Acevedo, and the five elementary school principals attended the event to assist families with the process.

“The children love to come and see their building principal running a station and it is a wonderful opportunity for them to interact with families in a casual setting, while exposing them to the engineering design process,” Jones said.

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