New Opportunities for Engaging CCSD Students and Staff

This past week has brought some very real changes to the Clarkstown Central School District; changes that have been in the works for quite some time.  For months the district's technology committee has worked on such key issues as which resources will best serve our students, what changes and shifts we must make as a learning system to accomodate the needs and learning styles of today's students, and how can we promote student centered learning for all our learners.   A lot of that sounds like "edu-speak" so to put it simply, we had to decide how we can make school a better learning place for students and teachers.  

Two key initiatives were put into practice this week.  The district now provides email for students in grades 6-12, and the district's networks have been enhanced to allow high school students and teachers to bring their own technology devices and utilitze our district's wireless networks to access the Internet.

These two changes alone do not ensure engaged student learning, but an increasing number of teachers and students at CCSD have been using online tools and resources to collaborate from "anytime/anywhere."  This includes using cellphones in class for learning purposes (a process that not too long ago was considered off limits).

South High School Mathematics Teacher George Engel embraced handheld technologies and included them as a pilot in the curriculum with great success! North's Heidi Bernasconi, Tony Celini, Peter Rodriguez, Sue Phalen and others made using web based tools an integral part of their units.  In fact, one parent shared at length the very positive impact these choices had on her daughter's success in school.

Allowing students to bring their own laptops, iPads, smart phones and more to school as tools provides them with further ownership of their learning, respects their autonomy, and allows students (and teachers) to use the tools which they feel are best for the tasks at hand. 

We hear similar stories of improved student engagement at the middle school, where more and more teachers and students are reaching out and collaborating on the web, breaking down the walls of the traditional classrooms and meeting students on their own turf with tools that empower them to reach their potential. 

I will continue to share examples of how the Clarkstown Central School District continues in its efforts to provide the best possible learning opportunities for our students.

Further details regarding student email accounts and bring your own technology are available on my district blog.