4/12/13 – Buffalo, NY – On Friday April 12, St. Joseph’s Collegiate High School was the site for a technology gathering of administrators and IT representatives from five schools in the western sector of DENA.
Individuals came from De La Salle Collegiate, De La Salle “Oaklands”, CBA-Syracuse, Central Catholic, and the host school. The gathering was a direct result of the November 2012 Chief Administrators meeting that was held to discuss the District Vision and Action Plan for Mission. During one of the sessions administrators were organized by geographic area and asked to initiate 1-2 “activities” responding to Directional Statements #5e and 12. Our “Western Frontier” committed to two events–a workshop on emerging 1:1 technology programs and a service immersion project for students from the five schools.
The technology program held at St. Joe’s centered on the new 1:1 iPad program begun this year with freshmen.
President Robert Scott, AFSC, and Principal Jeffrey Hazel spoke to the reasons for the program, the development and implementation process, costs, challenges, and professional development. Following them, IT Integration Specialist Steven Koniarczyk addressed many of the technical and application topics and issues. Attendees had the opportunity for Q and A as well as discussion about the information presented. During the morning the visiting administrators and IT representatives had the opportunity to visit science, English, social studies, and religion classes to see the use of the iPads in action. At the end of the morning two members of the St. Joseph’s Board of Trustees Technology committee presented to the representatives on the work of the committee in relation to this new program as well as other areas they are engaged in to support overall technology needs at St. Joe’s. The workshop concluded with a working lunch discussing various issues and topics raised during the morning presentations and observations. Thanks to these schools for their efforts to work “together and by association” in their efforts to meet the emerging needs of their students and teachers and their efforts in response to the District’s Vision and Action Plan for Mission.