The past year has been an exciting and rewarding experience supporting our dedicated staff of licensed-instructional leaders, as well as non-instructional support personnel.
As lessons and curriculum materials transition to the digital realm, it is wonderful to support students taking greater ownership of their learning by engaging in creative assignments that require digital tools and technology access. The access to technology allows our staff to implement new instructional approaches that enable persistence and provide multiple methods to demonstrate mastery and proficiency.
To meet all students’ needs, the Department of Technology & Digital Learning continues to prepare students to thrive in a world that demands collaboration, innovative thinking, and adaptability and supports independence.
During the first remote learning phase, which began in March 2020, a Google Chromebook or Apple iPad was available to every student to support at-home learning. During the rolling pickup schedule, over 600 devices were loaned to students to support distance learning.
Our recent investments in technology infrastructure, such as replacing wireless access points and teacher laptops and purchasing additional Chromebooks/iPads to support 1:1 computing, have been foundational to a thriving remote and hybrid learning environment. The infrastructure upgrades and the initial instructional and technology systems developed over the spring were beneficial to the 2020-2021 school year opening.
With equitable access across the district to digital tools, such as Google Docs and digital portfolios, and our district-wide 1:1 computing environment, students and staff have access to a powerful combination of instructional tools in documenting and representing mastery of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
Our Investments in core educational software purchased to support all students have been very beneficial. As an example, our pre-kindergarten through second-grade students are working on Seesaw, a learning management system. Since the beginning of the school year, there have been over 100,000 student posts and over 15,000 family members’ visits. The Department of Technology & Digital Learning will continue to support and pursue our role in improving academic outcomes for all of our students at GDRSD.