Essential to the advancement of GDRSD’s goals surrounding the creation of environments for innovation and keeping pace with advancements in digital learning, considerable technology initiatives outlined in our Strategic Technology Plan was completed this past year. Our strategic roadmap provided a framework and a time frame to complete the necessary improvements. It is exciting to share just some of the accomplishments with our community.
With the support of a capital plan approved at town meeting, as well as external infrastructure grants, sourced through the federal government and through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, all of our schools have received major infrastructure upgrades to wireless access points, network switching, and fiber optic cabling. There were several instances were locations were relying on antiquated networking cables. As a part of the infrastructure upgrades, these locations were upgraded to the Category 6 cable standard.
Without a strong infrastructure backbone, the Department of Technology & Digital Learning wouldn’t be able to support the growing demand on Internet connectivity from over 2,200 Google Chromebooks, 350 Apple iPads, 250 faculty devices, and over 100 desktop computers available in computer labs. Each day, thousands of devices connect to our network to make the best use of digital tools that are in support of our rigorous, technology-infused curriculum. With access to a strong network and updated technology tools, student-centered learning, as well as technology-enhanced learning, can be offered by our faculty. Also important to mention is the addition of wall-mounted, ultrashort-throw projectors in our classrooms. Projectors have been installed at the Boutwell Early Childhood Center all the way up to our high school classrooms, providing faculty with a great way to share information contained in lessons.
In addition to a phone system that is reliant upon our network, as you may know, students in third and fourth grades have been working in a 1:1 Google Chromebook environment (one device for each student) for the past several years. With the success of this approach at the elementary level, this year, we adopted a 1:1 Google Chromebook program at our middle school. Google Chromebooks are known for their ease of use, low cost, and best of all support students in the latest collaborative and productivity tools, allowing for deeper engagement within all areas of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.