1,450 North Springs Students Receive Microsoft Surface Tablets

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- After more than a year of preparation, Deployment Day at North Springs Charter High School finally dawned.

And thanks to the efforts of staff and students, the school was ready. On Thursday, Sept. 15, 1,450 students received new Microsoft Surface tablets during a detailed “D Day” plan orchestrated by the Sallie Holloway, the school’s instructional technology specialist.

Helping execute the plan were North Springs media and technology specialists Lory Cox and Eric Echols, Fulton County IT staff and 11 trained and technically savvy North Springs students that make up the SPARTECH Team.

“We could not have done it without the help of so many people especially our SPARTECH team, “ said Holloway, referring to the group of students she has worked with since last spring who created a website, training videos and will help teachers and students use their new devices and troubleshoot technical difficulties.

“We had an incredibly smooth roll out with minimal hiccups," Principal Scott Hanson said. "It was a great team effort, and seeing students enjoying and actively using their tablets in class made all the advance preparation and hard work worth it.”

Holloway added the purpose behind the initiative is to provide students with the resources and opportunities needed to create a more personalized learning experience.

“That’s my goal, the school’s goal and ultimately Fulton County Schools’ goal with the personalized learning initiative,” she added.

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Photo 1: Trevor Langill and James Dearing use their new tablets in Gwen Kaminsky's AP Psychology class. Both students said they "loved it.
Photo 2: SPARTECH Team members excited and ready to help with "D Day" will provide help to students and teachers daily during third period and before and after school two days each week-are from left: Isaac Chambers, Shaharia Chowdhury, Alice Abidoye, Marcus McColl, Jaylin Grier, Autumn Davis, Eric Abel, Anthony Bi, Instructional Technology Specialist Sallie Holloway, DeAndria Wiggins, JaredRakusin, and David Reid.
Photo 3: Instructional Technology Specialist Sallie Holloway, Media Specialist Lory Cox, SPARTECH members Alice Abidoye, Jared Rakusin and iSchool staff member
Photo credits: North Springs Charter High School