Neighbor News
St. John Brebeuf School to Open with New Technology and Science
As the summer winds down in the coming weeks, the excitement of a new school year starts to build.
SJB Students to Enjoy Expanded Technology with More Devices in One-to-One Program
Plans are coming together as St. John Brebeuf (SJB) prepares to open the 2015-2016 school year under Principal Elise Matson who begins her second year. Students will arrive August 24 with classes officially starting at 8:15 a.m. that day. In the evening, it will be Back to School Night with updates from Matson and some parish organizations before students and parents visit with the teachers in classrooms.
“This school year will be particularly exciting at St. John Brebeuf School,” says Matson. “We are launching a One-to-One program in which every student has access to his/her own tablet – either a Nexus 7 or a Chromebook.”
She explained that last year there were only 60 Nexus 7 units and 60 Chromebooks so teachers had to sign out the devices. Now every student has his/her own thanks to funding from several years of the St. John Brebeuf Gala event. She added parents are also paying a $50 per child technology fee. Grades K-2 will be using Nexus 7 tablets while older grades use Chromebooks.
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In addition, after over a dozen years on the previous science program, SJB has a new science series called Science Fusion. This new series is for K-8 and is among the latest available, she added. There will be classroom and online components which are very exciting for students, Matson said.
In 2014, SJB piloted using Google-based devices with students and teachers. All students and teachers in grades K-3 had an opportunity to work with Nexus 7 tablets, and students in 4-8th grade worked with Chromebooks. Teachers and administrators took special classes. Adam Taylor, Assistant Principal, led the professional development with teachers, helping each of them integrate technology in their classroom.
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Matson noted, the school has finished the installation of Wi-Fi throughout the building and the upgrade of infrastructure to support the new Chromebook and Nexus 7 tablets.
“We are all excited about the increased ability to help students develop the 21st century technology skills they will need,” Matson says. “Everyone is looking forward to a great year of working with our updated technology and science program.”
For more information visit www.sjbschool.org or call 847-966-3266.
