How to Get a New Apple iPad: Be a Johnston High School Student

Will an Apple iPad a day keep poor grades away?

Johnston High School students are about to find out.

In January, Johnston high school students will return from winter break to Apple iPad on their desks.

Following a successful pilot program last year, Johnston Community School District  moved forward with a 1:1 Initiative that will place an innovative tech tool in the hands of every high school student, according to a news release from the district. This program directly aligns with the standards set forth by the Iowa Core 21st century technology skills focus.

“Much of the Iowa Core focuses on creation, communication, and collaboration,” Ann Wiley, the district's instructional technology coordinator, said in the release. “The 1:1 will bring those three areas together in the classroom, between teachers and students.”

to approve the concept of a at the high school level for a price tag of $1.42 million over three years. 

The funding for the program comes from the , which can be used for school repairs, building, transportation and and purchase of classroom technology. In February, through fiscal year 2023.

Science teacher Dustin Mead was part of the pilot program and will use iPads full-time in his classroom this year.

“[Last year] I used the iPads for instructional videos to guide the students through dissections, allowing me to spend my time discussing deeper connections to the content with the students rather than instructions,” Mead said.