RTC's Communicator for Spring 2019

8 SPRING 2019 The mission statement of Garrison Public Schools is to “Inspire and Empower Students to Life-Long Excellence,” and this is evident in the classrooms of Bob Callies Elementary and Garrison High School. Positive and dedicated educators work to provide the best education possible for the more than 400 students in preschool and K-12. Garrison Public Schools BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Technology expands educational opportunities in many ways Devices for Every Student To improve learning outcomes, Garrison Public Schools are taking advantage of technology in a variety of ways, made pos- sible by its one-to-one (1:1) program. This puts devices in the hands of every student for classroom use and, in some cases, at- home use as well. Kindergarten students have access to mini iPad tablets, and students in grades 1-2 have access to Mac- Book laptops. In grades 3-6, students are assigned Chromebooks. Grade 6-12 stu- dents can take their Chromebooks home. Dr. Nick Klemisch, Superintendent of Garrison Public Schools, says, “We believe in the power of a 1:1 program. Technology is all about getting instant information. This generation is used to having everything at their fingertips, and the challenge is teaching them to deter- mine fact vs. fiction, correct vs. incorrect.” Klemisch continues, “Our classrooms have evolved from teachers using overhead pro- jectors to smart boards to today’s JTouch touchscreen interactive displays. These dis- plays are connected to the internet and to student and teacher computers, expanding classroom learning opportunities. Thank- fully, technology for schools is now simpler and more user friendly than in the past, and costs are also coming down.” Shelly Fuller, Principal of Bob Callies Elementary School, shares examples of how this technology is used: “We use a JTouch display for most of our large group instruction. In addition, we have a variety of online subscriptions, apps, and websites to enhance the curriculum. We’re no lon- ger limited to printed materials within the walls of our school building for our stu- dents' learning. Teachers can broaden the classroom experience by taking students on virtual field trips, for instance.” Endless Possibilities for Learning Additional ways technology is expand- ing education at Garrison Public Schools include: • Teachers give students assignments to be completed on the computers which provide instant feedback.  Ilise Jennings, student at Garrison High School, using her Chromebook