WCS Chosen For $100K Digital Learning Grant
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The Indiana Department of Education announced the grant recipients Friday.
“The Office of eLearning is happy to announce our newest grant that supports districts ready to launch thoughtful 1:1 implementation plans as well as districts that have assessed their current 1:1 implementation and are prepared to take the next steps, such as expanding grade levels or replicating successes from pilot projects,” a press release from the IDOE stated.
“Funds from this grant support corporations in providing professional development, developing content and expectations, creating avenues for parent and student communication, as well as purchasing devices,” it continued.
In a 1:1 school, every student has a computing device like an iPad for the classroom that they also can take home with them.
According to WCS Chief Academic Officer and Assistant Superintendent David Hoffert Friday night, Warsaw was one of 132 school districts that originally applied. Thirty-three were chosen for a second round of consideration.
During the second stage in Indianapolis over a two-day period, the top 33 applicants had five minutes to set up, 10 minutes to present their proposal and five minutes to tear down. Warsaw’s team gave its pitch Wednesday. Each school corporation could have up to four people in their group to make their proposal. After the proposal, the teams had a question-and-answer session with the IDOE panel.
Warsaw’s pitch team included Hoffert, Chief Technology Officer Brad Hagg, Technology Coach Susan Armacost and Director of Media Services Wendy Kovach.
“The presentation went great. Brad really put things together well,” Hoffert said.
He also noted, “We knew we had a great plan going in. Brad and his team did a great job of putting that in place. It gives us an opportunity to get a jump start on (1:1) with the funding from the Indiana Department of Education. It’s a good plan. We wanted to do one that was sustainable, financially wise and that we could support.”
Hagg Friday night said giving the presentation was an awesome privilege. Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz sat in on the presentations and Hagg said that was an unexpected honor.
“I thought it went well. We did all that we could to make our case. It was a real honor to hear the news we were selected today,” Hagg said.
The most exciting part of the presentation for Hagg, he said, was that at the conclusion of the presentation members of the IDOE at the table were talking about the great things happening at WCS. One member indicated that with all the information Warsaw had from a survey through Bright Bytes, they could talk all day to the panel about the school district.
“They felt we were going in the correct direction,” Hagg stated.
WCS has known for awhile that it was interested in becoming a 1:1 school, he said. However, Hagg said he’s very passionate about investing the community’s resources wisely. Sometimes schools adopt hardware and software too quickly, he said, instead of looking at it very closely and making sure it will work for them.
The Bright Bytes survey gave WCS a clear view of where it was at with technology, Hagg said. The survey indicated that WCS could benefit from professional development to use the technology more wisely, so $75,000 of the IDOE grant will be used to address the professional learning needs of teachers. The other $25,000 will be used to purchase up to 550 iPad Minis.
Hagg said they would start working on the professional learning needs and professional opportunities maybe before the end of the current school year. This summer, the iPads for all the sixth-grade students will be purchased and set up so sixth-graders can begin the 2014-15 school year with them.
“Part of our strategic plan was by the end of this year to have a three-year plan in place to pursue 1:1. With this grant, we now have a plan in place,” Hagg stated.
During the Feb. 18 Warsaw School Board public work session, Hagg explained to the board what the school system would do with the grant dollars.
With the money, WCS would purchase iPad Minis for all of its sixth-graders for the 2014-15 school year. They will be recollected every summer, but given back to the students who return for the following school year.
When those sixth-graders are seventh-graders, that year’s sixth-graders also will get devices. The following year, the next group of sixth-graders will get them so that all sixth- through eighth-graders in that third year will have them.
As an eighth-grader, the student has the option of purchasing the device.
Going into high school, Hagg said they will look at different devices for those students who need it. The ultimate plan over the course of a number of years would be for every student in sixth through 12th grade to have a device.[[In-content Ad]]
The Indiana Department of Education announced the grant recipients Friday.
“The Office of eLearning is happy to announce our newest grant that supports districts ready to launch thoughtful 1:1 implementation plans as well as districts that have assessed their current 1:1 implementation and are prepared to take the next steps, such as expanding grade levels or replicating successes from pilot projects,” a press release from the IDOE stated.
“Funds from this grant support corporations in providing professional development, developing content and expectations, creating avenues for parent and student communication, as well as purchasing devices,” it continued.
In a 1:1 school, every student has a computing device like an iPad for the classroom that they also can take home with them.
According to WCS Chief Academic Officer and Assistant Superintendent David Hoffert Friday night, Warsaw was one of 132 school districts that originally applied. Thirty-three were chosen for a second round of consideration.
During the second stage in Indianapolis over a two-day period, the top 33 applicants had five minutes to set up, 10 minutes to present their proposal and five minutes to tear down. Warsaw’s team gave its pitch Wednesday. Each school corporation could have up to four people in their group to make their proposal. After the proposal, the teams had a question-and-answer session with the IDOE panel.
Warsaw’s pitch team included Hoffert, Chief Technology Officer Brad Hagg, Technology Coach Susan Armacost and Director of Media Services Wendy Kovach.
“The presentation went great. Brad really put things together well,” Hoffert said.
He also noted, “We knew we had a great plan going in. Brad and his team did a great job of putting that in place. It gives us an opportunity to get a jump start on (1:1) with the funding from the Indiana Department of Education. It’s a good plan. We wanted to do one that was sustainable, financially wise and that we could support.”
Hagg Friday night said giving the presentation was an awesome privilege. Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz sat in on the presentations and Hagg said that was an unexpected honor.
“I thought it went well. We did all that we could to make our case. It was a real honor to hear the news we were selected today,” Hagg said.
The most exciting part of the presentation for Hagg, he said, was that at the conclusion of the presentation members of the IDOE at the table were talking about the great things happening at WCS. One member indicated that with all the information Warsaw had from a survey through Bright Bytes, they could talk all day to the panel about the school district.
“They felt we were going in the correct direction,” Hagg stated.
WCS has known for awhile that it was interested in becoming a 1:1 school, he said. However, Hagg said he’s very passionate about investing the community’s resources wisely. Sometimes schools adopt hardware and software too quickly, he said, instead of looking at it very closely and making sure it will work for them.
The Bright Bytes survey gave WCS a clear view of where it was at with technology, Hagg said. The survey indicated that WCS could benefit from professional development to use the technology more wisely, so $75,000 of the IDOE grant will be used to address the professional learning needs of teachers. The other $25,000 will be used to purchase up to 550 iPad Minis.
Hagg said they would start working on the professional learning needs and professional opportunities maybe before the end of the current school year. This summer, the iPads for all the sixth-grade students will be purchased and set up so sixth-graders can begin the 2014-15 school year with them.
“Part of our strategic plan was by the end of this year to have a three-year plan in place to pursue 1:1. With this grant, we now have a plan in place,” Hagg stated.
During the Feb. 18 Warsaw School Board public work session, Hagg explained to the board what the school system would do with the grant dollars.
With the money, WCS would purchase iPad Minis for all of its sixth-graders for the 2014-15 school year. They will be recollected every summer, but given back to the students who return for the following school year.
When those sixth-graders are seventh-graders, that year’s sixth-graders also will get devices. The following year, the next group of sixth-graders will get them so that all sixth- through eighth-graders in that third year will have them.
As an eighth-grader, the student has the option of purchasing the device.
Going into high school, Hagg said they will look at different devices for those students who need it. The ultimate plan over the course of a number of years would be for every student in sixth through 12th grade to have a device.[[In-content Ad]]
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