Trenton R-9 Technology Coordinator Kris Ockenfels was the guest speaker at Thursday’s Trenton Rotary Club meeting. Jeff Crowley was the program chairman.
Ockenfels talked about the district’s implementation of the 1:World Initiative to provide students with the latest technology available in education. The project has been ongoing for the past three years while work has been done to increase bandwidth and connect all five of the district campuses onto one system. During the December R-9 Board of Education meeting, members voted to implement a plan to upgrade the district’s technology over a five-year period, including the use of iPads by students in grades K-12. Elementary students in grades K-4 would have an iPad cart available for use by students in staff while students in grades seven through 12 would eventually all have their own iPad. Fifth and sixth grade students will have their computer labs upgraded to one computer for every two students.
Ockenfels said the staff has already received their iPads and are currently being trained to be ready for next school year. At that time, seventh and eighth graders will get their iPad and use them in the classroom, with high school students to begin using them during the 2015-2016 school year. He said students will have ownership of the iPads during their time in school and that the district is working on ways to filter the type of information that can be downloaded. In the meantime, three subcommittees at the school are working on policies and procedures in regard to use of the iPads by both students and staff.
Sarah Maloney is the program chairman for the Jan. 16 meeting.
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