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New money provides more computers for
schools Students in Lauderdale County are one step
closer to Superintendent Phillip Jackson’s goal of providing
laptop computers for each student in the school system with the
approval of Gov. Phil Bredesen’s new tax on tobacco products.
With the new tax, the Lauderdale County system was able to add
funding to its 2007-2008 budget for the classroom. A portion of
that extra revenue will provide new laptop computers for each
student in the sixth through eighth grades. “We’re really
excited to get the laptops,” said Jackson. “It’s something I’ve
been working on for three years and with the funding we are
receiving through the governor’s tobacco tax, we’ve finally got
enough money to do it.” Computers were provided to sixth-grade
classes last year throughout the county when the teacher’s
laptops were updated. Through a contract with Apple computers,
the old computers were recycled for student use and charging
carts were provided for each sixth-grade classroom, as well.
“If you look at some of our test scores for the sixth grade,
especially at Lauderdale Middle School, they really stood out,”
said Jackson. “Particularly in science. If you looked at the
grades that had them and the grades that didn’t, there was
definitely a difference.” “The sixth graders at Lauderdale
Middle School made tremendous, tremendous gains,” said
Elementary Supervisor Harriet Shelby. “TCAP scores were up, as
well as Value-Added scores. We feel that had to do with laptops.
The students made gains in all academic areas, especially
science.” “The majority of the teachers really got into it,”
said Federal Projects/Title I Supervisor Samantha Culver. “They
used them and used them well.” “The teachers also reported
that classroom management was much better because the students
were so interested in the iBooks,” said Jackson. “(The students)
would do just about anything to use them, including behaving and
doing their other work.” A technology coach will be added to
the school system, as well as approximately 1,000 laptops and
carts for each classroom. Carrie Wright will serve the system in
this new role. “Carrie has a Master’s Degree in curriculum and
technology and has been very effective using computers in the
classroom,” said Jackson. “She will be working with teachers to
help them imbed the technology into their existing instruction.
She will provide training and do some modeling and help the
teachers find resources.” “I’m really pleased about that,”
said Jackson. “If we add more laptops in the future, we will
probably be adding more coaches.” At the present time,
students who receive the laptops in their classrooms will not
have the opportunity to take them home, but that is a service
Jackson would like to make available in the long run. “The
laptops will not go home with the students yet,” said Jackson.
“But the plan is in the future for the students to be able to
take them home. For that to happen, parents would have to agree
to be trained in the use and care of the laptops and agree to
insure the computer against damage and theft.” Officials are
already researching safeguards for student Internet use, even
while the computers are off of school property. This can be done
by routing the computers through the school system filters and
state servers, which restrict inappropriate sites. “There is a
piece of software we can put on the computer so that even if
they take it home, it will route the computer through our
access,” said Jackson, who said that Technology Coordinator
Shawn Kimble already has the ability to monitor the new laptops
and the sites students are visiting with the new classroom
technology. “We have the means to monitor what sites are being
used. Shawn can sit in his office and look at all the laptop
screens on one screen and see whether the students area on
appropriate sites or on task.” Jackson is also working with
legislators and state researchers to provide Broadband wireless
Internet throughout the county, another innovation that can be
used to benefit students, educators and area industry as
technology advances in the near future. (see related story)
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