News
Apr 13 2010
A laptop for every student
“Delighted.”
That’s what the administration, staff and students of Creve Coeur’s Parkview Junior High School are, now that they know their school will receive $640,000 in grant money to upgrade technology, said Public School District 76 Superintendant Jeanne Davis.
The Illinois State Board of Education announced this week that it would award $10 million to schools for technology upgrades, and Creve Coeur was one of 15 school districts across the state to qualify out of 182 applicants. The grants, ranging from $332,000 to $850,000 and garnered from recovery funds, are promised to the districts. The grant money is to go toward enhancing student achievement in literacy and mathematics with the use of one-on-one technology, said District 76 Superintendant Jeanne Davis.
With the funds, Davis said, District 76 intends to provide laptops for every student in Parkview Jr. High. They will furnish all of the classrooms with smart boards as well, she said.
They must first upgrade the infrastructure of the school in order to facilitate the wireless network necessary for the laptops, said Davis. Once the building is ready to house the new technology, the next step will be to transition both staff and students in its use.
“A huge piece of this is professional development, not only for the teachers but for the students and parents as well. Part of the grant is being set aside for parent training so they can come to the school and use the software,” Davis said.
The technology will be used to provide supportive research programs to students who are struggling with math and reading, as well as providing extra challenges for students who are excelling in those areas, Davis said.
Although the students will have individual laptops, the technology will be used collectively and in a group, Davis said.
“The technology wizards will tell you that teaching technology in isolation is not effective. You have to embed that instruction in actual learning,” Davis said.
Although the funds have been promised to the district, they have not yet received it, Davis said. ISBE has said the check should be in the district’s hands by end of the year, she said.
Just like most districts throughout the state, Davis said, District 76 has had to make its share of cuts over the last year as state funds have not been dispersed. Five general state aid payments were “replaced” with American Recovery and Reinvestment funds, Davis said — but that money has yet to be seen.
In the face of such losses, the district has had to lay off all paraprofessionals, six teachers, two bus drivers, two custodians, and one kitchen worker, Davis said. She does not see the funding reductions easing up anytime soon, Davis said.
“I think hitting the schools is the state’s way of getting taxes increased, and that’s why I think the cuts will continue until they get it passed. The only way to get their message across is to hit people where they’ll feel it, and that’s through their children.”
District 76 has been fiscally responsible over the years, Davis said, which has left them in a better position than many schools throughout the state.
The state’s funding problems, she said, have left District 76 with the understanding that it will have to “learn a new way of doing business,” Davis said. One aspect of that is finding a new way to bring money in, and they are applying for grant after grant in order to do so, said Davis.
“You have to get pretty creative about keeping the integrity of your programs,” she said. “We’re looking carefully at our insurance, at our extracurricular activities, and into partnering with other schools as a way to continue offering our children opportunities in different ways. We have to accept this challenge to do things differently.”
Kathy Radovich’s position, director of grant writing, shows the district’s commitment to looking into other revenue streams.
“Money is being pulled from schools right and left. The only way to obtain these things we need is to pursue other avenues ... My position was our district’s answer to this financial problem of trying to bring in goods and services that we cannot afford,” Radovich explained.
She took the position a year ago, Radovich said, and since then the district has received $702,000 in grants. For as small as a district as they are, she said, that’s a pretty fair amount.
Radovich said the administration and staff of District 76 work together to keep things going as well as they are.
“This is a fabulous group of educators that work unbelievably hard and are unbelievably dedicated, for very little money. The results we’ve seen from that is why I stay in this business, and why I know many others do, too,” Radovich said.
Pushing the bleakness of Illinois school funding aside, Davis said she hopes to put more focus on the great things happening at the Creve Coeur schools and on their students.
“People forget that even in a struggling community, there are wonderful things going on for our children,” Davis said.
“I want the children to have the chance to celebrate themselves.”
That’s what the administration, staff and students of Creve Coeur’s Parkview Junior High School are, now that they know their school will receive $640,000 in grant money to upgrade technology, said Public School District 76 Superintendant Jeanne Davis.
The Illinois State Board of Education announced this week that it would award $10 million to schools for technology upgrades, and Creve Coeur was one of 15 school districts across the state to qualify out of 182 applicants. The grants, ranging from $332,000 to $850,000 and garnered from recovery funds, are promised to the districts. The grant money is to go toward enhancing student achievement in literacy and mathematics with the use of one-on-one technology, said District 76 Superintendant Jeanne Davis.
With the funds, Davis said, District 76 intends to provide laptops for every student in Parkview Jr. High. They will furnish all of the classrooms with smart boards as well, she said.
They must first upgrade the infrastructure of the school in order to facilitate the wireless network necessary for the laptops, said Davis. Once the building is ready to house the new technology, the next step will be to transition both staff and students in its use.
“A huge piece of this is professional development, not only for the teachers but for the students and parents as well. Part of the grant is being set aside for parent training so they can come to the school and use the software,” Davis said.
The technology will be used to provide supportive research programs to students who are struggling with math and reading, as well as providing extra challenges for students who are excelling in those areas, Davis said.
Although the students will have individual laptops, the technology will be used collectively and in a group, Davis said.
“The technology wizards will tell you that teaching technology in isolation is not effective. You have to embed that instruction in actual learning,” Davis said.
Although the funds have been promised to the district, they have not yet received it, Davis said. ISBE has said the check should be in the district’s hands by end of the year, she said.
Just like most districts throughout the state, Davis said, District 76 has had to make its share of cuts over the last year as state funds have not been dispersed. Five general state aid payments were “replaced” with American Recovery and Reinvestment funds, Davis said — but that money has yet to be seen.
In the face of such losses, the district has had to lay off all paraprofessionals, six teachers, two bus drivers, two custodians, and one kitchen worker, Davis said. She does not see the funding reductions easing up anytime soon, Davis said.
“I think hitting the schools is the state’s way of getting taxes increased, and that’s why I think the cuts will continue until they get it passed. The only way to get their message across is to hit people where they’ll feel it, and that’s through their children.”
District 76 has been fiscally responsible over the years, Davis said, which has left them in a better position than many schools throughout the state.
The state’s funding problems, she said, have left District 76 with the understanding that it will have to “learn a new way of doing business,” Davis said. One aspect of that is finding a new way to bring money in, and they are applying for grant after grant in order to do so, said Davis.
“You have to get pretty creative about keeping the integrity of your programs,” she said. “We’re looking carefully at our insurance, at our extracurricular activities, and into partnering with other schools as a way to continue offering our children opportunities in different ways. We have to accept this challenge to do things differently.”
Kathy Radovich’s position, director of grant writing, shows the district’s commitment to looking into other revenue streams.
“Money is being pulled from schools right and left. The only way to obtain these things we need is to pursue other avenues ... My position was our district’s answer to this financial problem of trying to bring in goods and services that we cannot afford,” Radovich explained.
She took the position a year ago, Radovich said, and since then the district has received $702,000 in grants. For as small as a district as they are, she said, that’s a pretty fair amount.
Radovich said the administration and staff of District 76 work together to keep things going as well as they are.
“This is a fabulous group of educators that work unbelievably hard and are unbelievably dedicated, for very little money. The results we’ve seen from that is why I stay in this business, and why I know many others do, too,” Radovich said.
Pushing the bleakness of Illinois school funding aside, Davis said she hopes to put more focus on the great things happening at the Creve Coeur schools and on their students.
“People forget that even in a struggling community, there are wonderful things going on for our children,” Davis said.
“I want the children to have the chance to celebrate themselves.”
