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End Date:
07/29/2016

Hillel Torah plans to implement a one device per student program in our middle school. We plan to provide every middle school student with a Chromebook (ASUS Flip). This is no ordinary 1:1 program. We are preparing for success with some unique and innovative initiatives intended to instill in our students a love of learning that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

What makes our 1:1 program unique? Below are just a few initiatives at Hillel Torah that we will finally be able to implement upon successfully meeting our financial goal.

1. Currently our middle school students spend $150 on graphing calculators. We plan to eliminate this expense and utilize the Chromebook as a graphing calculator. For just a small additional cost, students will replace one tool (the graphing calculator) with a tool that is infinitely more powerful and versatile for our students.

2. As a Jewish Day School we have a dual curriculum program. We are planning a Global Peer-to-Peer language learning program. We will be partnering with a school in Israel. Our middle school students will peer tutor the students in our partner school in English, and the Israeli students will help our students with their Hebrew studies. Because of the time difference, students will need to connect synchronously with their global partners outside of school hours. They will use their Chromebook for this unique, innovative, and unforgettable learning experience.

3. We are currently developing a school wide computer science curriculum. Without digital devices for our students, this initiative will not be nearly as successful as it could be. Very few schools are at the stage of officially adopting a computer science curriculum. We are one of the first in our area, especially in the Jewish Day School community. At Hillel Torah we recognize the importance of digital literacy in the 21st century.

4. E-Portfolios - While not a new concept, our teachers have not had the means to implement the use of digital portfolios to document student learning. The E-Portfolios will be a new way for our teachers to differentiate learning, as well as for our students to reflect on their own education. This initiative will help Hillel Torah students grow into true lifelong learners.

5. Another new initiative we are working toward is implementing the use of activity trackers to support health and fitness at Hillel Torah. Our middle school students have PE only once a week. We will be providing activity trackers to our students. With a Chromebook device for each student, they will be able to better monitor their physical activity. In addition, they will be charting this activity using Google Spreadsheets, and teachers will be able to monitor the activity as well. In collaborative teams and with some healthy competition, we will recognize the most active team at the end of each month. Working together, students will support their teammates, reminding each other to go take a walk, or pulling together an impromptu basketball game, etc. With only 1 day a week of PE, we believe this initiative will encourage more physical activity and instill within our students the importance and value of living a healthy lifestyle.

6. The Teachable Moment - Our teachers are unable to take advantage of the important "teachable moments" that occur every day. With a digital device at each student's disposal, teachers will finally have the opportunity to delve into the unexpected lessons that can be learned based on the countless variables that happen in our daily lives. Yes, our teachers create lesson plans. However, like life itself, lessons do not always go according to plan. Currently teachers must reserve one of our 2 Chromebook Carts at least a week in advance. It is virtually impossible in today's technology-rich world to take advantage of the unexpected yet unforgettable teachable moments.

7. The most important school supply that is not on the supply list! Every year students are expected to have pencils, notebooks, scissors, markers, etc. However, our students are falling behind in their 21st Century learning and executive functioning skills. Teachers do not have to reserve a cart of pens or paper a week in advance, so why must we do that with digital devices? Technology is today's pen and paper. As David Warlick said, “We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.” We live in a digital world. Information and digital tools need to be accessible to our students 24/7. Imagine for a moment that you would have to "reserve" your mobile device a week in advance in order to use it. Clearly that is not how the real world works. We owe it to our students to create an environment that mirrors real life outside the walls of our school and prepare them for how the real world DOES work.

All of this is just the beginning. The possibilities are endless. Learning does not happen according to a schedule. Consider the words of Nancy Kassebaum: “There can be infinite uses of the computer and of new age technology, but if teachers themselves are not able to bring it into the classroom and make it work, then it fails.” Hillel Torah MUST achieve its goal so that the our students have the opportunity to become successful lifelong learners in today's digital world.

24/7 Access = Lifelong Learning!

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