Shoreline Instructional Technology

2011-2012 Technology Program

School Board approves District high school technology plan for 2011-12

The Shoreline School Board has approved a high school technology plan for 2011-12 that includes the deployment of Apple iPads to students at Shorewood High School.

The Board and District leadership have studied a range of options regarding high school technology for the 2011-12 school year, given that technology levy funds cannot support a wholesale replacement of the District's existing 1-to-1 laptop program which began five years ago.

Of the options that were reviewed, a gradual shift to lower-cost tablet devices offers the District the most benefit. The District piloted the iPads in selected English, Social Studies and Science classes at both high schools this year. The benefits of an iPad include longer battery life, portability, number and low cost of apps and e-Book reader. The District expects that the devices will replace textbooks in many cases.

For 2011-12, Shorewood students would each receive an iPad, while keeping 1-to-1 laptops at Shorecrest. Surplus laptops will be on carts at Shorewood for activities not available on the iPad. Shorewood staff will receive training over the summer for the fall implementation. The District will evaluate the effectiveness of the program for potential expansion to Shorecrest High School in 2012-13.

The estimated cost is just over $1 million, from technology levy funds approved by Shoreline School District voters in February 2010.

FAQ on iPad program at Shorewood (download PDF)

Documents for 2011-2012 High School Technology Initiatives

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2010-2011 Technology Info

District adopts 2010-11 technology plan

The Shoreline School Board has approved a 2010-2011 technology plan for the District that makes changes to the existing one-to-one laptop program. The plan provides an opportunity to pause, reflect and pilot emerging technologies for instructional use in the classroom, in addition to a slightly different laptop model in middle school.

The District surveyed secondary parents, staff and students to receive their opinions about use of technology in April, and the Board discussed the plans at four meetings in April and early May.

The plan for 2010-11 includes:

* For grades 9 to 12, the current one-to-one take-home laptop program remains in place for next year.

* For grades 7 and 8, the District is purchasing 600 new MacBooks for middle school use on mobile carts (approximately 1 laptop for every 2 students) and providing students with a USB drive for transferring data between home and school. (Plans are underway to make the older iBooks available for home-based check-out for students without computer access at home.) The district is exploring Web-based calendar and classroom organizing tools for access from any Internet-connected computer.

* The District will also pilot new technologies, such as the iPads and other emerging technologies in the classroom during the year.

The changes to the laptop program are driven in part by the fact that roughly 1,400 five-year-old iBooks in the middle schools will not be serviceable after this year. The cost to replace the expiring iBooks, currently in use in grades 7 and 8, is estimated to be approximately $1.4 million.

Although District voters passed a four-year, $12 million technology levy in February, those funds will not begin to become available until the spring of 2011, making only $1.5 million available in the 2010-2011 school year. The District may not use remaining 2006 bond funds to replace existing computers.

Parent Option Plan Adopted and Other Important Documents

Based on staff and parent input received through the recent laptop survey – as well as other feedback and data – the district is revising its policy regarding the laptop program to better accommodate the diverse preferences for laptop access expressed by stakeholders.  Specifically, the new policy is designed to allow families to choose between 1) having their student(s) check out a laptop for full 24/7 access with an agreement to all fees and conditions set by the district and/or school, or 2) to use school-housed laptops when teachers determine they are needed for classroom activities, plus agreeing to provide sufficient access to home technology for completion of school assignments. More information is available in the following documents:

Laptop Distribution

Plans are being finalized for the distribution of secondary student laptops for the 2010-2011 school year. More details will become available in the coming weeks and this page will be updated accordingly.

  • Each school is developing its own distribution system and will communicate the specifics with families sometime in August.
  • Most students and parents will not need to attend an orientation session again this year. Exceptions may include incoming 9th graders and students new to Shoreline, but this will be determined by each school so please look for school mailings for specific procedures.
  • Families will be encouraged to pre-pay the laptop fee as one way to expedite the distribution. See details above.
  • Fees for the high school laptop program have changed this year. The laptop fees this year will be $70 for the insurance coverage and $20 for a laptop case, if one is needed (cases used in middle school will accommodate the high school MacBooks). Students are permitted to provide their own protective cases/sleeves rather than purchase one from the district, but the case must provide a comparable level of protection for the laptop.
  • All laptop-related fines and deductibles assessed during the 2009-2010 school year must be resolved ASAP or 2010-2011 laptop privileges may be delayed.