BELTON - At its regular meeting on Monday, June 18, the Belton ISD Board of Trustees approved a plan to increase students' access to technology learning tools at Belton High School. The Board authorized the purchase of iPads for every student at Belton High School for the upcoming school year. This one-to-one iPad initiative has been in the planning stages for several months and is based on the success of other iPad projects throughout the District, particularly at South Belton Middle School where students successfully used the devices for learning this past school year. Funding for the purchase of the devices will come from money allocated from the State to the District for the purchase of instructional materials such as textbooks. However, those funds may now be used to purchase technology hardware and software. Superintendent Dr. Susan Kincannon, "As the delivery of information has changed over the last 10 years outside the school—from print to digital—schools now need the flexibility to deliver content digitally as well. The ability to use textbook funds for the purchase of an iPad for every student will allow us to make that transition. Our students must have strong skills using technology upon graduation to be successful in college and careers."
According to Superintendent Dr. Susan Kincannon, "Infrastructure improvements at Belton High School are complete, and the campus is ready to handle the bandwidth that will be required for this project." Belton High School teachers received their iPads this spring, and professional development is planned during the summer to assist them in developing lessons using the devices.
Ed Braeuer, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, said, "Our vision for the use of technology in BISD is a fundamental change in instruction. Technology remains a tool, but it is a powerful tool to change students from passive learners to active learners, and teachers from presenters to facilitators of learning." Kathy Cook, Belton High School Principal, continued, "I am so proud that I am able to be in a district whose leaders and school board are so forward thinking. This one-to-one iPad initiative will allow our teachers at Belton High School to design extraordinary instruction for our students. We have done our homework preparing for this project. In addition to what we learned from our colleagues at South Belton Middle School, we have visited other high schools with one-to-one iPad initiatives, and I believe we will be ready to effectively use the iPads for quality instruction."
Teachers and students alike are excited about the prospects: Joe Savoldi, physics teacher, "It's opening a world of examples and demonstrations for our classes. I'm hoping to set up homework assignments online and cut down on paper costs. This will move our students into the 21st Century. Belton High School junior, Scott Jackson: "One great advantage will be having textbooks on the iPad so we will have our books with us at all times."
Belton High School will host a series of informational meetings for parents prior to distribution of the iPads during the early part of the school year this fall.
