Belton ISD's mission is to prepare its students to excel in tomorrow's world, and to do so, the One-to-One initiative was started back in 2011.
"When you look at digital learning in Belton, it's not just owning a device or using the device so much as it's really learning those 21st century skills to be successful," Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Deanna Lovesmith said.
Now, when you walk into any of Belton ISD's secondary campuses, you will see students carrying their backpacks and lunch boxes like normal, but you won't be able to miss the iPad in each and every student's hands.
"At sixth grade, our students are taking a multimedia course, and that really helps educate them on different productivity apps, Google documents that allow for that collaboration with one another," Lovesmith added.
South Belton Middle School recently had 81 percent of the total staff be recognized as Apple Teachers which requires professional training.
"With the one to one, all my notes are on the iPad, it saves on their iPad. Even if they're absent, they don't have to come find me the next day and say what did I miss?' It's already saved on there," Apple Teacher Nat Giambalvo said.
Mr. Giambalvo said the devices have changed the dynamic of his classroom, and Belton ISD believes their students will be better prepared for the future if they continue to learn the fundamentals --- reading, writing and math --- but can navigate through it all digitally.
The teachers at South Belton said the devices took some getting use to, but once they had the hang of it, their classrooms were more interactive, more productive and more successful.
Belton ISD has also hosted groups from 14 different countries to witness first hand how they integrate digital learning into a project based format within the classroom.
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