A press release from Crystal Lake High School District 155:
District 155 Board Approves Implementation of 1:1 Technology Program
Crystal Lake – The Board of Education approved the implementation of a 1:1 technology program on December 13. Each D155 student will have a Chromebook every period of the day and will have a Chromebook to take home.
The district will launch the 1:1 technology program beginning with the 2017-18 school year.
Ted Wagner
“For years, we’ve been working to find a way to provide the most innovative educational programs for our students.
“This decision continues a tradition of being in the forefront of providing a high quality educational environment for all students,” Ted Wagner, Board of Education president.
The district received valuable input from staff, students, and parents at town hall meetings and through survey responses
Implementing a 1:1 technology program in D155 will enhance collaboration and encourage personalized learning while expanding learning resources and the learning environment.
This program will better support student learning; it will not replace quality teachers or instruction.
Johnnie Thomas
“This is a game changer for the district.
“I believe that leveling the playing field for all students and creating an environment that allows for learning to take place anywhere, anytime, any place, is currently the direction of 21st century education,” Dr. Johnnie Thomas, superintendent.
Several technology enhancements have already been made throughout the district including infrastructure upgrades and a filtering and mobile device management software agreement has been approved.
A committee comprised of teachers, tech staff, and administrators generated a professional development plan which includes trainings and workshops to prepare staff for implementation.
The district will host a student-parent training session in April.
The cost to implement a 1:1 technology program has already been included in the FY 17 budget and is projected to cost $1,350,000.
Tools and equipment to manage and support devices are projected to cost an additional $181,000, which is also included in the FY 17 budget.
What a frugal decision to supply Chromebooks!
Hope they start teaching how to code next!!
The high school district which does not bother to videotape board meetings and archive them on its website is implementing Chromebooks.
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1:1 at District 155
http://ww3.d155.org/tech/1to1
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Schools in CHSD 155:
– Crystal Lake Central
– Crystal Lake South
– Cary Grove (Cary & Fox River Grove, located in Cary)
– Prairie Ridge (Crystal Lake)
Now, Moderate is making sense.
I can see providing Chromebooks for needy students, but I don’t see why the taxpayers should have to buy them for everybody.
Most of the parents in that district are financially able to equip their own children.
Also, Chromebooks are somewhat crippled without a high speed internet connection.
I hope this program isn’t a precursor to D155 providing home broadband to students.
There are school districts that are doing that now.
From Mark’s link: “….As part of this process, we have reached out to our key stakeholders (students, staff, and parents) in various ways….”
Notice that they don’t include the taxpayers as one of their key stakeholders.
People don’t seem to understand. “They” WANT you connected to the internet of things. It is how they plan on controlling everyone. Free Chromebooks Yeah! Free broadband. Yeah! When you finally wake up to what this all leads to, it will be too late. (BTW they are using YOUR money to enslave you. Nothing is free!)
What is this going to cost the students/parents? D47 gives out chromebooks for the middle school kids and that costs us an extra $150.
D 155 1:1 Technology Program – FAQ
“How were funds allocated to pay for the 1:1 Technology Program?
For this 2016 – 2017 school year, the State of Illinois increased its General State Aid contribution to school districts.
D155 allocated this additional revenue to cover the remaining start up costs for its 1:1 Technology Program within its balanced Fiscal Year 2017 budget.
To sustain 1:1 Technology Program, District 155 will continue to allocate its resources strategically.
District 155 also is evaluating its current student fee structure and comparing it with other area school districts.
If it makes sense to increase student fees, this new revenue could be used to support any new district initiative, including the proposed 1:1 Technology Program.”
http://ww3.d155.org/tech/1to1/Pages/faqs.aspx
With Johnnie in charge, what could possibly go wrong???
https://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/responsive/embedded/any/desktop/2016/01/10/635880626717598137-1209258587_School%20Education%20System.jpg
It’s a revenue generator for the district.
Kids lose the Chromebook and the $199 device costs the parents $500!
Speaking about “student fees”, I moved from another state in which our property taxes were 1/2 and there were no “student fees”.
How did we manage to get by?
With that being said, I am against any student fees and especially and hike in such fees.
We moved here in 1958 and were quite surprised that there were student fees in Crystal Lake.
We had none in Maryland, Utah or New York.
I suspect that student fees are not that popular in other states Cal.
One would think that with some of the highest property taxes in the nation they there would be plenty of money to go around, without student fees.
I say another Reason for NO NEED of any Library Expansion now, if the students have chrome books to take home now they don’t need to suck off us taxpayers now for millions to expand.
We pay one way or another… don’t you know…
I’d rather see this then the blood sucking library waste happen.
I’m not a fan of Chromebooks for a variety of reasons, but if the school district is bound and determined to hand them out, I’d much rather they be paid for by student fees than by property taxes.
Sure Billy Bob, and I’m sure the taxpayers didn’t want to pay for your hand held chalkboard when you were in school, but did it anyway because we shouldn’t skimp on education tools, rather hold leadership accountable to hire and develop the best staff possible in the most frugal way possible.
We had to purchase our own books and supplies at my high school.
That’s the way it should be everywhere except in cases of legitimate financial need.
Good point LTR, yet another strike against the library.
Time to sell it off to a non-profit who can run it without taxpayer funds.