K-12 Computing Blueprint News - September 2009 Welcome to the September issue of the K-12 Computing Blueprint newsletter. This newsletter and the K-12 Computing Blueprint site are brought to you by Intel and Tech & Learning magazine. If, for any reason, you do not want to receive this monthly eNewsletter, please visit your custom subscription management page (the link is at the bottom of this email), and feel free to unsubscribe to this mailing. Editor's Note We hope that the 2009-2010 school year is off to a good start for you, regardless of the challenges offered by today's economy. Judging from what we've heard from this year's Schools of Distinction winners – as well as the many other exemplary districts profiled in recent months at the K-12 Computing Blueprint site – innovation, inspiration and hope are alive and well at schools throughout this country. Congratulations to all of you who are finding ways to stay the course and prepare your students with the skills they need to be leaders in the second and third decades of the 21st century. And the Winner Is... The winners of Intel's annual Schools of Distinction program were honored earlier this week at a three-day event in Washington, D.C., that included a gala black tie dinner, visits to Capital Hill to participate in a STEM caucus briefing, and an awards ceremony at which the Star Innovator was announced. Chosen from the six exemplary winners – all of whom received top honors for their extraordinary commitment to innovative programs that inspire their students to excel in the areas of math and science – this year's Star Innovator school is the Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora, Illinois. At IMSA, a highly qualified faculty, flexible schedules, cutting-edge technology, and an emphasis on scientific inquiry and research all contribute to a learning environment that nurtures academic excellence and provides exceptional opportunities for young scientists dedicated to improving people's lives. The other winners are: Cedar Park Elementary School in Truman, AZ; Urban Assembly for Applied Math and Science in Bronx, NY; Lynn English High School in Lynn, MA; Oakcliffe Elementary School in Doraville, GA; and Palm Desert Middle School in Palm Desert, CA. T&L's managing editor, Christine Weiser, attended this year's awards event and was inspired by what she saw and heard from all of the winners. Visit our Schools of Distinction page to read more about the program and winners and to check out Christine's videos and blog, which capture highlights of the event. Netbooks: Are They Enough for Our Students? At the K12 Computing Blueprint web site this month you can read about Maine's efforts to expand its ground-breaking MLTI laptop program, previously available only in middle schools, to its high school students. More than half of the state's high schools have opted into the program, which involves leasing MacBook computers – along with a full suite of software – for all of their students at a discounted rate negotiated by the state. But what of the other districts in Maine? Many of them share with their state leaders a commitment to continuing the gains seen by middle school students as a result of MLTI but say that, with the state unable to foot the bill for the high school hardware, they do not have the funds to buy into the four-year laptop lease. A number of these districts believe they have found the answer in lower-cost netbook computers. Where do you come down on netbooks and their value in secondary education? Help Get the Facts Out: Take the Project RED Survey Project RED, sponsored by Intel, Apple, the Pearson Foundation, Qwest, and eChalk and supported by such organizations as NSBA, AASA, CoSN, ISTE, and SETDA, is an ambitious research project aimed at: improving student achievement by identifying technology models that contribute to achievement gains and evaluating the total financial impact of technology on state budgets. The Project RED team, whose leadership comes from the One-to-One Institute and the technology experts who wrote the America's Digital Schools reports, has completed the first step by creating a database of more than 6,000 U.S. public and private schools that have strong technology environments. Now they need your help. Please spread the word to principals at all technology-rich schools in your area to go to www.ProjectRed.org today and take the survey. Early findings will be provided to the creators of the 2010 National Education Technology Plan and America's Digital Schools 2010 as well as other federal, state and local leaders. All participants will receive a complimentary copy of the survey findings to provide input to local technology plans and create a learning community around technology implementations. Headlines Advice for One-to-One Districts Laptop Program Motivates Students to Graduate and to Testify Middle School Students get MacBooks Growing Numbers and Promising Data Offer Good News for Fans of Online Learning Don't Miss In case you missed these recent additions, we invite you to:
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About K-12 Computing Blueprint
K-12 Computing Blueprint, brought to you by Intel and Tech & Learning, is your resource for one-to-one computing. Whether you're already involved with one-to-one computing, considering moving in that direction, or simply interested in the impact of widespread technology use on students and classrooms, Intel's K-12 Computing Blueprint site offers a variety of valuable resources. Visit us to read case studies, learn about research reports, and keep up on recent news about laptop learning, other forms of ubiquitous computing, and K-12 ed tech issues including funding, curriculum, leadership and professional development.
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