Quaker Valley School District officials invest in new technology for students, staff
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New iPads and laptops are expected to be in the hands of Quaker Valley School District students and staff next school year.
District director of innovation and strategic initiatives Karyn Dobda said 320 iPads were purchased for first and ninth-grade students.
It also approved the purchase of 100 MacBook Air laptops for middle school and high school teachers.
The iPads are part of what Dobda called a “refresh cycle” to ensure the district’s near 2,000 K-12 learners have their own devices.
“Now that we have regained our status as a (one-to-one) school district, we must sustain this,” she said. “This purchase will begin a refresh cycle for students, which will keep current technology in the hands of all students.”
Dobda said the next school year is the first of two in a device refresh plan for all staff. Elementary and district office personnel will receive new laptops in the 2023-24 school year.
School board members unanimously approved the two purchases at the Feb. 15 meeting.
“These purchases were made now because supply chain issues have increased production times for technology items,” Dobda said. “Shipping delays have also necessitated the purchases be made at this time for August distribution. These purchases are in-line with the district’s budgetary planning.”
Cost of the iPad purchase was $202,644, and laptops were $120,800.
Dobda said the district will track their shipping closely. Student devices will be distributed at the start of the school year. Laptop distribution will be determined once they arrive on-site and are configured by the district’s technology team.
“We know the importance technology has in our learning environment,” Superintendent Tammy Andreyko said. “I am thankful our district leaders recognize this and give us the resources to allow us to continue being one-to-one.”
The purchases are just the latest in technology upgrades made in recent years.
In the spring of 2019, the district decided to replace the PC laptops and Chromebooks used at the high school and middle school with iPads.
“This decision paved the way for the adoption of iPads at our elementary schools during the pandemic,” Dobda said. “The ease of tapping on an app to instantly access curricular materials and resources or take digital notes makes the iPad the perfect choice of technology to enhance instruction. Over the summer, (we) also installed Apple TVs in every classroom. With all students and staff now using Apple devices, (the district) provides a technology-rich learning environment.”