Is there an app for that?

St. Tammany school principals getting iPads

By Debbie Glover
St. Tammany News
Published on Friday, August 6, 2010 12:22 AM CDT

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As part of its technology initiative, the St. Tammany Parish School System presented each school with an iPad for use during the coming school year.

Spokesperson Meredith Mendez said that each principal received the devices at the administrator’s conference held in July. Mendez said the iPads are the property of the school system and are to be used by the principals at the schools.

Educational software, such as Blackboard, are included and principals are required to attend classes that will be held throughout the year on their use. They, in turn will instruct teachers, who will instruct students in years to come.

“It is necessary that we keep our students up to date on the latest technology,” said Mendez.

Each month at the administrator’s meetings, principals will be taught functions on the iPad that they will then utilize.

The iPads were paid for with a grant that was received for this purpose and the remainder of the iPads were paid for with funds from the superintendent’s technology fund.

iPads are a little larger than a paperback book and provide convenience and communication for a multitude of uses, from wireless internet to e-books.

Past technology initiatives for schools have included smart boards, flip cameras and Promethean boards.

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Comments

2 comment(s)

Laura wrote on Aug 7, 2010 4:51 PM:

" I am typing this response from an Ipad and I didn't require any classes to learn how to use it. Taxpayers should really question this use of their money. "

Clinton wrote on Aug 7, 2010 4:48 PM:

" You mean, the principals have been recruited to market a device to the teachers who will then market the device to the students.
Children need access to iPads about as much as dolphins need access to the International Space Station. I hope one day people get over the novelty of the Internet and realize that outside of a very small academic circle the Internet is nothing more than a worldwide shopping mall. It's not worth blowing $500 a school just so the principal can become a cool Apple salesman. Technology in schools is a great idea. This is frivolous. "

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