iPads for All Students Next Year

The Croswell-Lexington School District announces a One-to-One initiative for the 2012-2013 school year and beyond.  Every student in grades 5-12 will receive a WIFI-equipped iPad that will contain digital textbooks, novels, and a multitude of learning tools and applications.  In addition to the One-to-One iPad initiative in grades 5-12, about 150 iPads are already being used in school by students in grades K-4.  Combined with mini-laptops, laptops, and desktop computers, the district will achieve its goal of technology in the hands of every student, every day.

“The district’s goal, as always, is providing the best education possible for our students,” said Cros-Lex Superintendent Dr. Kevin Miller.  “Our core belief is today’s students learn differently than the way we learned.  The world today demands a tech-savvy person.  This One-to-One initiative will help us to prepare our students for requirements desired by colleges and the work force.  Our students have grown up with technology in the palm of their hands.  We want to make sure that this same technology is used to prepare them for success in the 21st century.”

Digital textbooks offer to students tremendous advantages over traditional textbooks. Students will have the opportunity to immediately get a definition of a word they don’t understand or to instantly get access through links to the world wide web or videos on the subject being studied.  Students will also have the ability to highlight and save the text of key concepts to digital notecards to review later.  Digital books are also updated often and contain 3-D images and graphics that can be manipulated by students.

The student iPads will have software loaded allowing them to test digitally and to answer questions digitally through an app called “eclicker” when a teacher does formative assessments (quick testing to see how students are absorbing information in the lesson).  The iPads will be loaded with a graphing calculator app and reading and math applications.  Students will turn in assignments digitally using programs like Google Applications for education.

The devices will be paid for initially by replacing two line items in the district budget; the technology computer-purchase line item and the textbook-purchase line item.  Ultimately, we believe that the shift from traditional textbooks to technology like the iPad will save the district money.  There are dozens of digital textbooks available at no cost.

The district will offer an inexpensive insurance policy to families to replace damaged devices.  A district technology committee will develop policies listing expectations for student use both at school and at home.  District officials plan to visit districts in West Michigan who have already embarked on a One-to-One technology initiative that includes iPads.  Croswell-Lexington will be one of the first districts in Eastern Michigan to roll out a One-to-One iPad initiative for all middle and high school students.  

Professional development for teachers will help them transition from using traditional texts to digital textbooks and the many learning applications offered by the devices.  The district is planning an orientation meeting for students and parents prior to the start of the 2012-13 school year.

“Ultimately, we expect this initiative to fundamentally change the way we educate and the way students learn,” said Miller.  “We’ve already seen the positive impact the iPads have had at the elementary and middle schools.”

TWENTY

20.1 For the first time in school history Croswell-Lexington High School students broke the 20 mark on the ACT.  Our composite score average of all 170 juniors was 20.13 this year.  The ACT Plus Writing includes the four subject area tests plus a 30-minute Writing Test.  ACT results are accepted by all 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S.  The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes.  This is great news, but the Pioneers are not satisfied ...  we are going for 21 next year!

Pioneer Hall Closed

Good News!  The concrete moisture levels in Pioneer Hall & indoor running track have finally come down enough and contractors have the “green light” to begin laying the rubber track.  This will cause us to temporarily close off certain sections of the building beginning with Pioneer Hall allowing them to work.  I thank everyone in advance for their flexibility. We have arranged it so everything is still usable but students will have to take alternate routes to get where they need to. So please plan ahead.

I have included a map of which doors will and will not be accessible during this phase.  The main change is that all student drivers will temporarily enter and exit through the west doors near Mr. Pepin’s room.  Have a great rest of the break.

Go Pioneers!

“PROFICIENCY” ON MME HAS A NEW DEFINITION

Earlier in March, Croswell-Lexington High Schools’ students along with all other Michigan public school students in eleventh grade were required to take the MME. Our results are beginning to pour in and our students are doing very well!

If you haven’t already, you will soon begin hearing news reports about new cut-off scores, or “cut scores” that the Michigan State Board of Education recently adopted for these tests.

So, what are cut scores and why has the Michigan State Board of Education changed them? MME cut scores separate test takers into various categories, such as advanced, proficient, partially proficient and not proficient. Michigan’s previous cut scores for these state tests were set at a basic level. Raising the cut scores will give Michigan parents and students a much better sense of whether they are adequately prepared for the next step in their education and a future career in a global economy.

The new cut scores represent a significantly higher standard for student achievement and are intended to more accurately reflect a student’s progress toward college and career readiness. On some tests, students previously could have answered as few as 50 percent of the questions correctly to be considered proficient. Under the new scoring system, students will have to correctly answer a much higher percentage of questions. Michigan is one of only three states in the nation (along with New York and Tennessee) to move to this top tier level of test scoring.

Like school districts across the state, Croswell-Lexington High Schools’ MME proficiency results are expected to decline (yet our overall scores will go up) when publicly released in the Spring. While we anticipate an initial drop in the number of students reported as “proficient,” we are confident this change will be temporary due to ongoing school improvement efforts and student support. 

If a student is reported as “not proficient,” it does not mean that he or she isn't gaining academic skills or knowledge expected for his or her grade level. It means that on the day of the test, this student was not yet proficient on the material being tested. Many students may require additional help and/or time to master these skills. Actually, by the time parents and the school receive the MME results from the state, many students identified as “not proficient” will have closed the gap. 

The MME test is only one of several measures used in our district throughout the year to insure that students are making academic progress.  We will be examining our curriculum to respond to this more challenging level of test scoring.  In addition, our staff will focus our professional development efforts on enhancing our abilities to rise to the challenge presented to these recent changes.