Dear Ross Road parents,

Last year the Ross Road PAC decided to fundraise for iPads as we felt it was paramount to get more IT (Information Technology) into the classrooms. The reality is that there is a significant lack of funding for IT from the North Vancouver School District. Here is a summary of how they are currently being used in the classrooms:

• They are consistently being used in both the primary and intermediate grades for various purposes and and in different ways.
• Some teachers are utilizing them with their buddy classes and having the older students work with with their younger buddies on specific activities such as math games and watching science clips to support learning.
• Other teachers are using Safari to explore on-line educational sites for research projects such as social studies. In particular, several teachers have had great success using the iPads for math drills and mapping skills.
• The NASA app is excellent and popular.

An IT committee of teachers has been established to provide education and information on iPad use and apps. Each month at a staff meeting they provide a presentation for staff. The North Vancouver District also provides educational camps which include some instruction on using iPads in the classroom.

Of course with any new technology there is a huge learning curve as well as challenges that that are continually being worked out. Ross Road teachers continue to learn and experiment with this new technology to further enrich and support our children`s education.

— Ross Road PAC
rossroadpac@gmail.com