WYNCOTE, Pa. (WLVT) - It’s 6 p.m. on a Wednesday, the second week of school, and a stream of 7
th graders is heading into Cedarbook Middle School in Wyncote. But tonight, there are no evening sports practices or play rehearsals.
“We’re picking up our Chromebooks for school,” said seventh grader Leo DiFelice.
The incoming 7
th grade class—about 350 students—are all taking home a laptop computer as part of a program the Cheltenham School District launched in 2016. The “
1:1 Initiative” provides one computer for each student.
“I think it’s a fantastic program,” said Jeffrey Andrews, grandparent of seventh grader Makena.
Students keep the Chromebooks all schoolyear, from seventh grade through 12
th grade. The computers are free, though families are asked to pay a $30 insurance fee. The school district’s website says
a modern education requires learning how to use technology. It helps students learn beyond the classroom and ultimately prepare them to work in 21
st century.
“This is where it’s going to be going. It’s gone that way already,” Andrews said.
Some students don’t have a computer at home or can’t use one all the time.
“I have my mom’s that I can use sometimes,” DeFelice said.
“We all share [a computer],” said seventh grader Dahlia Free.
School district officials were worried about a “digital divide,” that is, students with computers could do better at school than those without. Parents said the 1:1 program levels the playing field.
“The way they prepare the lessons, put them on the internet for the kid to take it home and they can review,” Andrews said. “Even the parents have the opportunity to learn with the kids what’s going on, so it’s a fantastic situation for everybody concerned.”
Students are supposed to use to laptops mostly for schoolwork.
“Classwork and homework, projects and stuff,” said seventh grader D’Andre Ward.
But they’re allowed to explore their own interests, too.
“I use the stuff on there for a lot of things other than homework,” said seventh grader Cyrus Green.
“When I’m bored [I’ll] watch YouTube on it,” Ward said.
Students may not like making the extra trip to school, but school district officials hope the Chromebooks will help students a lot in the long run.
