The Grade 4 class at Red Wing school works away on its Chromebooks. (submitted photo/Lisa Campbell)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Technology in schools

Sask. Rivers supplies students with 2,600 Chromebooks

Feb 12, 2021 | 12:00 PM

Technology in schools has never been more important. With remote learning being required more and more these days to limit exposure in schools during a pandemic, the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division (SRPSD) has stepped up.

Sask. Rivers purchased 2,600 Chromebooks for its students to ensure any students affected by COVID-19 can learn remotely, while also supporting in-person learning. The Chromebooks have been distributed through the Sask. Rivers schools since the fall, with the final devices being delivered in January to greatly enhance existing devices.

The Grade 2/3 class from the Spruce Home Public School wrote a statement, thanking the school division for the computers and explaining how much they are helping.

“Thank you for the new Chromebooks for our school. They are helping us to learn more math, science, and other subjects,” the Grade 2/3 class from Spruce Home Public School said in a statement. “Some of us took them home during our COVID break. Our computer at home didn’t work. We had too many kids so we needed another computer. We use them to get better at reading, writing and our work. It is really easy to sign in on them. We love Chromebooks very, very much. Thank you!”

Graham McGregor, principal at Red Wing Public School, said the Chromebooks have greatly helped teachers and students overcome the various obstacles the pandemic has brought.

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“Now more than ever, with the disruptions that education has faced in the past year, teachers are tasked with providing programming to suit the wide-ranging needs of all learners,” McGregor said. “Having devices like Chromebooks available whenever they are needed allows teachers to use them as tools in a variety of ways providing access to online programs such as Mathletics and Reading A-Z. In turn, these allow for directed practice to take place according to student needs.”

Dean Kakakaway, an education support teacher with Princess Margaret Public School, said assisting high-need students and their families has been much easier after the delivery of the Chromebooks.

“As an Educational Support Teacher, I need to support my high needs students. There has even been some changes to delivery of programming for my high-needs kids. Some of the best versions are how to communicate with parents/guardians about reaching goals in an Inclusive and Intervention Plan. These are in the forms of specific types of software to support at-home learning. These “tech-aides” help with specific challenges displayed by these great kids. I can talk to them at home in cases of self-isolation and talk to their supports at home to give the direction and resources for their child’s needs. Saskatchewan Rivers also shows great support for our at-home learners by supplying some much-needed software to assist my at-risk kids.”

St. Louis Public School principal Jaret Nelson said the Chromebooks have been able to enhance the important connection between students and teachers.

“It has been incredible how the teachers and students have been able to connect with each other. Teachers are retooling their lessons for online learning but are finding that many of these adaptations will continue on when in-class learning resumes and in future years. The volume of Chromebooks we received and purchased allows each teacher to do this in a unique way depending on class, grade level, and experience.”

With files from Glenn Hicks.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW