North Rowan High School

 iPod touch Digital Learning Environment 

“The mission of the Rowan-Salisbury School System is to develop globally competitive schools that inspire, challenge, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate knowledgeable, responsible citizenship in an increasingly challenging world.”

Our students live in an on-demand technology-centric world.  The way our students learn and their expectation of school is different from students of previous years.  In the United States, the typical freshman class loses 40 percent of its students by their senior year.  Most students report that dropping out of high school is a gradual process of disengagement that results in the lack of connection to school.

The engagement of both students and teachers can be significantly improved through the infusion of technology.  Rowan-Salisbury Schools know that this type of engagement and attitude toward learning is essential for students to be successful. 

North Rowan High School has been identified as a school where there is great potential to make a difference in the student’s ability to be successful in the 21st century.   North Rowan High School core teachers have been equipped with a personal MacBook, a MacBook Cart, a Promethean board, and classroom wireless access points.

This project will provide North Rowan’s students and teachers with ubiquitous access to mobile technology.  Students and educators need 24 by 7 access to information resources and technologies that engage and empower them to do research, gather information and resources, do data analysis, publish their work with a variety of media types to varied audiences, communicate with peers and experts, and gain experience and expertise in collaborative work.

North Rowan High School’s teachers and students are excited about the positive changes that the technology is providing.  The teachers and students are already creating content aligned to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study curriculum.

About the Project

• The iPod project started in January 2009 by sending a team to Raleigh to meet with a consultant team of Apple Inc. to begin a 1:1 iPod technology initiative.

• In February of 2009 the iPod touch Digital Learning Environment initiative was launched. 

• On March 2009 Freshman Academy students were given iPods.

• On April 27, 2009, a team of administrators, teachers, and students presented day by day use of the technologies to the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education.

• In October, 2009, 10th grade students were given iPods.

• In November, 2009, RSS received notification of grant funding for “Leaning on the Go-Anytime-Anywhere” project.  This project received support from the Golden LEAF Foundation by awarding a grant to RSS in the amount of $199,605.16.  This funding will provide an iPod touch for every 11th and 12th grade student at NRHS.  Phil Hardin, Executive Director of Technology, authored the grant for RSS.

• On January 25, 2010, Janice Adams of Apple, Inc. made a presentation honoring North Rowan High School for being selected as an Apple Exemplary Program for the 2009-2010 school year.  Only 37 schools were honored in the nation.  

• On February 22, 2010, 11th and 12th  grade students were given iPods.

• In May 2010, four activity busses were equipped with wireless access. Student will be able to complete academic assignments while traveling to and from extra-curricular activities