iPad in Schools

http://www.ipadinschools.com/ipad-apps-for-middle-school/

Using Google Apps in the Classroom

http://www.usingeducationaltechnology.com/2014/02/using-google-forms-in-classroom.html

Top Ten Apps for Middle Schoolers

Take from Pinterest -
http://www.lifeinpleasantville.com/education-apps-for-middle-schoolers/

American Education Week - iPad presentation to community

Check us out!
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2014/11/saucon_valley_schools_open_doo.html

The 70 Best Apps For Teachers And Students

 
http://www.edudemic.com/70-best-apps-teachers-students/

1-to-1 for Special Need Students

Technology has wide-reaching potential for students with special needs

Hunched over their iPads, the three seventh-graders took turns reading the document displayed on their screens.
One, Sam Seifert, followed along, while her special education teacher Jessica Waterstreet did the talking — Seifert has difficulty reading on her own. Seated near the center of the table, Blake Hanna recited the words softy, rushing through them quickly. Jacob Voracek, opposite Seifert, took the text more slowly, pronouncing each word with precision and care.
The day’s lesson, titled “Ben has good ideas,” focused on Benjamin Franklin and his scientific discoveries and inventions. Accessed via the app Educreations, the curriculum conforms to Mankato Public Schools’ seventh-grade standards but simplifies concepts so Seifert, Hanna and Voracek can understand them.
All three have developmental cognitive disabilities.
It provides our students with access to the seventh- and eighth-grade standards but differentiates them,” Waterstreet said of the app. “We’re doing it at a level that matches our students’ ability.”
New initiative
School staff say that in addition to making curriculum easier to access online, a new one-to-one digital learning initiative is helping the the district’s special education students gain more independence.
Each of the district’s middle schoolers, including Seifert, Hanna and Voracek, were given an iPad this year.
“All of our kids have iPads this year and that’s huge,” Waterstreet said.
She and another special education teacher, Jodi Evers, work with kids who have disabilities that affect their ability to function intellectually. Many of them follow adapted lesson plans and use educational material that before the iPads were introduced, needed to be printed off for them.
“One big thing for us is the printing,” Evers said. “We’re just saving so much on printing.”
The iPads allow the students to access the same content digitally not only during class, but on their own. Using the tablets’ text-to-speech feature, children who cannot read well can highlight the content, plug in their headphones and listen to it instead.
The iPads’ many accessibility settings make them easily used by students with other types of disabilities, said the district’s special education technology coordinator Bambi Dubke. Some students now have Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids that can sync with the devices. VoiceOver, which lets someone use the iPad even if they can’t see it, helps students with visual impairments.
Zoom and font options make content on the iPad easier to read. Students can dictate text using the microphone.
For students that have trouble with fine motor functions, staff have adjusted the tablets’ touch and sensitivity setting. Guided Access helps students with autism or other attention/sensory deficits stay focused on the task at hand by allowing teachers or therapists to disable the home button and lock the iPad on one app.
Educreations allows students to leave text or video annotations on their worksheets or answer questions using sketches or pictures.
Linda Felsheim, a speech pathologist at Dakota Meadows, said another app, Notability, has many of the same features. Last year one of her students, who has a writing disability, used Notability and other apps to complete tests and homework using videos or pictures.
In the past, he would have had to dictate his answers to a paraprofessional and would have to leave class to complete assignments. Now he can do the work on his own.
Seifert has benefited from having an iPad in a similar way. Because she cannot read on her own, she previously left the classroom during silent reading activities so a paraprofessional could read to her. Now she can plug in her headphones, select one of the several audiobooks available on her iPad and stay in the classroom with her peers.
“A lot of the apps that allow (students) to access books and content also allow them to be more independent,” Waterstreet said.
Increasing engagement
The school’s special education team said the iPads are engaging and keep students interested. They also provide some kids with needed audio/visual stimulation.
“The lighted background draws attention, keeps them focused,” Felsheim said.
When students run into a concept or vocabulary word they don’t understand, they can Google it or look at pictures of it, Waterstreet said. Because they can take the iPads home, they can use them to complete tasks or homework at home, as well.
The special education students are also learning important technology skills, Felsheim said. Today’s students are digital learners and it is essential they learn to use the now-prolific devices.
While the district still uses more traditional technology to serve some of its more challenged students, the iPad is even taking the place of large buttons or switches that are used by students to communicate and perform simple tasks.
“For some of those kids that can’t physically touch the button, we even have Bluetooth switches,” Dubke added.
The rate at which technology is evolving makes it hard to keep up with all the new developments, Felsheim said. But it also makes it a great time to be in special education.
Educators have more tools for serving students than ever before.
“I think we have a lot of tools in this district,” Felsheim said. “I find it very exciting.”
©2014 The Free Press (Mankato, Minn.). Visit The Free Press (Mankato, Minn.) at www.mankatofreepress.com. Distributed by MCT Information Services.

One-to-One Presentation

Recently an opportunity to present the implementation work was accepted for the 2014 Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals, was shared.  Here is the information -

iPad "fixes"

 

Don't forget - 7th & 8th graders - if you are having difficulty with an app, or other iPad use concerns, the Tech Dept is staffed for you  from 7:40-8:15 AM.

A Day in the Life of an iPad . . .

Thank you to our iTeam for creating this video . . .  http://youtu.be/DwqRqzxUkX4

A Day in the Life of an iPad . . . at Saucon Valley Middle School

Connectiong Families - Common Sense Education

From cyberbullying and photo sharing to digital footprints and online safety, the Connecting Families program helps parents and kids address important topics and have meaningful conversations about making great choices in their digital lives.
This free, year long program includes everything parent facilitators need to encourage their schools and communities to use connected technologies in ways that are both fun and safe. Our resources include a step-by-step hosting guide, conversation topics, and printable resources to share -- all carefully researched and crafted by Common Sense educational technology experts. Get started with the Program Overview.  Give it a try . . .
 

Back-to-School Night - September 18

There will be an informal Question/Answer Session in the Middle School Large Group Instruction Room from 6:30-7:00 PM prior to the start of Back-to-School Night.  Should you have any questions regarding the iPad Program, feel free to stop in . . . otherwise teachers will be presenting information on the integration of the devices in the classes you attend this evening.  Hope you are planning to come "Back-to-School"!

Note Taking

Here are a few note taking apps that we use . . . aks your kids to show you!

Notability 

 “We rely on this sleek powerful note-taker to annotate documents, record lectures, sketch illustrations, and more.” - Apple ®

Google Docs - Collaborate with others  in real time on documents, spreadsheets, and mo

Dragon Dictation  

is an easy-to-use voice recognition application powered by Dragon® NaturallySpeaking® that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages. In fact, it’s up to five (5) times faster than typing on the keyboard.

iPad Cases

New cases have been purchased for iPads. They are "Sunggs"  You are certainly more than welcome to purchase your own case.  If you choe to use your own case, it must be as study and durable as the Snugg.  We would be happy to take a look at it.  If you can leave the Snugg on and fit it in your own case, that is even better!  No iPads are to be out of a case at any time!  Just a reminder, if you have not turned in your Acceptable Use Form and Insurance indication, be sure to do that!

The 2014-15 School Year!

 

Welcome to the 2014-15 school year!  Teachers are planning lessons, iPads are being formatted and things are moving along ready for the arrival of students on Monday!  

Some things - in 7th grade, students will be starting with the Digital Citizenship course on Wednesday during Extension and Related Arts periods and will receive their iPads during the week of September 1.  The devices will NOT be sent home right away, but before the end of September.  No device will be able to be taken home IF the appropriate paperwork has not been returned.  All the paperwork was sent home in the Back-to-School packet. Students and families should contact homeroom teachers for that information if needed.

in grade 8 - students will receive their iPads on September 2 and are permitted to take them home IF the appropriate paperwork has been returned. All the paperwork was sent home in the Back-to-School packet. Students and families should contact homeroom teachers for that information if needed.

Please be sure to consider purchasing a study, durable case AND insurance for your child's iPad. 

We are so very fortunate to  be able to provide this opportunity for our learners!. 

Back-to-School Forms 2014-15

Here are the forms for insurance purchase and the claim form (hopefully that one will NOT be necessary!)

Just a reminder . . . Back-to-School

 

Just a reminder, for grades 7 & 8, if you picked up your Back-to-School packets, there was information about iPad insurance and acceptance of the use of the device.  Be sure to return these important forms within the first few days of school.  If you did not have the opportunity to pick up the packet, it will be given to students in homerooms on the first day of school.
We are looking forward to continuing this Program with our students.  Happy Back-to-School!

How students view Digital Citizenship . . .

Read this article http://www.edudemic.com/digital-citizenship/ to get the students' view points.  We visited this High School when we were researching for our implementation. 

Before you . . .

iPads, chargers and cords . . .

Happy Summer!  If your child did not hand in their charger and cord for their school issued iPad - there is still time!  The Middle School Office is open daily, just stop by with the items so we can cross names off of our list!  Please make sure they are the ones issued or if you needed to replace, the items are Apple products.  Should the items NOT be returned, a debt will be incurred.  This could compromise your child's participation in after school activities.  If you are not sure if the items were returned, just give us a call.

Have a safe, happy and relaxing summer!

iPad Collection for the 2013-14 school year . . .

From: Pamela Bernardo
Subject: iPad Collection

---

The last day for students to use their iPads will be Monday, June 9, 2014.  iPads, chargers and "bricks" will be inspected and  collected according to the following schedule -
Tuesday, June 10 grade 7 at 8:25, grade 8 at 11:00 and Wednesday, June 11 remaining grade 8 at 9:45.
Please keep in mind any damaged devices will need to be sent out for repair, with insurance deductibles paid PRIOR to the end of the school year (June 13, 2014). 
Any delay may result in the student not being able to attend school based social events.

If you could please remind your child to be prepared with the chargers as well, we would appreciate it.

We have been so excited to provide this technology to enhance learning!  Your support has been greatly appreciated!
Pamela J. Bernardo
Principal
Saucon Valley Middle School




 Blogs to check -
http://saucon1to1.blogspot.com/
http://teachingreaderstothink.blogspot.com/
http://middleschooladvisory.blogspot.com/

iPad Collection Process for the 2013-14 end of the school year

 

Good afternoon,
The last day for students to use their iPads will be Monday, June 9, 2014.  iPads, chargers and "bricks" will be inspected and  collected according to the following schedule -
Tuesday, June 10 grade 7 at 8:25, grade 8 at 11:00 and Wednesday, June 11 remaining grade 8 at 9:45.
Please keep in mind any damaged devices will need to be sent out for repair, with insurance deductibles paid PRIOR to the end of the school year (June 13, 2014).
Any delay may result in the student not being able to attend school based social events.

If you could please remind your child to be prepared with the chargers as well, we would appreciate it.
We have been so excited to provide this technology to enhance learning!  Your support has been greatly appreciated!
Pamela J. Bernardo
Principal
Saucon Valley Middle School
2095 Polk Valley Road
Hellertown PA  18055
610.838.7001 ext. 3704
pamela.bernardo@svpanthers.org
Blogs to check -
http://saucon1to1.blogspot.com/
http://teachingreaderstothink.blogspot.com/
http://middleschooladvisory.blogspot.com/

Literacy Week February 24-28 . . .

Here are some events - 

Author Ty Drago will visit this week.  check out his website @ www.tydrago.com 

 We will Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) at surprise times each day and also write about our reading memories for a whole school book.  

There will also we a Book Swap and look for "Read On" posters with some familiar faces throughout the building! 

Thank you to the Educational Foundation for Innovation for funding these events!

 Illustrator Victor Stabin will join us also - www.victorstabin.com  

iPads Improve Classroom Learning, Study Finds

From National Geographic - iPads Improve Classroom Learning, Study Finds 

(The research will be published in the January 2014 issue of Computers and Education.)

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131210-ipad-learning-education-space-science/

Center Grove High School sophomore Sterlin McCormick, 16, uses her school-supplied iPad to write a journal entry in Kelly Scholl's science class in Greenwood, IN.

Mind Mapping app

A great app for mind mapping - http://www.simpleapps.eu/simplemind/

Don't Forget - Family Meeting for grades 7/8 - January 23, 2014

If you forgot or your schedule now permits - consider joining us.  Please call the Middle School Office to let us know you will be joining us  so that we can plan for the number of people and arrange the appropriate location(s).  Members of our 7/8 iTeams will be sharing the variety of apps the students and teachers use. . .