Village School Technology Statement

 Adopted by The Village School in June 2018. 

The Village School believes we best meet the objectives of our school mission—to nurture a child’s curiosity, ignite their enthusiasm for exploring, and help them develop tools for inquiry, invention and achievement—through engagement with teachers, peers, and our community. At the same time, we recognize that to be “builders of the future,” the presence of technology also holds holds an important place in our classrooms. Our goal is to help students become discerning consumers of digital media and active producers of content, using technology to create and innovate.

The guiding principle for the use of technology and digital media at the Village School is that it must be purposeful and meaningful. We offer it as a powerful , learning tool to aid students with research, problem solving, and communications within an educator-driven environment of structure and guidance to ensure proper, appropriate, and safe media usage. Fostering digital literacy and citizenship at all grade levels is of utmost importance.

Our youngest students—in pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade—have access to enough iPads to enable each class to be one-to-one as needed, but only under the direct supervision of teachers. Time spent on screens is limited. Our youngest students are instructed in the use of age-appropriate software and apps, and games and websites that don’t meet our educational goals are not used.

Our students in second grade through sixth grade have one-to-one Chromebooks. We chose the Chromebook CTL J5 for several reasons: it was awarded ISTE 2017’s Best of Show by Tech & Learning; it is a durable and adaptable tool that can lead to greater engagement in learning; and it provides a platform and tech experience that best prepares them for the next step in their educational journey. Second graders through sixth graders also have access to iPads and iMacs as needed to support their learning and for creative endeavors.

Ultimately, technology and digital media at the Village School enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum and give students a 21st century resource to discover, collaborate, and better understand and engage with the world around us.

For the school’s “Responsible Computer, Network, and Internet Use” policy, please refer to the VSNB Student Handbook.