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Independence, MO —
Emily Echlin was sitting with a group of her friends in the gymnasium at St. Mary’s High School. With only a couple of weeks before the start of another school year, they were patiently waiting to hear from principal John O’Connor.
But this was not like other back-to- school events for Echlin and her fellow St. Mary’s students. They were waiting to hear about their newest resource: Apple iPads.
“I think it is so great,” said the senior of the school’s new technology. “I am excited to use it. I think it will be a great learning tool.”
Every student at St. Mary’s and O’Hara high schools will be receiving a new iPad for the 2012-13 school year. O’Connor, who will be serving as principal for both high schools, said the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic Diocese is helping the schools with the $344,000 lease purchase agreement through Apple. Two payments of approximately $47,000 will be made over the next four years to pay for the iPads. These funds will come from private donations as well as a $100 fee that was added to student’s tuition this year.
“It took six months, but they are finally here,” O’Connor said. “This is very exciting for us, and will be a great tool for all of our students. Teachers have been working with them all summer and are ready to go when school begins.”
O’Connor, along with several other staff members, visited a high school in Minneapolis last fall that implemented the use of 800 iPads. He said it was shortly after when they approached the diocese with the proposal of giving each student an iPad.
“This gives each kid, regardless of where they are socio-economically, a chance to use an iPad,” he said. “Each kid will have the same device, have Internet access and be able to learn while using it. They will all have the same capability and ability to increase their knowledge.”
For freshmen who stay at St. Mary’s or O’Hara throughout their high school career, the iPads will be theirs to keep upon graduation for no extra fee. Seniors, juniors and sophomores will have the option to purchase them, for what is determined as “fair market value.”
Textbooks, dictionaries, articles of the Bible and other applications will be downloaded to the devices per teachers’ discretion. Any applications or textbooks the students purchase will be theirs forever and stored on an iTunes account. O’Connor was clear to point out to the students that the iPad is “not a toy.” Random checks will be conducted to ensure that no inappropriate material has been downloaded.
Emily Echlin was sitting with a group of her friends in the gymnasium at St. Mary’s High School. With only a couple of weeks before the start of another school year, they were patiently waiting to hear from principal John O’Connor.
But this was not like other back-to- school events for Echlin and her fellow St. Mary’s students. They were waiting to hear about their newest resource: Apple iPads.
“I think it is so great,” said the senior of the school’s new technology. “I am excited to use it. I think it will be a great learning tool.”
Every student at St. Mary’s and O’Hara high schools will be receiving a new iPad for the 2012-13 school year. O’Connor, who will be serving as principal for both high schools, said the Kansas City-St. Joseph Catholic Diocese is helping the schools with the $344,000 lease purchase agreement through Apple. Two payments of approximately $47,000 will be made over the next four years to pay for the iPads. These funds will come from private donations as well as a $100 fee that was added to student’s tuition this year.
“It took six months, but they are finally here,” O’Connor said. “This is very exciting for us, and will be a great tool for all of our students. Teachers have been working with them all summer and are ready to go when school begins.”
O’Connor, along with several other staff members, visited a high school in Minneapolis last fall that implemented the use of 800 iPads. He said it was shortly after when they approached the diocese with the proposal of giving each student an iPad.
“This gives each kid, regardless of where they are socio-economically, a chance to use an iPad,” he said. “Each kid will have the same device, have Internet access and be able to learn while using it. They will all have the same capability and ability to increase their knowledge.”
For freshmen who stay at St. Mary’s or O’Hara throughout their high school career, the iPads will be theirs to keep upon graduation for no extra fee. Seniors, juniors and sophomores will have the option to purchase them, for what is determined as “fair market value.”
Textbooks, dictionaries, articles of the Bible and other applications will be downloaded to the devices per teachers’ discretion. Any applications or textbooks the students purchase will be theirs forever and stored on an iTunes account. O’Connor was clear to point out to the students that the iPad is “not a toy.” Random checks will be conducted to ensure that no inappropriate material has been downloaded.
The lease purchase agreement also includes a limited two-year warranty through AppleCare that will cover two breakages. Students will just have to pay a $49 deductible. It does not, however, cover loss or theft.
“After looking at other schools that have implemented this kind of technology, we felt like this was the best option for where we wanted to go,” O’Connor said. “The schools made the decision, and the diocese supported us.”
Senior Kylie Scott said she is ready to see what types of things can be done with the iPad.
“Maybe we won’t have to carry around so many books. That would be great,” she said. “I’m not nervous about losing or breaking it. I usually take pretty good care of my stuff. I’m not worried.”
