Palmdale School District (PSD) is taking part in the movement in education to bring schools up to a level of 21st Century learning with a flood of technology on their campuses. Technology is a huge part in modern education and can bring exciting ideas, places, and experiences right into the classroom while also giving students hands-on experiences that will prepare them for their futures.
Technology wouldn’t be as useful without Wifi, and Palmdale School District has excellent Wifi that reaches every corner of Palmdale School District sites, with access points in every classroom and building on campuses. Wifi is even available on the playing fields! Combine that with a 1:1 ratio of students to their own take-home Chromebooks complete with shock resistant cases for 6th to 8th graders, and an outdoor educational experience is possible. These Chromebooks go home with students everyday to continue to aid them in their learning at home.
For third through fifth grade, every teacher has a Chromebook cart with a full set for the entire class, and soon all second grade classrooms will have this as well. Currently, Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through second grade classrooms have a minimum of 7 iPads per room. These devices are used for small group instructions and for the Footsteps2Brilliance reading program which has aided Palmdale students in reading more than 1 billion words!
The technology doesn’t stop there for PSD. Every classroom also has a Promethean Interactive Panel connected to a computer with Wifi access and wireless keyboard and mouse for teacher mobility. These boards have amazing features and act as a giant touch screen with “smart” functions and capabilities. Promethean Interactive Panels are especially helpful in Special Education classrooms, which also have either 1:1 Chromebooks or 1:1 iPads depending on student learning abilities.
Technology at Palmdale goes beyond computer access, though. Sphero robotic devices were introduced at elementary schools, which are small robotic sphere-shaped devices that can be coded to perform certain actions. Sphero uses fun interface and gaming features to teach young students how to code. Students in sixth through eighth grade may even choose robotics as an elective and participate in robotics competitions.
When Palmdale students can’t leave the classroom to explore, the world comes to them when students connect with experts in the field via webcam on a “virtual” field trip. Virtual field trips have included visiting state parks (Redwoods in Humboldt, CA, tidepools in Long Beach, CA, Yosemite park in Madera County, CA), visiting an aquarium (Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA), or touring the Maya ruins in Mexico with an expert.
Technology is also helping Palmdale students prepare for their future with some school campuses offering video labs for students to learn to film and produce newscasts and informational videos. Other school sites offer Flight Training Centers, where students can use computer flight simulators to learn to fly. With so much technology at PSD, students always have a way to learn new skills and find out new information. All of the technology at Palmdale School District schools helps students gain experience and notable skills to help them with their future in the 21st Century and global society of today.
About Palmdale School District
Palmdale School District dates back to the late 1800s when German and Swiss families emigrated to the area and called it “Palmenthal” after mistaking the local Joshua trees in the area for palm trees. Now serving the majority of the city of Palmdale, California, the district has approximately 19,000 students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Palmdale School District’s vision is to be a district where every student leaves ready for success in high school, college, career, and the global world. The mission of PSD is to implement it’s vision with actions and services targeted to students, parents, and staff so students can live their lives to their full potential.
Visit Palmdale School District at www.palmdalesd.org and follow PSD on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Media Contact
Company Name: Palmdale School District
Contact Person: Danny Kanga
Email:Send Email
Phone: 661.7896591
Address:39139 North 10th Street East
City: Palmdale
State: CA
Country: United States
Website: https://palmdalesd.org
