Monte Cassino SchoolPublic Sector URL: www.montecassino.org A Tradition of Education Gets A Valuable UpgradeDevoted to the centuries-old Benedictine legacies of learning and service, Monte Cassino School is, nevertheless, embracing the latest technologies to improve education and build community support. This pre-K through 8th grade school has deployed an online portal, where parents and students can check homework assignments, see grades as soon as they are posted, print report cards, and view attendance records. Teachers can post information about field trips, parent-teacher conferences, curriculum, and more. Each teacher also has their own class page that offers more detailed information about the class they’re teaching, giving parents of applicants a valuable glimpse into the school and its staff. Benefits to the Classroom—and BeyondIn the 7th and 8th grades, students are using Tablet PCs, and have achieved positive results, including improved test scores, better handwriting, and greater self-responsibility. This program is now slated to expand into other grade levels. Teachers also have interactive whiteboards with overhead projectors, and secured (filtered?) Internet is available in every classroom. Outside the campus, Web-based surveys enable parents to provide feedback to the administration, faculty, staff, and school board. Online communities, including alumni and student groups, can easily update calendars, post notices, securely share photos, and search for student mentors and others who can help the school. The Sisters of St. Joseph Monastery, who originally founded the school, might not recognize all these technology innovations. But, given their belief in education, they would certainly approve of them. |
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