Liverpool Elementary fourth-graders recently gathered in the school’s library and patiently waited for their names to be called. Then one by one they quickly stepped forward to collect the newest technology offered to Liverpool Central School District students.

As part of Liverpool’s five-year Strategic Plan, one of the district’s key priorities is to create technology-enhanced learning environments that provide students with everyday access to technology in the classroom. To accomplish this, the LCSD Technology Department recently distributed personalized Chromebooks to LCSD fourth and seventh graders for use in the classroom.

Chromebooks are low-cost personal computers with integrated access to the web- based G Suite for Education (formerly known as Google Apps for Education) and a robust catalog of educational content and online tools. Access to G Suite allows students to:

Create a wide variety of products (documents, presentations, videos, etc.) to demonstrate their thinking and learning.

Easily share documents and files with teachers and other students so he/she can turn in assignments electronically, receive timely feedback and support, and collaborate on projects with classmates.

Connect and communicate with classmates and teachers through Gmail (age 13 and above), Google Hangouts and Google+.

Students were provided with personalized and secure G Suite accounts. Because G Suite is web-based and can be accessed from anywhere there is an Internet connection, students can continue to learn and work on projects outside of the classroom by simply logging into their accounts using their personal devices.

LCSD students in kindergarten and first grade will continue to have access to iPads, while second and third grade students will have access to classroom-assigned Chromebook carts. The classroom teachers at those grade levels will determine how often this technology is used based on curriculum needs.

This September, personalized Chromebooks will be distributed to students entering fourth, seventh, 10th and 11th grades when they return to school. Students who received their technology the previous school year will continue to use their assigned
Chromebooks. This distribution process will continue every school year to ensure that all fourth through 12th grade students have access to personalized Chromebooks in their classrooms.

For more information about Chromebooks and G Suite for Education, or to find a list of resources for students, parents and teachers, visit liverpool.k12.ny.us/departments/technology.