Technology Upgrades for LV41

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Over the course of the last 18 months, Lake Villa District 41 has been evaluating and installing much needed upgrades to our classroom technology to follow our student 1:1 Chromebook program. With most classroom technology at over eleven years old in-district, we are excited to welcome students and staff back this fall at Lake Villa District 41 schools with updated technology. As we continue to improve academic achievement for all students, we look to technology as a catalyst and tool to empower and inspire students to learn, lead, and serve.

Previously, classrooms were equipped with a projector, Smartboard, desktop, monitor, and speaker. The District 41 Technology Committee worked to find a system that reduces the equipment complexity and their differentiated issues and offers a simplified teaching platform. Our updated learning environments will provide staff and students with more ways to creatively interact with their curriculum, reduce complexity, and increase functionality, as well as, useability on a daily basis. 

Teachers will have daily access to an interactive panel with integrated speakers and an attached Chromebox, which runs the same operating system used throughout the district. The new system is attached to a height adjustable mounting apparatus that can accommodate a variety of heights, ages, and abilities, all with the touch of a finger. During the 2020-2021 school year, Lake Villa District 41 purchased Logitech webcams and stands to aid staff with remote teaching. These devices have been incorporated into the new system and can be used as a high quality document camera, to facilitate multi-classroom live interactions through Google Meet, or facilitate remote learning should the need arise in the future. To complete the updated classrooms, all classrooms will have dry erase boards, which were chosen to blend traditional teaching tools with the modern panels for additional flexibility. 

The panels are to be installed over two phases, and should be completed for the start of the 2021-2022 school year. It is our hope and goal that we have come together to give educators and students flexibility to redefine their classroom experiences for the 21st century, while maintaining what we already know, that achieving excellence takes everyone, and our staff is excellent!