Just a Reminder...
The financial agreements to purchase the iPads and cases were mailed home on 7/13/2012. Your signed financial agreement is due into the office no later than this Friday at 11 a.m. If we do not have your signed agreement on file by this time, then we will not be able to order an iPad for you. You may email a PDF of your signed agreement to amccracken@stfrancisparish.net or fax it to 740-345-5481 which is the direct fax line to the accounting office.
17 July 2012
Please pray for the Bruah family. Saylor will be entering Kindergarten in August. She and her baby brother (15 months old) and mom, Tabitha, lost their home in a recent fire. We are accepting gift cards and/or money to help the family through this difficult time. Items can be mailed to the SCHOOL OFFICE. Please be sure to include a brief note or write the name Bruah on the memo line of your check.
In August we will post a list of things the family may need. If you have any gently used uniforms - size 6-6x jumper, blouse, shorts, slacks - we would love to pass them on to Saylor.
For parents of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students - we are no longer taking orders for Ipads.
In August we will post a list of things the family may need. If you have any gently used uniforms - size 6-6x jumper, blouse, shorts, slacks - we would love to pass them on to Saylor.
For parents of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students - we are no longer taking orders for Ipads.
16 July 2012
Dear 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Parents: Due to the time limitations to turn around the orders and to configure the iPads so that they are ready for the first day of school we are no longer accepting orders for iPads. Parents who have ordered an iPad will receive their invoice this week. Please review the payment contract carefully and return to Amber McCracken at: 66 Granville Street Newark, OH 43055, via fax to 740-345-5481 or via email to amccracken@stfrancisparish.net
13 July 2012
Thank you to all of the families who have asked really good questions! It helps us to clarify our new and exciting technology!
Mr. Stenson answers more Ipad questions:
What type of class assignments, projects, etc. will students be doing with the ipad?
The iPads will be used to expand upon the success we had last year with our set of shared netbooks (the classroom set that we had was consistently booked for use). The iPads have since matured enough to be better utilized in the school environment, making them the choice of the next generation of that concept.
There will be some productivity apps installed (pages, keynote etc.). They would be used for mutli-media projects and presentations, recording/editing audio and video, creating digital stories, and
collaboration via Google Apps for Education. We'll have an iTunes-U channel that will be used for created and shared content.
The exciting thing is that there are applications that can potentially be utilized for just about any subject. As we move forward in using them on a regular basis, there will surely be many more creative ways that come with experience.
Will apps like Facebook, Netflix etc. be accessible at school?
The iPads will be configured to use the schools wireless network which uses the same internet connection filtering that is in place for the entire network. All of the sites that have been and are currently blocked will remain that way, so that those apps will not function correctly while at school.
Will the software be compatible with their flash drives and what they do at home?
The iPad isn't really replacing desktop or laptop computers, it is complementing existing technology.
We will be utilizing online (cloud) storage solutions so that saved files can be shared between home and school and different devices (i.e. iPad and PC).
The main applications are compatible via import and export functions (i.e. Pages or Google Apps to Word). If we run into a case where something doesn't translate correctly, we can still pull it up on the appropriate platform (which is something we have always had to deal with due to multiple platforms being available).
Will their textbooks be available through these tablets?
Currently some of our text books are available via a web browser. At this time we are waiting on the publishers to make their e-book offerings available to the K-8 market.
Mr. Stenson answers more Ipad questions:
What type of class assignments, projects, etc. will students be doing with the ipad?
The iPads will be used to expand upon the success we had last year with our set of shared netbooks (the classroom set that we had was consistently booked for use). The iPads have since matured enough to be better utilized in the school environment, making them the choice of the next generation of that concept.
There will be some productivity apps installed (pages, keynote etc.). They would be used for mutli-media projects and presentations, recording/editing audio and video, creating digital stories, and
collaboration via Google Apps for Education. We'll have an iTunes-U channel that will be used for created and shared content.
The exciting thing is that there are applications that can potentially be utilized for just about any subject. As we move forward in using them on a regular basis, there will surely be many more creative ways that come with experience.
Will apps like Facebook, Netflix etc. be accessible at school?
The iPads will be configured to use the schools wireless network which uses the same internet connection filtering that is in place for the entire network. All of the sites that have been and are currently blocked will remain that way, so that those apps will not function correctly while at school.
Will the software be compatible with their flash drives and what they do at home?
The iPad isn't really replacing desktop or laptop computers, it is complementing existing technology.
We will be utilizing online (cloud) storage solutions so that saved files can be shared between home and school and different devices (i.e. iPad and PC).
The main applications are compatible via import and export functions (i.e. Pages or Google Apps to Word). If we run into a case where something doesn't translate correctly, we can still pull it up on the appropriate platform (which is something we have always had to deal with due to multiple platforms being available).
Will their textbooks be available through these tablets?
Currently some of our text books are available via a web browser. At this time we are waiting on the publishers to make their e-book offerings available to the K-8 market.
11 July 2012
10 July 2012
The TRIP program is in need of volunteers for Friday mornings. The hours are 7:15am to 9am. This time does count toward your volunteer hour requirement. There is an immediate need for the first Friday of each month and the occasional fifth Friday of the month. Please contact Pam Kelley at 740-345-9874 ext 204 or e-mail her at pkelley(@)stfrancisparish.net
06 July 2012
Students: Remember to keep reading!! Sign up for the Library Summer Reading Program and bring your certificate of completion to school on the first day. Those students will be recognized at our opening All School Liturgy and their names will be posted on the 'Reading Rainbow' outside Mrs. Walsh's office!
In addition, those students working on IXL throughout the summer will be recognized as well. Climb the 'Math Mountain' and have your name posted at the 500 mile mark (for 500 problems solved), the 1000 mile mark (for 1000 problems solved) or go even higher! The sky's the limit!!
In addition, those students working on IXL throughout the summer will be recognized as well. Climb the 'Math Mountain' and have your name posted at the 500 mile mark (for 500 problems solved), the 1000 mile mark (for 1000 problems solved) or go even higher! The sky's the limit!!
INFO ON IPADS FOR GRADES 6, 7, 8:
Due to the power outages and the fact that some of our families are on vacation, we have extended the deadline to order an Ipad2 to next Friday, July 13th. We have had very positive responses so far - of 31 responses, 23 will be purchasing an Ipad and 3 will be purchasing the cover for an Ipad they already own! We strongly suggest that if your child has an Ipad that you purchase the recommended cover through the school.
To answer a few frequently asked questions:
1. The Ipad2 is 16GB.
2. The school will not be purchasing special insurance coverage. What other schools have suggested is parents either add the Ipad to their homeowner's insurance, or check out AppleCare for a plan offered through Apple.
3. When the Ipads are not in use (i.e. during lunch/recess) they will be stored in locked cabinets. This goes for those brought from home as well as our classroom set. 4. All Ipads will be labeled with the student name or with a class #.
5. Q- Can the iPad 1 (first generation) be used at school or do I need to get a new one?
A- So far everything being tested seems to be compatible at this time. With that said though, the iPad 1st gen won't be supporting any future operating system updates from Apple. The next major update (iOS6) is due out sometime in the fall. The only potential problem that can be foreseen is that after that time, when the later generation iPads are updated with an app requiring iOS6 or higher being used, the iPad 1 wouldn’t be able to run that particular app.
We will have some iPads available for use though, if this scenario happens to play out, which will probably be unlikely in our first year using them.
Due to the power outages and the fact that some of our families are on vacation, we have extended the deadline to order an Ipad2 to next Friday, July 13th. We have had very positive responses so far - of 31 responses, 23 will be purchasing an Ipad and 3 will be purchasing the cover for an Ipad they already own! We strongly suggest that if your child has an Ipad that you purchase the recommended cover through the school.
To answer a few frequently asked questions:
1. The Ipad2 is 16GB.
2. The school will not be purchasing special insurance coverage. What other schools have suggested is parents either add the Ipad to their homeowner's insurance, or check out AppleCare for a plan offered through Apple.
3. When the Ipads are not in use (i.e. during lunch/recess) they will be stored in locked cabinets. This goes for those brought from home as well as our classroom set. 4. All Ipads will be labeled with the student name or with a class #.
5. Q- Can the iPad 1 (first generation) be used at school or do I need to get a new one?
A- So far everything being tested seems to be compatible at this time. With that said though, the iPad 1st gen won't be supporting any future operating system updates from Apple. The next major update (iOS6) is due out sometime in the fall. The only potential problem that can be foreseen is that after that time, when the later generation iPads are updated with an app requiring iOS6 or higher being used, the iPad 1 wouldn’t be able to run that particular app.
We will have some iPads available for use though, if this scenario happens to play out, which will probably be unlikely in our first year using them.
02 July 2012
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSPORTATION
Parents in the Johnstown and Northridge School Districts are in danger of losing their bus service. They are working very hard to reverse things! This could potentially affect many more non-public school families.
The Northridge school board will meet on Monday, 7/2 at 6:30 pm in the Northridge High School Media Center. At their last meeting they voted to at least table the issue because of the presence of our parents, as well as those from Blessed Sacrament, Granville Christian, Liberty Christian and St. Matthew's.
Please come out on Monday, July 2nd to show your support for the parents in the Johnstown and Northridge school districts! Meet us at the Northridge High School.
Please come to the Northridge School Board meeting TONIGHT, 7/2, at 6:30pm in the Northridge High School Media Center. Show your support for our families as they work to keep their bus service. A large presence of families will go a long way!
Also please continue to pray for our families and businesses that are still without power. I was at school Friday night just about to hit POST with this message when the power went out! Power is still out at the school and, while my family was blessed to have power, this is the first I have been able to get Internet from home.
I hope to see lots of our families there tonight. The decision made tonight can have far reaching effects with other districts and non-public transportation.
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