Laptops Key to Education

June 30, 2004

Principal: Laptops key to education

DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN

Hays Daily News

Remember the days when a teacher walked into a classroom and told the students to open their books to a certain page? Those days are numbered at Hays High School. Now, that same teacher instead could be telling students to meet him or her at a certain Web site. This fall, every student - all 974 of them - will be issued an Apple Ibook laptop for use in and out of school. Now, there will be more excuses for not having access to a computer. "We are in the information age, and access to information is the key to it all," said Mike Hester, in his fourth year as principal at Hays High. "And, a laptop is the key." Hester said that the laptop initiative spawned from an idea from a couple of years ago when the district talked about the possibility of issuing middle school students laptops. The computer technology lease agreement for the district was coming up this year, and the district decided to check out the possibility of laptops at the high school. "It's a little more than we spent on the last lease," Hester said of the laptop initiative. "But we also are replacing other computers, too." Also, Hester said money had been transferred from other funds to the laptop fund, such as money saved on less paper usage as well as working with less staff than in the past. "Four years ago, we used 1 million more copies of paper in the district than what we averaged this year," he said. "It's just one way we're trying to work smarter." Hester said there were two major reasons he and the USD 489 Board of Education decided to go with the laptops. "Our mission statement is, 'Empowering all students for tomorrow's challenges.' What better way to empower them for tomorrow than with their own computer," he said. "And increased productivity, in the classroom and on test scores. All the things that can be done online can be done through these computers." Naturally, Hester has heard a lot of questions - some positive, some negative. "We are way ahead of the curve, and you obviously take some criticism when you lead," Hester said. "But we're going to be on the agenda every board meeting and give a little piece of what's going on." However, Hester said thinks the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. "Students can be on a bus trip to Liberal or at home, and they will be able to access to their computer," he said. "The power of 24-7 just explodes." Students now will be able to access their agendas online rather than having to purchase a hard copy, and they will be able to get immediate feedback from taking tests. Also, Hester pointed out, students will have access to the most up-to-date textbook material around. "A published book is at least two years old every time they come with it," Hester said. "The publishers now give you on-line access to new versions and updates." The computers will have filters to keep students off certain Internet sites, and each teacher will have control of the classroom. "The teachers can tell them to shut the lids of their computers, or they can look at every screen in the room and can lock down buttons on their screens," Hester said. Hays High instructors are busy this summer being trained themselves, and students will be issued the laptops at enrollment in early August. "We want kids to have these and have them in their hands to explore and play on these things," Hester said, "and be ready by school time."

Reporter Diane Gasper-O'Brien can be reached at (785) 628-1081, ext. 126, or by e-mail at dobrien@dailynews.net.