New Horizons

-- A message from DCPS Interim Superintendent Tom Shelton

I am proud to say that as I look at our schools and our students, the Daviess County Public Schools district is truly a place where "everything that is done, and every decision that is made, is based on what is best for kids."

With that in mind, I would like to share some information about a very exciting project on the horizon for Daviess County Public Schools.

As much as we all enjoy looking back at our successes (and we have many), we want to always keep an eye to the future. I don't think there is any question about the fact that technology is playing more and more of a role in our daily lives, and we all have been looking at avenues to incorporate that technology - and its benefits - into our classrooms. This brings us to Graduation 2010 Phase III.

Beginning with the 2003-04 school year, we implemented "pilot groups" of students at all three of our high schools (Apollo, DCHS, Beacon Central) in which students were assigned personal laptop computers for their use at school and at home. We know that kids learn in a lot of different ways, and this is one opportunity to take advantage of both our students' interest in technology, as well as the literally unlimited resources that are available in that area. I think we can all agree that kids are very comfortable with technology these days. I believe this "wave of the future" will yield tremendous results for our kids. 

All of our high school teachers have also received training and their own laptops. Our long-term goal is to begin providing personal laptops to all high school students until eventually every high school student has one! We are researching funding opportunities in order to make this dream a reality. Our goal is that by doing this, we will be infusing new tools into our classrooms that will help take our kids to the next levels of learning while at the same time lessening workloads. 

Several of our elementary schools are also moving in the direction of wireless laptops to be used at school and on a checkout basis. We are all very excited that they and their councils have made this decision!!

Please check this website often for updates about Graduation 2010 Phase III. If you have not already done so, I would like to also encourage you to sign up to receive the district newsletter, a regular e-mail update about this process and all news of interest to DCPS families and supporters. (Return to the homepage at www.dcps.org and select "Sign Up for the District Newsletter.") Additionally, we realize that there are many questions that must be answered and we welcome your input and feedback.

It is a great feeling to be standing at the cutting edge again! We're ready to take the next step into the future and once again lead the state - and the nation - in providing what is best for kids.

This has been a great year ... and there's a lot to look forward to. But yesterday, today and tomorrow, I am proud to say that at DCPS, "It's About Kids."