Joplin Schools is pleased to announce that Joplin High School has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for 2013 through 2015 for its one-to-one laptop initiative. The initiative focuses on access to technology, collaboration, instruction, and professional development. Every teacher and student at the high school has access to his or her own MacBook and a wealth of online resources. Collaboration between teachers, district staff, and the community helped to create a project-based, technology-rich curriculum that encourages curiosity, exploration, and real-world application of learning. Support and tools for teachers include coaching staff, online instructional resources, and ongoing personalized professional development.
The Apple Distinguished School designation is reserved for programs that meet criteria for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence and demonstrate a clear vision of exemplary learning environments.
“After the May 22, 2011 disaster that destroyed so many of our schools and so much of our community, we made a commitment to come back better than we were before,” said Joplin Schools Superintendent Dr. C.J. Huff. “This recognition shows that we are one step closer to keeping that promise. Despite the challenges of the last two-and-a-half years, the selection of Joplin High School as an Apple Distinguished School highlights our success in creating an innovative and compelling learning environment that engages students and provides tangible evidence of academic accomplishment.”
In classrooms throughout the high school, teachers use technology to improve learning and enhance instruction. The result: engaged and excited students who are no longer bound by the four walls of a classroom. Examples can be seen daily across disciplines. Students in a fashion design class Skype™ with an organization in Ghana to learn about a design project that uses recycled materials to provide school bags to children. The students then create their own fashions from recycled materials and host a fashion show for their fellow classmates. Students in an English class share what they are learning about local history by creating a community website that showcases their articles, photographs, and videos. Students in a math class watch online videos featuring real-world situations and then determine resolutions to obstacles they observe through formulas.
“Our goal is to prepare students for life after high school through relevant, real-world learning supported by technology in a safe and responsible environment,” said Klista Rader, director of information and implementation technology for Joplin Schools. “We’re excited about this designation because it recognizes our efforts as a district and a community to be innovative in our approach to improving learning and academic achievement. We want to help our students become responsible digital citizens ready for advanced training, college, or career.”
Joplin High School, located in Joplin, Mo., serves 2,100 students in grades 9 through 12. The only public high school in Joplin, JHS is fully accredited by the AdvancED/North Central Association of Schools and Colleges and by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and is a designated A+ School of Excellence.
On May 22, 2011, the high school was among thousands of structures destroyed in Joplin by an EF-5 tornado. The school is currently split into two temporary campuses, the JHS 9-10 Campus and the JHS 11-12 Campus. A new high school, currently under construction and scheduled to open in August 2014, will bring students back together. The new school will feature flexible learning spaces and design elements that support the 21st Century learning model of collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving. Learn more at www.joplinschools.org/operationrisingeagle.
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