West Mifflin Area students will return to many new gadgets and programs when classes resume Thursday, administrators say.
Sixth-graders will be issued iPads that they may take home.
“We've had iPad carts but this is the first time we've been in a one-to-one situation” with providing them to students, said Brian Plichta, principal for grades 6-8 at the middle school.
Plichta said sixth grade is an ideal time to introduce students to tablets for computer-based instruction.
The district will continue to issue them to sixth-graders every year. This first crop of students should receive theirs in September when parents sign for the devices at an open house.
Plichta said the take-home iPads will free up tablet computers used only at school by students in other grades.
Michael Sable, middle school principal for grades four and five, said the school is introducing a digital media course that teaches computer programming and a class on how to compose music using computer software.
New at the middle school is an advanced science and technology program called Hummingbird Robotics. Students will build robotic devices.
Superintendent Dan Castagna said the only significant capital projects the district has are demolitions of the old middle school and the stands at Filo Field.
The district is bolstering its science technology engineering and math curriculums with a program for grades seven and eight that includes half a year of shop.
The district is introducing a financial literacy course at the middle school.
At the high school, the district added advanced-placement classes and courses that offer credits through Community College of Allegheny County and Point Park University.
The district is bringing back its teaming program that offers common planning time for teachers of various disciplines so they may strengthen learning plans for individual students.
Another teaching tool the district hopes to utilize is EdInsight, which facilitates lesson planning by analyzing individual test scores. Teachers learned how to use EdInsight software during in-service training this week.
Other in-service training topics were anti-bullying and instruction on how to recognize suicidal behavior patterns in students.
Eric Slagle is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161 ext. 1966, or eslagle@tribweb.com.
