The Empire Strikes Back
Struggling to find new ways to engage students at Empire High School in Vail, Ariz., school officials took a risky move by completely banishing textbooks from their classroom. The five year old school, which was attempting to recruit and retain students found that once they put Apple laptops in their classrooms, interest (and grades) shot up. Now, as a policy decision, the school has completely done away with textbooks, and instituted a one-to-one laptop program for all 850 students with a wireless network that is powered by rooftop solar panels. Students became immediately enamored by the curriculum and now, after only a short period of being in operation, Empire boasts a student population nearing 1,000. District Administration magazine highlights the impetus behind this move:
Superintendent Calvin Baker also explains that instead of traversing the ever-expanding pages of textbooks aimed at the standards of multiple states, Empire teachers dig down to produce or find the digital materials that best match Arizona’s. “It challenges them to be on top of their game, to know the curriculum, and to work together,” says Empire High School Principal Matt Donaldson.
To spread the word about their program, Empire is offering training courses and access to their school resources to neighboring schools to improve their curriculum and spread the virtues of online learning through empirical evidence. Fantastic news for Empire students, neighboring schools and anyone that has a passion for improving education and engaging students. OdysseyWare is pleased to offer similar informational sessions for educators curious about how online curriculum can engage students, lessen administrative tasks for teachers and provide first rate pedagogy that is created by teachers who know the realities of today’s classroom. We’re glad to help and welcome hearing from you!