THE LOVETT SCHOOL WILL DEVELOP A MORE COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM in order for our students to have the computing and research skills necessary for college, employment, and life in the 21st Century. We will incorporate technology for the purpose of supporting innovative teaching and essential learning and we will improve the integration of data/information across administrative areas.

A sampling of initiatives already underway:
In the area of technology, we have installed additional equipment into all three school divisions, including tablet PCs, ceiling projectors, document cameras, and portable projectors. We have also launched the Educational Technology Leadership Team-composed of students, faculty, and staff-to develop a five-year technology plan for the school.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM The 21st Century classroom is one that is wired, interactive, and hands-on. Lovett will undergo a technology revolution with the pilot implementation of a one-to-one, in-class laptop program with fourth-grade students in 2007-08. The pilot program provides students with opportunities to improve literacy and writing skills, increase critical thinking and research skills, and become more engaged in the learning process. In fact, research gathered by Lovett's Educational Technology Leadership Team (ETLT) shows that students who have one-to-one access with laptops are more productive, better organized, and more able to communicate effi ciently with their instructors and peers. "Fourth graders provide a prototype for how a laptop program can work because they pick up on things very quickly," said Lower School Principal Mary Baldwin. "In addition, our fourth grade teachers are very tech savvy." Fourth grade classrooms are currently equipped with SMART Boards, which allow teachers to teach interactively from their laptops, and students to participate via an interactive response system. The technology does not replace traditional learning methods; rather, technology enhances the learning process for students. "As teachers, we hope to gain enough experience with the integration of laptops into our teaching so that it simply becomes an extension of what we are already doing in the classroom," said fourth-grade teacher Stephanie Bullock. "The possibilities are endless with the integration of laptops into the curriculum," said fourth-grade teacher Laurie Smilack. "Students will be able to draft their English assignments immediately, pull up maps of the world for social studies lessons, and access their math textbooks online." From tracking their fi tness in physical education, to composing their own music, the laptops will be incorporated into all aspects of the fourth-grade curriculum. Says Donna Becker, Lower School technology coordinator and a member of the ETLT, "When parents see what their kids will be able to do, they will be blown away."

Other selected strategies:

• Replace all academic computers at least every four years.
• Expand recycling and reuse options for all campus hardware.
• Explore options for using technology to reduce paper consumption.
• Produce regularly scheduled faculty technology workshops, including summer courses for incoming faculty.
• Devise an assessment system for student computing skills and ensure adequate remedial support for students.
• Promote the ethical use of technology and the Internet, as outlined in the Technology Code of Conduct.
• Develop a method to evaluate the effectiveness of technology in the classroom.