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Laptops for first wave of Woodland Middle School students

Students at Woodland Middle School in Gurnee began receiving laptop computers Wednesday night as part of a new initiative for the 2016-17 academic year.

Roughly 2,180 Dell Chromebooks are being leased for all of the children in grades six through eight. Educators refer to the program as the Woodland Inspires technology initiative.

The first wave of middle school students received the Chromebooks at Wednesday's curriculum night, along with a brief orientation for them and their parents.

Another group of students will receive the computers at a curriculum night today.

Often called a "1:1 technology initiative" by educators, the idea was studied by a committee for 18 months.

The Woodland Inspires program was tested in 2015-16 before the Gurnee-based Woodland Elementary District 50 school board approved spending $256,000 annually to lease the 2,180 or so Chromebooks for the next three years.

District officials said other students will benefit as well in the 2016-17 academic year, because at least 300 Chromebooks will be reallocated to the primary, elementary and intermediate schools.

Woodland school board members have said financial limitations are why devices cannot be provided to all 6,200 district students.

Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.comHundreds of Woodland Middle School seventh grade students wait in line to receive Dell Chromebooks Wednesday night in Gurnee.
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