First day is Chromebook day at Naperville junior highs
Back-to-school came for junior high students in Naperville Unit District 203 with the traditional posed photos for mom, new outfits for style statements and mixed emotions over the end of summer and the start of something exciting.
But on Wednesday, it also came with a new device, a Chromebook, for the sixth- through eighth-graders to use for educational activities in the classroom and at home as part of the district's digital learning initiative.
Educators say the initiative aims to help students gain problem solving, collaboration and research skills they couldn't otherwise practice in a "traditional" classroom.
Providing each junior high student a personal Chromebook for school and home use is expected to increase engagement in academics and give equal access to digital content, administrators say.
Students at all five junior high schools broke out their Chromebooks right away Wednesday as they got acquainted in their classes.
The distinct bought the Chromebooks using an increased junior high technology fee. The fee rose to $50 from $29 one year after the high school technology fee was raised to provide the same devices last year at Naperville Central and Naperville North.