St. James School opens with new technology

The 2018-2019 school year has taken off into the clouds with the launch of new technology tools at St. James School in Arlington Heights.

All teachers, prekindergarten through eighth grade, have new MacBook Air laptops and all classrooms are receiving a new Apple TV.

Apple's technology, called Airplay, is the ability to stream a live view of whatever is on the teacher's MacBook Air to a larger screen. Teachers are developing novel instructional ideas for use with the most current technology.

With a new science program at St. James this year, science teacher Nicole Long is "excited to see firsthand how the new technology will enhance the new curriculum. It will be especially cool during our cell unit when students will be able to interact with 3-D models of plant and animal cells."

First-grade teacher, Laura Tambling, comments that, "the advanced technology will allow each of my students to create a digital portfolio through an app called Seesaw. The Airplay feature on the Apple TV allows the students to collaborate and display their work on the SMART Board."

"The Airplay option allows me the freedom to move around my classroom while enhancing student learning. Having the ability to use current and engaging online photos, videos, and internet games like Kahoot! will not only keep my students actively engaged, but further capture their own interest in learning the content," second-grade teacher Sharon Dillon observes.

Angela Lazzeretti believes, "Our new interactive boards will give our 3- and 4-year-olds a new way to explore letters and numbers with the class." Even our youngest grades participate in new ways to learn and interact.

St. James is an environment of faith, focus and achievement. It is faith-based, where a belief in God is part of the everyday environment. Teachers and administrators focus on each individual student and help each student focus on things that matter most: their school work, their progress, their futures and their potential to do God's work in the world. In addition, it is known for its achievement in academics - test scores across the board are above average, and students go on to succeed in high school and beyond.

Parents are investing in the future by investing in their children. According to Principal Judy Pappas, "God continues to bless our school with wonderful commitment from our families, administration, teaching staff, and parishioners. I am truly grateful to be a leader in this thriving community."