Update: WEareEMPOWERED is expanding to our High School students grades 9-11: Click here for more!


WEareEMPOWERED

Every Lakota student is part of a learning community dedicated to meeting each child's needs through evolving personalized learning experiences and opportunities. We value our rich history of pairing talented staff with quality tools and resources to support each student's learning and will continue to do so as we move forward in providing a student-centered education at Lakota.

Lakota's next chapter of personalized student learning began in the 2018-19 school year with a new pilot program that will pair each of our 7^th and 8^th grade students with a dedicated, district-owned Chromebook (1:1) to support high quality teacher instruction.  This program will be expanding to our High school students in grades 9-11 in the third quarter.

This “WEareEMPOWERED" program is being designed to empower each student to own their learning through expanded access to innovative instructional content, activities to increase collaboration and communication, guidance on digital organization, along with new learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom and school day. This new initiative supports the development of key student skills and responsibilities necessary to navigate the digital transformation of today and the highly-skilled, technology driven global world of tomorrow.

We are also empowering each teacher with specially designed professional development to support the facilitation, guidance and personalization of student learning with proven and innovative approaches, many supported by technology, to enhance lessons, projects, problem solving and assignments.

We are excited to partner with our parents and guardians on the #WEareEMPOWERED program for each of our students in grades 7-11!


PLEASE OFFER YOUR FEEDBACK

CLICK HERE to offer your input to help shape the Lakota WEareEMPOWERED initiative.

THE DEVICE

Each Chromebook is Military Spec certified and features:

TOOLS FOR CREATION AND EXPRESSION

Each Lakota Chromebook will include productivity, collaboration, video, audio, drawing and music creation tools to open up new avenues for students to creatively showcase their learning and express their interests through personalized learning opportunities. 

ALWAYS ON FILTERING

While Chromebooks are considered in high regards by security experts, content filtering is just as important to support a safe environment while ensuring our students have access to the appropriate learning tools they need. All Lakota student-issued Chromebooks utilize next gen, cloud base web filtering. This smart filtering is “always on” regardless of the device internet connection or location and is aligned with filtering in use at Lakota for years. In addition, YouTube is provided to ensure access to instructional videos, with "age-restrictions" applied.

All internet history is preserved and can be reviewed anytime by asking your student to:

1. Open Chrome on their Lakota issued Chromebook.
2. At the top right, click:  .
3. Click History  History.

INNOVATION HUBS, SPECIALISTS & RESOURCES

The Innovation Hub is the Media Center reimagined! Virtual reality, 3D printing, green screen video stations, and flexible spaces that support innovative learning! This space will continue to evolve through student and staff voice and innovations in learning and technologies.

This space will also provide direct support to staff and students for the WEareEMPOWERED initiative through a Help Desk that students can visit for any assistance with their Chromebook, including care, usage, charging and hardware support.

Summer Chromebook support information can be found by clicking here.

The Hub will also be a place for staff and students to find support around the use of instructional technology from staff as well as through empowering student leaders with a desire to become experts in our district provided resources and tools along with the use of the space.

Our new Innovation Specialists are leading the evolution of these spaces and are happy to assist our students with resources, learning activities, and assistance.


DIGITAL EQUITY

Equity of access for our students is a primary focus, to support each student having internet access to fully leverage their WEareEMPOWERED device both in and outside of our schools.  Our Junior High Principals will continue to evaluate student needs and explore school based options in addition to a limited number of filtered mobile hotspots that students can checkout at the Innovation Hubs, with parent permission.

In addition, Spectrum is offering an assistance program for National School Lunch participant families for high speed home internet. Click here for more information.

We have also begun the 'WEareConnectED' business outreach program, allowing area businesses to advertise the availability of their wifi to our students by placing this logo in their windows. For helping us expand the "Lakota Learning Network" for our students, these businesses will be included in Lakota's social media campaigns supporting 'WEareConnectED' to highlight our partnership in supporting our students' learning. Click here for more information on the WEareConnectED Program.

MORE PARENT/GUARDIAN RESOURCES:

In Lakota, we continue to work hard to ensure that our students, your children, are prepared to learn and live in digital world.  The opportunities your child will experience related to digital learning are aligned with state and national standards and the Lakota building blocks for becoming a good digital citizen begin in Kindergarten and continue to be built upon and applied throughout their Lakota career and beyond!  We believe strongly that it is our responsibility to develop your child’s foundational skills and knowledge around digital citizenship, organization, access and collaboration, developing overall good digital citizens throughout this journey. As with all things in education, it is a partnership between school and home.  That is why we would like to share with you some resources to support our guardians as you support your child in this journey:

If an accessory is lost, students should stop by their school's Innovation Hub for a replacement, and a fine will be assessed to the guardian for the following amounts: - -----$15 Power Supply -----$17 Digital Pen/Stylus -----$33 Case - If the entire device is lost, please contact the school directly. - -

Learn more on the WEareEMPOWERED initiative through our Frequently Asked Questions. - - Learn about Future Ready Schools' Framework, which was foundational to the development of our #WEareEMPOWERED initiative Google's Guardian's Guide to Chromebooks

Learn about empowering proactive digital learners from the International Society for Technology in Education

Personalize resources for your family through Common Sense Media

Explore Google’s internet safety resources.

“Helping kids be safe, confident explorers of the online world.”