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.

          Innovative Instruction                                        Student 1:1 Program                                        Modern Learning Spaces

Lakota's “WEareEMPOWERED" program is designed to empower Lakota students personalized learning, future ready journey. 

WEareEMPOWERED expands access to innovative instructional approaches and new learning opportunities, purposefully supported by technology. This includes increased student devices, including a 1:1 student program in grades seven through twelve, an "at school" 1:1 program for our sixth graders, along with Innovation Hubs providing modern learning spaces for student learning through technology, collaboration and creativity!

This initiative supports the development of key student skills and responsibilities necessary to safely and effectively 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 students, parents and guardians on the #WEareEMPOWERED program for each of our students! Your voice is important to us and this program will continue to evolve through student, parent and staff voice!

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

THE 1:1 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 and furniture 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. 

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 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 and High School 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 a 1:1 device accessory is lost, seventh-twelfth grade 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, a key resource in the development of our #WEareEMPOWERED initiative

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.”