The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) opened the new school year with a $5,287,200 investment in technology and classroom furniture as part of the board’s goal to engage students, staff, and community partners in real-world learning. They discussed the investment during the first board meeting of the school year on September 14.
A total of 40 elementary and 28 secondary schools are receiving new furniture to create more flexible learning spaces, as well as 1800 desktop and 730 laptop computers, complete with charging carts. The schools will receive network upgrades to support the new devices, replacements for office equipment, new tools for their tech shops, 3D printers, and a drone pilot program.
“As a result of sound financial planning, we were able to make these additional investments at the end of the last school year,” said Director of Education Ron Ferguson. “We are fortunate to have a board of trustees that planned for and fully supported these actions The implementation of these purchases and upgrades are just the beginning. We have innovative and ambitious goals defined in our overall strategic plans for our school board that we are looking forward to achieving. We want to encourage our schools to continue with this thinking and we will work with them at the central level to carry out real-world learning activities and innovative opportunities.” Rockland District High School will be receiving two classrooms worth of furniture, a 3D printer and scanner, a CNC machine, a vinyl cutter, a laser cutter, tools for the tech shop, two laptop carts, and around 45 computers.
Rockland Public School will receive three classrooms worth of furniture, a replacement phone system for the front office, two laptop carts, and around 45 computers.
Russell High School will receive three classrooms worth of furniture, a 3D printer, a CNC machine, a vinyl cutter, a laser cutter, tools for the tech shop, three laptop carts, and around 50 computers.
Russell Public School will receive a replacement phone system for the front office, 17 laptops, 23 desktops, and two laptop carts.
Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute will receive a 3D printer and scanner, a CNC machine, a vinyl cutter, a laser cutter, tools for the tech shop, two laptop carts, and around 30 computers.
Pleasant Corners Public School in Vankleek Hill will receive three laptop carts and 50 computers.
