World Communications Charter School (WCCS) was located in downtown Philadelphia on the dynamic Avenue of the Arts. As one of the oldest charter schools in the city, the school’s mission was to offer a college preparatory curriculum that would equip the students with the critical thinking and problem solving skills needed for higher education.
While the number of charter schools increased within the city, WCCS recognized the need to change its philosophy and begin integrating technology into their curriculum.
After purchasing over 600 iPad tablets and attempting to integrate them school-wide, WCCS realized they would need expert advice and technical support to complete a successful rollout.
Another challenge they faced was to find an ongoing partner for technology professional development.
After a thorough assessment of the school’s IT infrastructure, Springboard IT planned out a tiered iPad deployment project that focused on one grade at a time, ensuring the faculty received the training they needed to be confident and successful.
To facilitate this, Springboard IT installed a JAMF Casper Suite Device Management plan to ensure that each device could be managed properly. This solution gave WCCS a scalable solution to safeguard each device.
Another key to success was the development of a customized professional development and consulting strategy to go along with the hardware rollout. The year-long PD plan provided staff with the unique resources they needed to engage students and utilize their new technology to its fullest capabilities. After meeting with teachers in both one-on-one and small group settings and also having regularly scheduled meetings with the school’s administration, Springboard IT became not only a trusted resource, but also an invested member of the school community.
After this plan was in place, 96% of teachers said they felt supported in their efforts to facilitate iPad use in their classrooms. Not only did the teachers express their satisfaction, but also when students’ progress was measured, WCCS experienced a whopping 68% increase in 11th grade English and Reading proficiency.
With such tremendous progress, World Communications Charter School knew their technology investment had been well spent. Teachers were comfortable and confident with their technology, students were more engaged, and the tablets became a stimulating and motivating part of the schools’ curriculum.
