More than 5,600 Canon-McMillan students returned to the classroom Thursday, and the school district wants families to be aware of a few changes taking effect. Some of those involve technology use.
Back in May, district leaders announced a new policy: no more Chromebooks for students in kindergarten, first and second grades in all elementary schools.
Superintendent Dr. Greg Taranto said the district is continuing its effort to reduce screen time at school and increase opportunities for face-to-face learning.
“I think you’re seeing a lot out there, especially the research out there, showing excessive screen time, from vision issues to brain development to — is it really the learning platform or way to learn? The answer is no,” Taranto said. “It’s not an absolute ban on technology, but it’s shifting the pendulum to center and saying, we want to maximize … human-to-human interaction, teacher-to-student (interaction).”
This year, there will be a new tool for families to use to make sure their child gets to school safely and on time.
The Stopfinder app allows parents to track the location of their child’s school bus in real time and find out its estimated time of arrival. School officials said the app will be phased in as a pilot program throughout the fall, then rolled out to the entire fleet later in the year.
Also in the works: Parts of South-Central Elementary School will see improvements. Plans include the modernization of its playground to address ongoing drainage issues.
“This is all part of a focus on our student wellness and understanding the importance of activity and exercise, getting kids outside as much as possible,” Taranto said.
Starting this year, breakfast will be available for all Canon-Mac students, free of charge.
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