W. Feliciana Middle School honored

Advocate staff photo by ARTHUR D. LAUCKWest Feliciana Middle School sixth-grade math teacher Renee Sparks works with Landon Sonnier, 12, as his classmates use their computers for an assignment Friday. The school has been named an Apple Distinguished School for its use of technology, particularly for assigning take-home computers for all students.

ST. FRANCISVILLE — West Feliciana Middle School is one of 56 schools in the nation recognized by the technology company Apple Inc. as a “school of distinction” for 2012, West Feliciana Parish school officials announced this week.

The school was selected for its one-to-one technology program, in which each student in the school is given either a laptop computer or an iPad device to use at school and at home.

Representatives of the company will visit the school during an 8 a.m. March 2 student achievement recognition assembly, Superintendent Hollis Milton said.

“We’re very happy to be recognized. This is very huge when you consider the small number of schools that are recognized. I think it builds a bridge for strong relations in the future with Apple, their products and what we provide relative to education and student achievement,” Milton said.

The West Feliciana Parish school system began what it calls its “1:1 initiative” with sixth-graders in the class of 2007-08. The state, under a program started by then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco, provided grants to school systems across the state for students in selected classes to get laptop computers.

When some school systems declined to participate, West Feliciana obtained extra grant money to assign them to all of its sixth-graders.

Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed a $2.5 million legislative appropriation to continue the grant program in July 2008, but then-School Superintendent Lloyd Lindsey persuaded the West Feliciana School Board to expand the program to a new group of sixth-graders with local funds.

In 2010, West Feliciana voters approved a new, half-cent sales tax, with part of the money earmarked to continue the one-to-one program.

Milton credited Principal Ben Necaise for Apple’s recognition of the school.

“He is such a strong leader, and has a strong vision for technology as it relates to teaching and learning,” Milton said.

Milton said he believes iPads and similar products are the textbooks of the future.

“By us being a part of this process, we’re ahead of the game when we make this transition. And, indeed, the transition has already started,” Milton said.

Some 410 students are using Apple MacBook laptops as their 1:1 device, while 100 students are piloting iPad computers. Every student and staff member is issued a Mac device at the beginning of the school year and returns it to be re-imaged at the end of the year.

The school system has a pilot program to introduce iPad devices in West Feliciana High School.

Necaise, said one of the most important aspects of the program “is its ability to level the educational playing field” by providing students with equal access to such technology and resources.