is already off to a state-of-the-art start to the first half of the new school year.
The school system is partnering with a national educational technology company for a pilot program that features the use of mobile tablet computers to access an online curriculum.
The pilot is being run by the New York City-based firm Wireless Generation.
The 7th grade classes at and will be taking part in the pilot, which will be run through the district's language arts program.
Common Core
In addition to the Android tablet computers and an online platform for curriculum, the program also integrates Common Core State Standards, according to Assistant Superintendent of Schools Erica Forti.
The new national standards, adopted by Connecticut in 2010, help provide an academic framework to prepare students for college and the workforce.
One of Five Districts
East Haven is one of only five districts across the country asked to take part in the pilot — and the only school system participating in the northeast, Forti told Board of Education members during Tuesday night's meeting.
The four other districts are located in San Francisco, Los Angeles and there are two schools in Las Vegas, Forti said.
Tech Friendly School System
The East Haven school system is no stranger to the use of tablet computers as part of its curriculum.
Teachers throughout the district, and particularly at the elementary school level, have already begun integrating iPads into their daily classrooms as teaching and testing tools — including a reading assessment program developed by Wireless Generation.
No Cost to District
For the new pilot, Wireless Generation will be providing all of the equipment, as well as ongoing on-site support for the program, during its duration.
The company is expected to create a satellite office here in Connecticut to serve the East Haven leg of the project, which will be staffed by two technical experts and two content experts, Forti said.
"The cost is entirely picked up by Wireless Generation," she said.
'Exciting Opportunity'
The project is expected to run from early next month to about the December holiday break.
If the pilot proves successful — and the development of the curriculum moves forward — Forti said East Haven would be in the position of helping to shape academic programming that may eventually go on to serve the school system's kindergarten through 8th grade students.
"It's an exciting opportunity," Forti said.
East Haven Patch will have additional reporting and updates on pilot as the program moves forward throughout the first part of the new school year.
