By MARY ANN KAMPFE/ RFHRHS Public Relations
Students at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School are now toting something extra to their classrooms along with the usual pencils and notebooks.
This month, R-FH has introduced a new initiative called BRING IT!h. BRING IT! allows students to use their own electronic devices to get a leg up on learning. Devices such as personal laptops, electronic tablets, notebooks, and other mobile devices can be brought to school and connected to the Internet through the district’s WiFi connection.
BRING IT! will enable students to use personal devices throughout the school including locations such as the library, cafeteria, and study halls. Students will not be permitted to connect to social media outlets, as the nature of the technology usage is strictly academic in nature. And, while the technology being utilized by students must be tied to academic enrichment, the use of personal technology in the classrooms will be at the discretion of individual instructors.
The RFH administration anticipates that BRING IT! will enrich the academic experience for students who participate.
“We are very excited to move forward with BRING IT!,” said RFH Principal Tracy Handerhan. “We are confident that this new opportunity will enable more authentic uses of instructional technology, similar to those found in a college environment.”
Chris Alworth, RFH Supervisor of Industrial Arts and Technology, stated that BRING IT! gives students the advantage of utilizing their own technology, with which they are familiar, during the course of the school day. “We will be implementing new ideas and applications to enhance the learning experience through our new BRING IT! program,” Alworth said.
To ensure a successful transition, the new program was phased in during the month of September according to grade levels. BRING IT! was scheduled to be made available to the senior class beginning the week of September 9 and introduced to the remainder of the student body in weekly increments. The freshman class will be introduced to BRING IT! during the week of September 30, completing the initiation process.
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional School District will require the completion of permission forms for participation in BRING IT! and will not be responsible for lost or stolen items.
