California School District to Distribute Dell Computers in Program
Aimed to Transcend Traditional Classroom Learning
ROUND ROCK, Texas (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) March 31, 2007 --
Hacienda La Puente Unified School District near Los Angeles will issue
Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) notebook computers to middle and high school students
to boost student achievement and narrow the community’s
digital divide. The district announced the program at a board meeting
Thursday evening.
During the first phase of implementation set to begin this fall, fifth-,
seventh- and ninth-grade students will receive Dell Latitude™
D620 notebooks for use in classrooms and at home for four years. Once
the program is fully implemented, students will receive a new notebook
in ninth grade, with the option of using it in college or in the
workplace after completing high school. Graduating high school seniors
will have the option to purchase the notebook for $35 or, pending the
school district’s future partnerships,
students may be able to keep the notebook at no cost.
Once fifth-grade students enter eighth grade, their families will have
the option to purchase the three-year old notebooks for $35. Students
without Internet access at home will be provided with service paid for
by Hacienda La Puente along with free access to the school district’s
online learning community.
“The impact of this program will extend much
further than just classroom learning,” said
Michael Droe, chief technical officer for Hacienda La Puente. “Students
can also bring their notebooks home, giving family members the
opportunity to develop stronger technology skills and increase family
involvement in the education process. We know that this program will
make a positive impact in our community, and will play a significant
role in decreasing the digital divide.”
Teachers in the district also will receive Dell notebooks and certified
training on how to integrate the new technology into all areas of
curriculum. Parents will be required to participate in technology
orientation sessions with their child and 10 hours of training.
“In order for a one-to-one computing program
like this to be successful, it is imperative that teachers are armed
with the skills necessary to fully integrate technology into the
curriculum,” said Mark Horan, vice president
of Dell’s K-12 and state and local government
business. “Parents also need to be involved
in the process, receiving basic computing skills that enable them to
help their children solve technology issues at home.”
The Dell notebooks will be distributed over four weekends in August at
designated school gyms. The schedule calls for 1,900 Dell notebooks to
be distributed in fall 2007 and another 2,000 in fall 2008. After the
first two installments and based on current enrollment estimates, the
school district projects about 1,600 notebooks will be acquired each
year to accommodate incoming fifth-grade students and to provide updated
notebooks for ninth graders.
A list of participating schools, associated grades levels and additional
program details can be found at www.hlpusd.k12.ca.us/laptops.
About Dell
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative
technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its
direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services
company and No. 25 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com.
To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.
See the original story at: http://eon.businesswire.com/releases/school/notebook/prweb515581.htm
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