Operation Graduation: The Digital Advantage!

We are excited to report that Operation Graduation, AKA Digital Advantage, is a success! This past Wednesday, May 12, the Coachella Valley USD awarded 187 Dell laptop computers to Desert Mirage freshmen who met the "Four A's" of Attendance, Academics, Activity and Attitude this year. In order to qualify, students were required to have a total cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better, participate in a school-sponsored sport, club, program or service learning activity, have no suspensions at any time during the school year, and maintain 95% perfect attendance between November 2, 2009 and April 1, 2010.

Nearly every student was in attendance at the ceremony, and parents rubbed elbows with Superintendent Ricardo Medina and other district administrators, as well as school board members, local dignitaries, and Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Kenn Young. It was an exhilarating evening. At the ceremony's conclusion, red, white and silver balloons rained on the students, who hugged their laptops while Kool & the Gang's "Celebration" rang out. Afterward, it was pizza for everyone outside on a breezy, beautiful desert night.

So now the real joys and challenges begin. Some students are bringing the laptops to school, and several teachers have already begun to incorporate the computers in the classroom. We would like to hear about how YOU are using the netbooks to enhance your lessons.

What's working? What do you want to try? Please post your response below. If you have technical concerns, you can write to lucie.gonzalez@cvusd.us, and they will be forwarded to the right persons. Go Rams!

Digital Advantage: Got PRIDE?

Hello Rams! Second semester is done and Session 3 is off and running. We are halfway through our 92-day qualification window for Digital Advantage, our laptop incentive program for the class of 2013. As you know, the laptops will be awarded to 9th graders who have met the 4 A's: Attendance (95%), Academics (2.5 or above), Activity (ongoing participation in a school-related activity), and Attitude (no off-campus suspensions).

The laptops are on display in the school library, and the district has committed to providing the funding for the computers.

As second semester grades are now done, we will soon be sending out "On Track" letters to our students informing them of their progress with regard to attendance and grades. At that time, we will also request that they report their school activity to our office. As the session goes on, we will continue to rely on second period teachers to distribute attendance reports to the freshmen and to encourage them to clear any unexcused absences. Thank you so much to those of you who have already helped us with this important effort.

We would also like to visit freshman classrooms during 2nd period in order to show the students what the laptops can do. Those teachers will be able to volunteer for that soon.

Thank you for helping our students to continue their progress toward the ESLRs, especially Responsible Citizens, Interactive Participants, and Effective Communicators!

Go Rams!

If you are a second period 9th grade teacher, please post a response letting us know how Digital Advantage is coming along with your students.