Mustang schools empower students with technology
Canyon Ridge Intermediate student Samijah Hawkins picks up her Chromebook, made possible for Mustang Public Schools intermediate, middle and high school students thanks to federal funding recently obtained by the district. Photo provided
By Traci Chapman
Mustang Times
Mustang Public School District has started a long-held goal of empowering its students through technology, thanks to a federal funding program.
The funding – announced shortly before the 2021-2022 school year began – was made available through the Federal Communication Commission’s Emergency Connectivity Fund, Mustang
Superintendent Charles Bradley said. Those funds allowed purchase and deployment of Chromebooks to students in intermediate, middle and high school classes, he said.
“Our mission is to develop our community of learners as self-confident, creative problem solvers and skillful communicators who are capable of accessing and processing information in a lifelong pursuit of excellence,” Bradley said. “It is hard, if not impossible, to argue that we are living in a technology-integrated world, regardless of our opinions about that fact – however, some of our students lack the necessary infrastructure or access to technology that is afforded their peers.”
The funding will help put in place a program, “Mpowered,” to help address that issue, providing a 1-to-1 ratio for devices to students, communications director Kirk Wilson said.
“This 1:1 environment supports the development of key student skills and responsibilities necessary to safely and effectively navigate the digital transformation of today and the highly-skilled, technology driven global world of tomorrow for all students,” Wilson said.
Administrators began handing out devices Nov. 10 to seniors at Mustang High School; while FCC’s ECF funding doesn’t cover Chromebooks for elementary students, the district is exploring other options to help accomplish its goal of being a 1:1 district, Wilson said.
