Michigan District Successful in First Year of 1-to-1 Program

Nearly two years after voters in the Grand Haven (MI) Area Public Schools approved a $19-million bond issue to enhance the use of technology for its 6,200 K-12 students, every student in kindergarten through fourth grade has an iPad and every student in grade 5-12 has a Chromebook.

Even though the bond issue was approved in May 2014, District Technology Director Doug Start said the district took the entire 2014-15 school year to plan, prepare and test devices so that teachers would be ready when school started the first full year of a new 1-to-1 program last fall.

"That was critical in ensuring the devices were successfully implemented," Start said in a report in the Grand Haven Tribune. "This preparation reduced anxiety. While not everyone is at the same level, we can say that technology is being used daily where appropriate and effective for each student."

For instance, said White Pines Intermediate School sixth-grade teacher Gary Knight, it's made his job more efficient and less time-consuming. Now, rather than photocopying lessons in advance, he sends students the information they need electronically in a matter of seconds.

His extended learning class students are working together on a digital project to help a local United States Coast Guard unit recruit new crew members in the area.

"It's fun and easy to work with," said sixth-grader Tucker Kooi of his Chromebook.

Nate Mihalek, a seventh-grade teacher at Lakeshore Middle School, said it's opened up new options for students who crave different ways of learning. In his science classes, he gives his students different options to prepare assignments. In some cases, it may be writing a traditional paper, but it could also be making a video or choosing other mediums that interest them.

"It empowers them to go out and seek the information themselves and be a digester of information," Mihalek said.

About the Author

Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.

Featured

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • laptop displaying a glowing digital brain and data charts sits on a metal shelf in a well-lit server room with organized network cables and active servers

    Cisco Unveils AI-First Approach to IT Operations

    At its recent Cisco Live 2025 event, Cisco introduced AgenticOps, a transformative approach to IT operations that integrates advanced AI capabilities to enhance efficiency and collaboration across network, security, and application domains.

  • educators seated at a table with a laptop and tablet, against a backdrop of muted geometric shapes

    HMH Forms Educator Council to Inform AI Tool Development

    Adaptive learning company HMH has established an AI Educator Council that brings together teachers, instructional coaches and leaders from school district across the country to help shape its AI solutions.