Photo Credit: Photo via Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons License.

All Colonia High teachers will receive Google Chromebooks to be utilized in this new technology in their classrooms next September.

You might have heard of some recent renovations being done here, at Colonia High School. For example, the football field will change into a turf field. Besides a new turf field, another rumor is going around about another plan that’ll benefit the whole school, teachers and students. Well, it is confirmed that Colonia High School will be buying Google ChromeBooks that’ll be in use by teachers and students.

With an increase of modern technology, every school, not only Colonia High School, has a chance to modernize the technology they are currently using. Google ChromeBooks satisfy our needs for improved technology throughout the school. The ChromeBooks fulfill our demands more efficiently without having a high cost.

The ChromeBooks are cheaper and more resourceful than iPads and/or other electronics. The new laptops are also compatible with the new PARCC testing. The ChromeBooks also give the best diversity for its price.

Though our school bought the ChromeBooks, not every school in Woodbridge Township is doing the same. “They have a choice, Chrome Books [reach] our needs better than iPads and they’re compliant with the PARCC testing,” said Principal, Kenneth Pace when asked if every school is changing to the laptops too.

This school year’s budget will allow us to buy roughly 44 ChromeBooks which is equivalent to two laptop carts. Each laptop is about $270 each. Since the school is buying 44 laptops, the total cost will be around $1,000 to $2,000.

The budget for next year will allow for more laptops to be purchased. We will be able to afford another three carts of laptops, which will equal 66 new ChromeBooks.

A few years ago, the school previously made a technology renovation. The laptops bought were DELL minis and since then technology has modernized. There have been problems with the minis such as freezing, frequently shutting down, and taking a while to start up and shut down.

When asked what will happen to the current laptops when the new ones arrive, Pace rationally said, “We will use them until they cease to [satisfy] our needs or break down. We are not going to get rid of technology.”

Mr. Pace plans to have a corner in the library that’ll supply the ChromeBooks at a table so students will be able to work in groups. He plans to set up 24 to 26 laptops in the back corner of the Media Center.

Each individual student will also be able to create a Gmail account, or current one, to easily share documents and work online. Gmail is an easy to learn and convenient ways to share, send, or receive information from teachers and/or other students. When you have a Gmail you have access to Google Drive and Google Cloud.

The Chromebooks can be used to send, share, and receive documents and is compatible with many devices. It’ll be an easy way to submit work, especially for students who have different programs than their teachers and for teachers who struggle to open documents from their students.

Mr. Pace is also working on two new renovations for next year. There will be a new engineering curriculum that’ll be available second semester and is not mandatory so it will count as an elective.

Also, there’ll be dual enrollment courses available. It is collaboration between Colonia High School and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The students will take their classes here but will also take a class at NJIT. The student will receive college credit so it is a quick start to prepare for college.

These renovations show that people are thinking of creative and new ideas that will benefit the students and teachers here. The Chromebooks are expected to arrive around July 1, 2014. Be on the lookout for changes to the school throughout your high school experience.