Tech Use at TFCA

Do you know what is on your child’s personal technology device?

I am constantly baffled by the continuing changes in technology. Technology advances are so amazing and in so many ways, make our lives easier. However, as educators and parents, we really have to strive to stay ahead of our kids. I wanted to take an opportunity to share with you about a few apps and websites that have been popping onto our radar lately so you may investigate if your child is using this.

Snapchat –Site where students post photos, comments and videos. Students think they are deleted in 10 seconds or less, but they aren’t necessarily. See this review of Snapchat on CommonSenseMedia.org: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/snapchat

 

Instagram - Site to post instant pictures and like/comment on posts; Accounts are supposed to be for 13 yr olds and up. Direct messaging is available and unless you control privacy controls, anyone can access and see their posts/pictures.

iFunny –This site/app is all about jokes. However, there is a great deal of inappropriate content, especially for minors. Users are supposed to be 17 or older. PLEASE check this out!

Vine –This is a site to share video clips. The recommended age level is 15. According to CommonSenseMedia.org, “With the most basic creative searching, kids can find nudity, sex, drug use, offensive language, and more.” Please read more of this review at: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/vine  

Vimeo –  This is another video sharing site. Students should be 16 to use it. Outright pornography is banned, but students may stumble upon partial nudity, questionable language and themes through basic searches.  

Twitter – Recommended for those 13 and up, this site is for 140 character “tweets” or posts to share thoughts, reactions, comments, etc. Although many consider this a harmless site, students need to understand they are contributing to their “digital profile” with every post. If students are going to have a Twitter account, please make them be private in their security settings and only add followers that they know are safe.

Tumblr-  According to CommonSenseMedia.org, “Pornographic images and video, depictions of violence and drug use, and offensive language are easy to find.” Recommended for students 16 and older, it is very difficult to protect your privacy on this site.  

Flickr-  This is a site where students may share photos and videos and store them online. If you do not set your privacy setting to private, anyone may view what is posted on your profile. There are some guidelines for nudity, but they are not necessarily strictly enforced. The recommended age is 15-16 or older.

Students also have apps that enable them to text with others but not show up in the text message icon on devices. If you go to appcrawlr.com and search for apps that hide text messages, several will pop up like:  I heart Pink, an app that looks like a harmless icon, but hides messages. Other apps provide alternate backgrounds and wallpapers for the device and can be slid to reveal other apps students want to keep hidden.

We all want to work together to provide a safe, educational, spiritually uplifting environment for our students, both on campus and off campus! We want you to know that we try to stay informed about technology so that we can educate students about the pitfalls and responsibilities associated with technology. If you have concerns or would like more information regarding technology usage, our firewall and filtering, etc. please let me know!

Carrie Beth Tigges, Principal

Funding the Future - Student Services Spotlight

As our school family is well aware, we are currently raising funds to implement or improve three areas of technology at The Frankfort Christian Academy. While these improvements would have a positive impact on all of our students (see what our teachers are saying!), there is one group of students that we would like to draw your attention to today, students who are involved in our Student Services program.

Mrs. Fitz-Gerald reads aloud many tests each week to students. Sometimes when there is a high need for test readers, other staff or volunteers are used to read tests. As our Student Services program grows, we will have an even greater need for learning and testing accommodations for our students. There are iPad apps that will help students take tests with audio recorded by teachers, staff, or volunteers. We can cut down the amount of reading and time by recording the tests once and it can be used multiple times by additional students.

"The mobile iPad cart would drastically change how we can accommodate our students that need verbal cues when testing. It would allow teachers the opportunity to record audio of tests for every student, then allow students to listen to the tests on an iPad file and work at their own pace as they complete each problem.  The audio would also allow them to tune-out any background noise and distractions so that they could completely focus on the tasks at hand."     Lindsay Barnes, MS/HS Math Teacher

To see this action, check out the app currently being tested in the Student Services department, Audio Exam. 


The Student Services Coordinator has purchased the $9.99 app on her iPad and coordinates with teachers to record the test on the Audio Exam Creator version. Once the test is recorded, students use a school iPad with the free Audio Exam Reader app installed. The test is timed and reads through each question at the student's chosen pace and their answers are recorded on the physical test.

This video takes you through exactly what it's like for a student to use Audio Exam Reader!


As you can see, having additional school iPads available through the mobile iPad lab would make a huge difference for our Student Services program and the students who are helped through it! Are you able to donate to support this project? Read more at FrankfortChristian.org/FundingTheFuture!

Funding the Future of TFCA

TFCA intends to implement the following new technology and improvements for our students:  a mobile iPad lab, new classroom technology, and improvements to our computer labs. These three projects will be supported through a new fundraising campaign, Funding the Future at TFCA, which is going on now! With the addition of these new tools, TFCA’s students will be better equipped to enter the 21^st century workforce and will put us on the cutting edge of classroom technology integration.

Our goal for this fundraiser is to raise $20,000 to fully fund these projects. Students have taken home brochures which explain each project and detail the specific items that we need to purchase in order to make these projects a reality. This will be our only spring fundraiser this year and to celebrate the success of the campaign, our students will have a Field Day at the end of school! We can’t wait to see how our students will be blessed through the financial support of our TFCA family and donors.

Here's what our teachers are saying about these projects:

"A mobile iPad lab would allow teachers to access a different dimension of learning opportunities right in their classrooms. Assessment of learning could be done through creative means such as videos and recordings. Engaging learning opportunities are abundant through the plethora of apps available for iPads. As the Student Services Coordinator and STEP Up teacher I can think of a multitude of ways I would utilize this type of mobile lab."     - Ruth Fitz-Gerald, Student Services Coordinator (Read more about how our Student Services program would be impacted by the addition of a mobile iPad lab!)

"I am so thankful for my iPad AND for my ENO board in my classroom, but I am unable to use them together.   If I want to use the iPad for a lesson I have to go to another room to use their Apple TV or borrow iPad from other teachers. I like to use my iPad for many different things. We use them to research information, educational games, centers, and apps that enhance the learning process or make it fun. It is difficult to do that with only one iPad in the room, so having access to multiple iPads and/or an Apple TV would be WONDERFUL!!"     Lori Anderson, 3rd Grade Teacher

"In my ideal world I would love to have 5 iPads to use during reading groups. This would allow the students to be able to each work on reading and phonics apps during groups and I could monitor their progress. Right now I have one I pass around and we take turns but this allows for dead time and  the other children can't see the app at the same time. I don't have an Apple TV so I can't reflect my iPad up for all to see. I would love to have one of those as well. My dream would to hang the Apple TV behind my reading table and they could each have their own iPad and I could assess them as they manipulate the app we are working on. They could record stories orally and we could publish them as a group. There are so many things I could do with a technology reading group area. I have an ENO board and that is excellent as well. I am blessed to have it but it cannot run iPad technology on it, only computer web sites."    Dawn Noble, Kindergarten Teacher

"A mobile iPad lab would be an amazing addition to my classroom!  6th graders could work on science and math apps to research,learn, and increase knowledge.  The parts of the human body would come to life before our very eyes."     Kendra Miller, MS Math & Science Teacher

"I have been a teacher for almost 17 years and each year it gets more difficult to capture the attention and imagination of my first graders. One way to grab them that never fails is to integrate technology into what we are learning. In my classroom we take turns using our 1 classroom iPad each day...not for one moment to I have to make sure the student using the iPad is engaged in our lesson. I can't imagine how much we could accomplish if I had access to a cart with a classroom set of iPads and could put one in each student's hand for some lessons!  

I have had an Apple TV box in my classroom since late fall and can not imagine life in the classroom without it! I use it daily to engage students in my lesson. From displaying awesome 3D illustrations of plant parts to simply practicing spelling words with to magnetic letters app it is a great tool to have in my toolbox. I hope through the Funding the Future campaign we can provide this amazing tool to all TFCA classrooms!"     Jennifer Cull, 1st Grade Teacher

Learn about the goals for each project and how to donate at FrankfortChristian.org/FundingTheFuture!

Royals1:1

The Frankfort Christian Academy is excited to announce a new technology integration program for our high school students!

Royals1:1 places iPads into the hands of each of our current high school students, providing them with technology integration with our current curriculum. TFCA has six learning goals for the Royals1:1 initiative: Adaptability, Collaboration, Innovation, Creativity, Productivity, and Ethics. TFCA is committed to integrating these goals into our biblically centered curriculum, providing a world class, 21st century Christian education.

Adaptability

Royals1:1 initiative will foster the development of student adaptability as they learn to integrate the iPad and technology into their daily educational routines.

Collaboration

With the Royals 1:1 initiative, through the implementation of iPad technology, students will have “real-life” opportunities to engage, interact, and minister to peers and others outside our school walls.

Innovation

Royals1:1 will provide a common platform for students to seek solutions to problems that may seem difficult or challenging.

Creativity

Royals1:1 will encourage students to think creatively, encouraging “out of the box” thinking in order to create and problem-solve.

Productivity

Royals1:1 will integrate productivity strategies into curriculum, and will encourage students to utilize these strategies to increase productivity outcomes.

Ethics

Royals1:1 will provide students authentic opportunities to make ethical choices utilizing a Biblical worldview.

Royals1:1 will provide real-world opportunities for students to utilize technology for the building of Christ’s Kingdom, through Adaptability, Collaboration, Innovation, Creativity, Productivity, and Ethics.

Learn more about this program at FrankfortChristian.org/iPad!