Dear Catholic Memorial Parents,
Education has certainly changed in recent years. It seems like not so long ago, all a student needed for class was a textbook, notebook, pen, and perhaps a basic calculator. As education has evolved, though, the need for appropriate and more sophisticated technology, both in the classroom and at home, has evolved along with it. While that was most certainly the case earlier this school year, the importance of every student possessing technology that supports and enhances his learning has never been clearer than in our current remote learning environment.
As always, in our efforts to remain at the forefront of instruction, Catholic Memorial has been constantly reevaluating the needs of its students and teachers, and planning for both the potential continuation or remote learning and the resumption of classroom teaching as we move beyond the current pandemic. With that in mind, beginning in September, 2020 every Catholic Memorial student will be required to have a device that will facilitate his education both from home and in the classroom. The minimum hardware and software specifications required for these devices, along with a
Home Technology Readiness Checklist
and a list of
Frequently Asked Questions
can be found on the school’s website.
The minimum hardware standards have been established to ensure that every student device is capable of running the full range of productivity and educational applications that a typical student will need during his time at CM. Recognizing that the choice of hardware is often a very personal decision and will vary from family to family, we have attempted to provide both a broad set of guidelines as well as a range of costs that will meet the needs of every student while still providing maximum flexibility. It is important to note, however, that a cell phone does NOT meet the school’s minimum requirements as it is not capable of fully supporting this range of applications or providing the educational benefits of more robust technologies. For some courses, too (e.g. Art or Computer Science), where specialized and potentially expensive software plays a key role in the curriculum, hardware requirements may be higher than the minimum standards and access to school-owned computers in our technology facilities will be still an alternative to individual purchase.
We believe that these changes for the coming school year will not only enhance the educational experience for all of our students but also better prepare them for the collegiate and work environments they will encounter beyond Catholic Memorial. Should you have questions about the these requirements or need additional guidance with regard to purchasing hardware, our Information Technology staff will be happy to assist you. Please contact
Mr. Michael Milo
or
Mr. Derek Carty
in our IT Office with questions.
We look forward to continuing to enhance your son’s academic experience through the thoughtful inclusion of technology resources throughout the curriculum, and these requirements for the coming year are an important step forward in the process. We are grateful for your support of our response to the evolving educational landscape and look forward to continuing to serve you and your sons in the coming months and years.
Sincerely,
Mr. John Aversa '78
Chair, Mathematics and Computer Science
Vice Principal for Technology
