Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Technology topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears K–8 technology update; fifth-grade Chromebook home use to be limited, AI pilots begin
Summary
District technology lead presented a K–8 roadmap emphasizing targeted device use (Seesaw in K–2; Google tools in grades 3–8), said fifth-grade Chromebooks generally will not go home, outlined BYOD and monitoring trade-offs, and described AI pilots and teacher training.
Matt (introduced in the agenda as Mr. Selry) told the New Canaan Board of Education on May 5 that district technology is designed to support targeted learning goals rather than serve as an all-day screen presence. He framed the update around grade-level practices, instructional examples and tools, and operational decisions about device management and monitoring.
The presentation said Seesaw is the primary platform for K–2 classroom work and portfolios, while Google Classroom, Chromebooks and ClassLink Launchpad are the core systems in grades 3–8. Mr. Selry said the district plans to store fifth-grade devices in classrooms so they will not routinely go home next year; students may still check devices out when needed. That approach, he said, balances teacher control, student ownership of devices and lifecycle management.
Board members and parents pressed several operational questions: whether the fifth-grade change applies to sixth grade, how rotating schedules affect device logistics in middle school, and whether devices on carts could substitute for individually assigned machines. Mr. Selry said carts reduce students’ sense of ownership and can shorten device lifespan; for grades that rotate frequently he recommended students carry devices with them.
The update also addressed instructional uses and assessments. Mr. Selry described classroom examples—digital simulations in science, formative tools in math, portfolio-based writing in early grades—and said regular exposure to digital navigation supports low-stakes preparation for Smarter Balanced and NGSS assessments, which must run on school-owned devices.
Board members raised screen-time and student-wellness concerns. A parent asked that orchestra music be printable instead of displayed on screens; others noted library and indoor-recess screen use. Mr. Selry and trustees acknowledged the need for balance and described teacher strategies that close devices during discussion periods.
On device management and equity, the board discussed BYOD options. Mr. Selry said BYOD can reduce refresh costs but makes centralized monitoring and classroom management harder; tools like GoGuardian cannot be applied to personally owned devices in the same way the district can control school-issued machines.
On artificial intelligence, the district is piloting vetted, privacy-reviewed tools (Mr. Selry cited a Magic School pilot and a student AI club developing task-limited chatbots). He described teacher training, guardrails in pilot environments, and examples where AI is used to give feedback or support language practice.
The board recorded routine procedural motions (agenda and prior minutes approved) and closed the technology segment with plans to continue vendor review and classroom-level implementation checks. The next board meeting is scheduled for May 19, 2025, when the agenda will include a CLC update from Dr. Krenty.
