Lambton Kent students are reaping the benefits of the public board's newly passed budget for 2016-2017.
The board is earmarking $1-million to grow the use of technology in the classroom, and, more specifically, equip every Grade 7 student with an iPad.
Superintendent of Business Brian McKay says the idea is for students to carry those iPads into high school with them.
"Basically we're viewing it as a tool that the student will continue to use and have access to, not only in the elementary panel, but as they move into the secondary panel," he says.
McKay adds they started the program last year, and expect to roll out another 1,500 iPads to incoming seventh-graders.
"We wanted to get the kids to a certain age group where they're old enough [to] understand the responsibility, because it is their machine that they're taking home with them at night and doing homework on and interacting with," McKay says.
While their technology plan is consistent with other boards across the province, McKay notes they're looking to lead the pack.
"I would suggest we want to keep our students as much as we can at the forefront of technology," he says. "So constantly looking at updates to the plan to make sure we are leading edge."
