New Students and Technology

The Academy has had laptops as of May 2007. Two new students to the Academy were interviewed to get their opinions. When asked about it in general, Rian had this to say.

“…school has never really been my thing, so the Academy is kind of like a breath of fresh air because, it’s a lot more easy going, it feels like they work with you…”

The laptops were accepted quickly and now we have a great system for school work. You may access assignments from home and everything you have is saved to your computer or online. Organization is no longer such a problem. Students can't just “lose” their assignments like they used to. Matt said this about the organization.

“…It’s all like right in front of you…very easy to use…only one thing instead of one big binder”
Class work being easier and students not doing much at the Academy is not true. Weekly projects and tests are done in classes, along with daily assignments. We use our new technology daily. Both Matt and Rian are doing class projects that require our new technology and talked about it with us.

“…a poetry project and…we’re building a website for the Academy, of course”-Matt

“Well in Civics class with Mr. Hilton we’re using photostory, so that requires laptops”-Rian

We are looking forward to interviews with more students. Check back for more information about technology and laptops, being posted right as they are found out. Keep up to date, and you will be well-informed weekly.


Check Out the Pod Cast of the Interview!


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From a Teachers Perspective

The technology is changing the Academy at a fast pace. The classrooms have become more productive and the better quality of work that is being completed by the students. Technology is a big part not only of the students' class life, but also the teachers. Each student now has their own computer to use on a daily basis. Dry-Erase boards and projectors were installed in the classrooms. In this article we wanted to find out one teacher's perspective. We interviewed Coach Erwin, one of the Academy’s Social Studies and Physical Education teachers.

Coach Erwin told us how he uses the technology everyday in class because he believes that the laptops are useful and helpful to the students. He also claims that he does not use paper at all, “I use the Moodle pretty much for everything”, said Erwin. All the assignments he gives in class are turned into the Moodle using the computers. The Moodle is a program where you take tests and turn your assignments in. He also explained how he uses his projector everyday to put things up on the board that he wants to share with his class. Hopefully, the technology will increase and we will have more as the years progress.

In addition to the laptops, in the future, Coach Erwin has many ideas for new kinds of technology such as iPhones and fingerprint scanners. Coach Erwin thinks iPhones “would help academic achievement”. Coach Erwin also said “There are more applications available for the students.” Erwin believes that taking attendance is “overrated.” Erwin would like to eventually have a device that would scan your fingerprint at the beginning of the day. This would be able to tell you exactly how tardy you were. It would also give us more class time, because we will not have to take attendance. Hopefully, some of these dreams can come true for Coach Erwin in the near future.

Mr. Joe Veldhuizen

* What is your name?

Joe Veldhuizen

*How long have you been teaching?

3 years

*Years at the Academy?

First year

*Where did you go to school?

Crete Monee High School

Concordia University, Chicago

*What subjects do you teach?

Math-Algebra 1A, 1B, and Geometry

*What is your favorite color?

Blue

*Kids? Do they or any other family go to Lindbergh?

No kids

*What is your teacher website?

http://pages.lindberghschools.ws/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=1288

*Any special activities you sponsor?

Freshmen football

*How do you use technology in your classroom?

Keep worksheets on Moodle and website. Power Point Presentations.

*Do you like teaching and why?

I love it. Teenagers are very interesting; it is always something new everyday. I also love helping kids out, not just with school, but with their problems.

*Why did you go into education?

I love math and helping students learn math. It also allows me to coach.

*What are your hobbies?

Sports-men's softball, watching cubs, video games.

*Who was your favorite teacher in school and what subject?

Mr. Amaro: Math- Algebra II, Linear Algebra, Calculus

Mr. Sean Erwin

1) What is your name?
Sean Erwin




2) How long have you been teaching?


In my 6th year.


3) Years in the Academy?


6th year in the Academy.


4) Where did you go to school?

Affton High School
B.A. Maryville University

M.S.E. Missouri Baptist University
M.Ed. William Woods University




5) What subjects do you teach?


Social Studies/P.E.


6) What's your favorite color?


Red


7) Kids? Do they or any other family go to Lindbergh?


No kids

8) What is your teacher link to your website?


http://pages.lindberghschools.ws/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid3


9) Any special activities you sponsor?


Assistant Varsity Baseball & Football Coach


10) How do you use technology in your class room?



I use technology at all times in the classroom to help prepare students for the 21st Century and

to help them increase academic achievement. All documents are accessed through the Moodle and assignments are turned in through the Moodle. Students also take assessments through the Moodle and have access to resources through Moodle.


11) Do you like teaching and why?



Yes, I enjoy helping others achieve their goals.


12) Why did you go into education?



I had a teacher in h.s. that made school interesting and fun, and I wanted to do that for others

who may not enjoy school or find it interesting and vital.


13) What are your hobbies?



Sports, Coaching, Working Out, MU Football


14) Who was your favorite teacher in school and what subject ?



??????

Academy 1 to 1 Laptop Program

The Lindbergh Academy received 75 laptops in March 2008. Each student was assigned a laptop to take from class to class. The Academy was chosen to be the pilot program for the 1 to 1 system (one laptop for every student). The purpose of the program is to determine if the school would benefit from giving every student in the district a laptop . So far the laptops have worked out very well and we will continue to use them as we progress throughout the school years. There have also been many advantages to the laptops. Many of the students work better and faster with the focus of them.

Lindbergh is just one of many schools that have purchased laptops for their students. However, most schools with laptops are private schools. The program varies for different schools but they are based upon the belief that the computers will improve the students' achievement. Also, the laptops will help to improve everyone’s technology skills.

The laptops provide interesting new ways for students to learn. The technology department has also provided all the students at the Academy with an email address so it is easier to contact teachers. All of the teachers at the Academy are linked to the Moodle (A website where they assign the students work). Students may access the Moodle from home if they wish to. Since the laptops arrived, it is much easier to do projects than when we didn't have computers.

The History of Lindbergh Academy

The Lindbergh Academy is an on-campus alternative program for Lindbergh High School. Bess Wilfong, a teacher at Sperreng Middle School, was noticing a lot of her old students were dropping out when she went to the high school for different events. It made her wonder why, and if anything could be done. Bess Wilfong and Dr. Vic Lenz started a committee and came up with the idea of the Academy. Dr. Lenz was very interested in alternative learning. The Committee did a lot of research, had board meetings, and visited a lot of other schools that had programs such as Fernridge in the Parkway District, Positive in the Pattonville District and even went out to Colorado to look at a school there. The state then passed the Safe Schools Act, and part of that act provided grants to programs like the Academy in order to help at-risk students. The Board of Education then approved the program. Lindbergh received a grant for $125,000 and it was divided between the Academy and the Alternative to Suspension School. The Academy started in January of 1997 with two teachers, Bess Wilfong and Jim Petersen, and 25 students. It was hard for the two teachers to teach all the subjects that were going to be needed. The next school year the board approved for the Academy to hire 4 more teachers. Recently, the Academy has a new way of teaching with the 1-to-1 program in which each student gets to use a laptop for the course of the day. The program has been going very well. The goal of the Academy is to prevent kids that learn differently than others from dropping out. As an Academy student, I don’t know where I or a lot of other of my classmates would be without this wonderful program.

Patti Haberberger

What is your name?
Patti Haberberger

How long have you been teaching?
9 years


Years in the Academy?
It's my first!


Where did you go to school?
Dubourg High School, Mizzou-Undergrad, Webster-Grad.



What subject do you teach?
Reading



Whats your favorite color?
Blue



Kids? And if so do they or any other family member go to Lindbergh?
Yes, I have three boys. The oldest goes to preschool at Lindbergh.


What is your teacher link to your website?
I don't know, it's not finished yet.


How do you use technology in your class room?
PowerPoint, the web, e-mail, and hopefully more soon.


Why do you like teaching?
I love it, it keeps me on my toes.


Why did you go into education for your career?
I struggled in school, and I wanted to help other kids who struggled.


What are your hobbies?
Reading, movies, playing with my kids, and working out!


Who was your favorite teacher in school and what subject?
3rd Grade- Miss Rothery. She let me get an eraser, even though I was the only kid who didn't get 100% on my multiplication facts.