Crown Point High School to allow students to bring their own wireless devices in 2013

CROWN POINT | Crown Point High School is creating a wireless environment that will allow students to bring their own technology such as iPads, tablets, net books or laptops, beginning in the fall of 2013.

Crown Point Principal Eric Ban said the concept — CPHS 2.0 — was developed by a group of students, teachers, parents and school leaders.

He said the effort will help connect more students to their teachers.

The district will need a more "robust wireless network" to make it happen, and that work already has begun, he said.

Ban said a survey of students indicated about half of the 2,600 students in grades nine through 12 had some sort of wireless device at home.

Crown Point High School will join the Tri-Creek School Corp., the School City of Hobart and the School Town of Munster in developing a wireless environment.

Jay Blackman, Tri-Creek director of Information and Educational Technology, said the district began allowing all grades to bring their own devices to school this fall. He said in the past month the high school logged 873 different devices.

"That could mean that one student has multiple devices," Blackman said. "Mostly what we see are iPad, (iPod) Touch and smart phones."

Hobart Superintendent Peggy Buffington said her district is working on a new wireless plan as well.

"We will probably pilot this spring and implement next year," she said.

Munster began an initiative this fall as part of the district's technology instructional plan, which calls for students in grades five through 12 to have computer access with a four-year lease-purchase arrangement.

John Keller, the Indiana Department of Education's assistant superintendent for technology, said districts allowing students to bring their own devices from home are at the forefront of technology.

Keller said the Avon school district near Indianapolis established a program a couple of years ago allowing seniors to bring their own devices to school.

"In Avon, the board created a student technology support team, a sort of geek squad, who could troubleshoot problems for other students," Keller said.