The excitement was palpable when every sixth grader at Yavneh was given an iPad at the end of April, that are integrated with classroom smart Lino corkboards. The school brought parents, students and teachers together to explain how hi-tech is going to work in the classroom. The tech teachers showed everyone at the meeting how certain apps work and how they will be integrated into the school curriculum.

The students “posted” their responses onto the Lino virtual corkboard. Rabbi Schaum demonstrated the use of Google Docs in his Mishna class, a program that allows students to collaborate and share ideas. Mrs. Zak showed how the Leafsnap is used to teach analytical skills in a sixth grade science class. Students gather leaf samples from outdoors and analyzing them through the app. Mrs Schneck demonstrated Socrative, an interactive App which can immediately assess students’ understanding of a concept or lesson. Yavneh Academy Principal Rabbi Jonathan Knapp and Director of Educational Technology Mrs. Chani Lichtiger opened the floor for questions. When the evening session was over, the iPads, each in a bright red Smart case, were distributed to the enthusiastic students.