As DeSoto ISD continues to unveil its strategic plan to improve student learning outcomes, the district is steadily progressing towards its goal of becoming a 1:1 technology district with a laptop distribution for approximately 750 freshman students.
The distribution was made possible through the district’s Next Generation GEAR UP grant program, which recently expanded its purchasing categories due to school adjustments made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic according to Next-Generation GEAR UP Director Jereese Johnson.
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to stop regular programming last year which caused our grant program to have funds remaining. The grantor realized the shift to remote learning occurring in school communities and expanded the purchasing categories to include technology. This cleared the way for us to support the needs of our students,” explained Johnson. “It feels good to be able to support this need for our students.”
The students were asked to return existing district technology devices to receive the new laptop. They will be able to keep this device to support their learning for the duration of their time in the district, checking it in and out at the close and start of the academic year.
Caleb Hobbs, a DHS freshman, was appreciative of the support of the Next Generation GEAR UP program to enhance his learning experience.
“I feel really special that our district is spending time helping us with our technology. It is a very important part of school during COVID-19, Hobbs said. “It will improve my learning because my devices at home do not work as well as these.”
During the week of March 29, The Next Generation GEAR UP team set up stations in the parking lot of the DeSoto High School Freshman Campus to distribute the students and their families. The students are receiving Dell Latitude 3100 series laptops to support their learning.
Representatives from The University of Texas at Arlington were also on-site to greet and provide university information to students and parents as they waited in line for their laptops.