Technology

As part of the St. Thomas School educational journey, technology is woven into every grade and every subject. Reflecting the varying developmental needs of students from Preschool through Eighth Grade, students are provided with access to a variety of technological tools. At STS, technology is broadly defined. Students and teachers have access to computers, digital cameras, document cameras, and Smart Boards in every classroom. The school provides wireless access throughout the campus, and students in Fourth through Eighth Grades are issued their own personal laptops.

During their time at STS, students gain a global skill set that enables them to choose and use combinations of software and hardware to solve problems and express solutions across all disciplines.

All students in Primary through Eighth Grade receive instruction in the school's well-equipped computer lab and in their classrooms. Teachers all have access to laptops or desktop computers. The libraries have terminals for research, and library holdings can be accessed via computer both on campus and from home.

Our students use a wide variety of professional software that supports and enhances the entire St. Thomas School curriculum. As the children progress in gaining skill with computers, they organize, prepare, and present their own integrated projects. Keyboard and interface familiarity is paced with the students' developing literacy. Creativity and logical thinking are taught using robotics. This learning evolves into a sophisticated Sixth Grade construction and robotics project. Keyboarding is introduced early, to ensure that students possess the necessary keyboarding skills to cope with the demands at the higher grade levels.

This approach to technology gives our students skills and practical knowledge that, in turn, reinforces their studies, develops analytical thinking and problem-solving methods, and helps them create new modes of learning. Video production, animation, and Powerpoint are some of the many ways technology not only supports the academic curriculum, but provides students with opportunities to develop their presentation skills as well.