I didn't vote because my vote is 50/50 : YES, if the school WiFi blocks Facebook, Twitter, and all other sorts of non-education related network traffic, and NO if the school doesn't.

I think that moving forward with technology is a good thing.
A little confused about the comment: "Wi-Fi capabilities will need to be implemented–.." There is already wi-fi at the high school.
And I agree that they should block the social networking sights.

blocking the social networking sites does nothing if the students have the apps installed on their phones

I'm torn on this one...I have a friend who is a teacher in a H.S. where they have allowed kids to bring in tech. They just made a change to NOT allow them because it has become such a detriment to the learning process.

I'd like to know WHY is it so needed in the classroom. A word processor would be helpful for writing classes, so laptops should be in the classroom for use instead of small keyboard tech brought from home. Research for projects should be done at home or there should be PCs with strong filters available for ALL students in the school. Some kids have these items and some don't...and there is such a variety of tech, to implement some kind of standard/rule of conduct sounds difficult if not impossible.

If the school wants to implement this for learning purposes, it should be fair to ALL students, and should be STRICTLY enforced.

Again the control parameters would have to be so complex? And surely there are ways around just about any parameter that is set. I think it's not only a distraction but can be used for 'evil' even more, think cyber bullying tenfold? Not sure why its needed? Surely there is enough technology devices in the schools for everyone to access already? And what about students that don't have devices, can't afford them or otherwise, do they get left behind because the devises are being used for 'good' and they don't have one?

Does this mean the kids can actually use the devices during class??? Can use their devices during tests to search the internet and get the correct answers?

Terrible idea....kids are addicted to devices constantly at all other times. I have to go by my experience with 3 kids 14+....and their friends.... I can't get their attention in the car anymore, and that was where I at least thought they had to listen because they can't run away.....not anymore...they're having conversations texting with numerous people while playing a video game and nodding and smiling at me as though they acknowledge what I am saying just to appease me. The phones are on silence so u think they are paying attention but they're not. It's really rude when I'm with anyone and they are talking on the phone or texting for more than a minute. State your business, call/ text back later unless its urgent, but just to blah blah blah is rude, so the teachers will be really struggling for respect and attention if they allow this. The old saying...give someone an inch, they take a yard.... Well with phones not allowed now, they're being used anyway in a minimal extent. One may not fully be experienced in human nature to believe that the present focused kids won't be joining the others . We all have become addicted to our electronic devices and the way it's changing can be positive if we restrict usage. ....put the phones away when driving, during school , family dinner time, and when you're with a friend or loved one keep it short and sweet to show respect .

What happens when a locker room prank finds its way on youtube?

kids already text from their pockets and generally have their noses in their phones 24/7, and some kids have more tech than others, does that give them unfair advantage? will they be able to video tape lesson? Will tests be open book? You can have controls on school issued tech, but you can hardly police personal devices, so I'm unclear how this will help teachers/students. Kids who have grown up with all these devices usually know how to get around the system, and in general, understand all of it better than their teachers. I would just like to know in what context these devices will be used, but I assume it will be like having calculators in a Math class.

This is a MUCH bigger deal than they know.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has many, many considerations that I'm not sure a school system is prepared to deal with. Many large corporations with knowledgeable I/T staff are struggling with the idea.

Just because “The teachers basically said we ‘need to get with it.’” doesn't necesarily mean we should.

After further consideration, I think this is a good idea. It will give students an additional way to compete with one another - based on who has the coolest, newest, best, and most expensive device. The students will more readily be able to differentiate between the 'rich' kids and the 'poor' kids based on what device they are carrying rather than having to rely just on their clothing brands or the type of car in which they arrive at school. Also, by not standardizing on any particular technology platform, it will help to promote mass confusion and inefficiency by wasting time wrestling with file compatibility and software compatibility issues. That will certainly help to keep things interesting and keep the focus squarely on learning. Especially since all of the teachers are IT experts.

Lol....and the competition is starting in preschool(my nephews parents bought them iPads for Christmas because their friends kids have them and they annoy the parents until they give in as if its normal for a 3 year old to have ....allowing it in highschool now , grammar school is next inevitably.....

Guess what? This is going on already and has been for a while. At least having access controls in place (via the new WiFi network) will allow the school the opportunity to block sites that are potentially distracting and/or disruptive. Anyone who wants to get around it will use cellular data instead, but again, students are already doing so. The lure of not using precious data plan ($) can be a way to reign in the majority. Also, the school could potentially leverage the network to distribute messages or interactive learning, instant polls, etc.

ABOUT TIME!

to other posters, i ASSUME school can block it, if not they can get one of the tech geeks to do it FOR FREE - really stop hiring people to do what the kids can do...

as for distraction, the same kids will be distracted that write notes, draw, and stare out the window. the kids that want to learn will use this to their advantage.

now let's move to tech savvy text books, and just a thought .... global classrooms so our kids can REALLY understand what it's like on the other side.

we keep our kids in a bubble in this town. i can't tell you how many Mendham kids don't know they ARE the 1% or Long Valley kids that they are the 5-10% ...
-- there is NO reason that we can't study Lit, along with a school in Newark, Tn, Canada, an afternoon class with CA, or a morning class with England. Yea, it might not always be 'easy' or convient but it works
--
we homeschoolers do it all the time .. my daughter classmates range from Tansania to Vienna to S. America .. she knows kids who fly to other countries to take AP exams and knows the point of views of kids from the Bible Belt to Liberal CA .. and they ALL get along ... it's common for homeschoolers to study with other kids around the world now let's bring that into our classroom!
--
:)

She loves having friends from every walk of life and from so many countries... flying here for AP is a pain for many and some have to fly for the SAT... "the kid from Malasia is way cooler" LOL
--
BIG problem around here is I hear "Why am I the ONLY one to have never lived in multiple countries, I've never done anything 'amazing' with my life" ...she wants to do some cool overseas stuff while in college.
..
so trust me computers will be the LEAST of your expenses when you open their mind to the 'real world' out there.

I think letting homeschooled kids seek social interaction through the internet is better than nothing. Based on the last month, we just need an assault weapon ban for them.

Sorry LV Mom. I think you are generalizing about children in WM. My children have cousins on every almost continent, they travel outside of the country with either family or school every summer, and thanks to social networking have friends living in far flung places. The number of WM children who travel on school organized trips is huge. Boy Scouts has allowed them the opportunity to hike in the NM mountains, sail in the Florida keys and hike the forests of MN. I envy the opportunities my kids have had to see other places and meet new people. i didnt at their age. Great if you think homeschooling works for your kid. Arent we lucky that we get to make the choices we think best for our own kids.

First it's great your kids have traveled.

Second I'm not talking about "exciting places" I'm talking about seeing the "other half" the kids in Newark the kids , the kids in S American villages, the poor, the minority, I'm talking studying lit with kids from other walks of life. A radon in the sun is interpreted different from a poor black student in the south then a kid in either HS.

Talking studying history with kids from south central LA- changes the riots and why they happened. Discussing human rights with a fundamentalist who doesn't think woman should go to college other then so they can homeschool the kids- or not at all.

I'm saying we can use technology to bring the world together.

A Boy Scout trip (don't get me started on Boy Scouts as an origination and why it should be banned from public schools) in the keys is NOT the same. I'm sure it's great, but there are kids that would be happy to have a calculator to do math, while your kid is sailing. I'm talking about opening their eyes and minds to how the other 95% lives.

- sent from iPhone

Nope iPhone-onics. LOL

It's about a salesman in NJ who lives on a superfund sight. LOL (sorry couldn't resist). So perhaps iPhones should not be part of the tech in schools- at least not with fat fingered adults.

Have studies been done? "we need to get with it" from the teachers sounds pretty serious.?:(

A superfund 'sight' is when you *see* a gigantic garbage dump.

LVMom - I agree that tech can be used in exciting ways to educate kids about other cultures, and should be integrated with every school subject on some level...BUT is this what this decision is about? By allowing kids to bring their personal tech, to me, sounds very different from the things you are suggesting.

Help me to envision this...a classroom of kids discussing "A Raisin in the Sun". They are communicating ON THEIR PERSONAL TECH to other kids in other countries about the book. Questions: What about the kid(s) without? Does the school reimburse those who don't have unlimited time on their plan? Does the teacher walk around, squinting into every tiny screen to ensure that they are on task? Sounds MUCH easier to have school laptops, filters in place, larger screens and full size keyboards for proper home key practice, for the students to complete this (and any other) lesson.

We shouldn't confuse this discussion - using tech to facilitate learning and bringing personal tech to school are two very different things.

personal tech device can be a laptop, ipad or anything else the student personally owns - it does not simply mean smartphone... and as for 'overage' they would be on the intranet/internet.

for those who TRUELY can't afford one i'm sure we could raise money.. i'd rather donate what i can, then be forced to pay more taxes.

I am... so? I still pay taxes... I just have the "joy" of also paying to educate my child and not work.

I still have the right to have thoughts on education, in fact since i spend most of my time managing all aspects of education from curriculum to text i know a fair amount about ed.

I don't understand why you have any stake in technology in the schools, though.

First I care about the kids.
Second it's called being human and caring about the furtherment of education and all of the children are important.
Third I live here and my home value is related to the schools.

oh, and if the only ones who care about education are parents of current students then we live in a very very sad town. it is only when we work together for the common good that we as a town/school/people can be effective.

What is currently allowed in the H.S.? I'd like to understand how the school can possibly filter and monitor for inappropriate material if kids are allowed smartphones...I like the idea of allowing laptops/tablets, allowing filtered internet/intranet use only (not cellular data). I think smartphones in the classroom is an awful idea.

Honestly, I'm not sure how a conversation regarding technology turns into infighting between homeschoolers, public school and private school. To get back on topic, there are many uses for technology. Some teachers will use it to provide art samples from various museums. Others will use it to annotate a students paper. Some will use it to communicate homework assignments/assistance. Some will post on You Tube. Some students will use it to take notes. Some students will use it to manage their calendar. Some will use it to start a Power Point presentation due at the end of the week. Some students will use it to take pictures of the class notes written on the blackboards. Some coaches will use it to provide statistics. Students and teachers will use it the same way every working parent and stay at home mom uses it The options are endless. Two challenges I see here - it may be difficult to manage without standardizing on one product and the games are distracting. However, as the student BOE rep indicated, those that fool around will continue and those who don't will find value in the technology.

I tried to answer this earlier, but my personal technology device (aka iphone) failed to post it. LOL

Lemonade, I was never trying to make this a homeschool vs public school vs private school issue. I personally believe that there is NO, as in NOT ANY, perfect school option... their is however, the perfect school option for your child. Children are unique and so should the choice a parent makes for their school option. I know parents that employ more then one option as a family, due to the differences in their children's personality.

I don't think you need to standardize, as every program you mentioned works on both apple and pc.

As I said, and agree with the student BOE rep, those who fool around will continue to.

If I was not clear, I apologize. I think tech in the school opens many options, and I would think that various teachers will employ it various ways. I was offering ways I've seen it used, or envision it. I would love to see teachers get creative, and use this to further their creative passion for teaching.