Students excited as school switches from paper to WiFi

IT’S click and double-click instead of chalk and talk for 52 first-year students on the verge of a paperless secondary education.

Heavy schoolbooks are a thing of the past for all new students at Castlepollard Community College in north Westmeath, who yesterday collected their netbooks and downloaded their textbooks instead of cramming them into their lockers.

And with three weeks of intensive typing ahead of them, soon they’ll be fluent on their shiny new keyboards.

The students spent the first few hours learning how to use the computers, creating their individual passwords and then accessing their books.

“It was technical but fun,” said student Jack Mills.

He’s proud of his new computer in its padded schoolbag and thinks it gives him an advantage over students in other schools.

Fellow first-year Kristian Smith saw other benefits for the future.

“Most kids in school nowadays are getting really bad back pain and will end up slouched over in their older years, but these netbooks are helping us with less books.”

Mum Glenda Stack thought it was time all schools were technologically up to date. “We’re supposed to be leaders in Europe yet we’re only getting around to this now.”

Ms Stack, who works in IT, admired the school’s progressive attitude. It is one of the few schools in the midlands to embrace technology.

“Everything is done online today — it’s definitely the way forward,” she said.

While she will be able to help her son if he has difficulties managing the net- book, mum Patricia Hayes will be relying on her daughter Jessica to teach her some computer skills.

She has never seen Jessica look forward so much to going back to school.

At €300 per netbook spread over three years, plus a €60 book rental scheme contribution, she is faring better than her niece in Laois, whose daughter’s first year books cost more than €450.

The netbooks are guaranteed for three years, but families will have to cover the cost of breakages.

Principal Mary Coyle is delighted with the response to the initiative, and was pleasantly surprised by the parents’ priorities, especially those who didn’t have good educational opportunities themselves.

“Money wasn’t an issue at all. They know IT is so important and part of their world. They wanted their children to do this.”

Their last IT grant was spent on a new wireless system and “effectively every room in the school will be a computer room”, she said.

Her “fantastic” staff have embraced the technology and she was keen that they also share a learning experience with their students. “If you don’t move forwards, you’re actually going backwards — and we’re going forwards,” she said.