Students at the Southport Central School will have 12 new Apple iPads to work with this school year courtesy of the Southport Island Association.
Southport Central currently has an iPad purchased by Principal Mike McGuire to support its first grade reading program. Students can download children’s books and read them with the iBooks application.
“The little guys are really enjoying using the iPads,” McGuire said. “It promotes reading.”
How the new iPads will be integrated in the classroom has yet to be determined. Southport school staff will first go through a Southport Island Association-funded training program at the Apple Store in Portland.
“There are so many things you can do with an iPad,” McGuire said.
The Southport Island Association donated the iPads from its “Neighbors in Need” program, a fund dedicated to assisting Southport residents. The fund has helped provide area residents with everything from heating oil to scholarships.
According to Southport Island Association President Nick Hurd, the non-profit usually provides scholarships to Southport Central graduates going on to higher education. This time, Hurd said, they wanted to help students at the beginning of their education.
“We want to be active on both the front end and back end of their education, “Hurd said.
The Southport Island Association hopes to offset recent cuts in technology funding for Boothbay-area schools with its donation. The iPad was suggested by Southport Central.
“We want to make sure our kids have a technological advantage,” Hurd said. “The iPad allows teachers to expose them to new and different things.”
