Windsor Hills Elementary School was one of 20 Oklahoma schools named in late August as recipients of Oklahoma Educational Technology Trust (OETT) technology grants. Oklahoma State Attorney General Drew Edmondson and Dr. Phil Berkenbile, CareerTech state director and OETT chair, presented the award to Windsor Hills Principal Patricia Hocker at the annual conference of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association and the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration.

The school will receive $79,000 to purchase equipment and train staff to help students succeed through the intelligent use of technology.

Windsor Hills Elementary plans to use grant funds to increase student access to technology purchase and use of a wireless computer lab. The lab will have many uses at Windsor Hills, including:

• Students will use the mobile lab to work on research projects, access the Internet, create PowerPoint presentations, use word processing features and create brochures and posters.
• Digital cameras will allow students to take photos and create picture dictionaries and illustrate vocabulary games, stories and poems.
• SuccessMaker Curriculum will allow students to have lessons tailored for their specific skill needs in reading and math
• Teachers will collaborate with the school’s literacy coach to create literacy lessons for students’ individual needs.
• The ELL instructor will use the mobile lab to teach Hispanic parents to read and write in English to they can help their children.
• Teachers will have access to a digital portfolio on each student. The portfolio will follow students throughout their school year. The portfolios will contain assessments and student projects.

"We’re deeply committed to academic excellence, and realize that new technologies can provide meaningful learning experiences for students. With the mobile lab, we’ll be able to give students access to technology more often and really facilitate student success," says Hocker.

Harvest Hills Elementary, James L. Dennis Elementary, Will Rogers Elementary and Central Intermediate School have won OETT grants in past years.

The mission of the OETT is to equip Oklahoma public schools and CareerTech students with the technology and technological skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.