“The story of St. Michael this year has been, in one word, technology,” principal Andy Gielda summarized.  

Supported by EANS (Emergency Assistance for Non-Public Schools) grant funding, St. Michael School in Pinconning has added numerous technology and security upgrades. EANS funding, which was awarded to seven of the diocese’s Catholic schools, may be used to “address pandemic learning loss and invest in infrastructure and programs to open and operate safely.”   

St. Michael’s is meeting both of those goals with their investments.  

“All classrooms now have an 86-inch SMARTboard to enhance the education experience,” Mr. Gielda said. “These SMARTboards are mounted on a movable cart to allow teachers flexibility in the room setup.” 

From kindergarten students practicing numbers, drawing lines and dots to represent groups of tens and ones, to middle school students playing an interactive game to find different states on a map in geography class, students and teachers use the boards daily.  

Joanna Chamberlain, a third-grade teacher, is enthusiastic about using the SMARTboards with the school’s recently-purchased online support subscriptions to their McGraw-Hill Math and !Ready ELA curriculum. As students complete math problems on the board behind her, Mrs. Chamberlain explains some of her favorite features: on-screen versions of the textbooks with embedded multimedia links, the ability to have multiple tabs open to quickly click between screens, online curriculum supplements and— most importantly— increased student engagement.  

“The technology improvements at St. Michael allows for more interactive learning opportunities for the students,” Mr. Gielda said. “Staff and students are able to work together in a visual platform that enables students to be actively involved in the presentation of material.” 

In addition to the SMARTboards, each classroom teacher received a new laptop, additional monitor and a CD player in their classroom.  

Students also can use a new Redcat speaker system in each classroom. The small microphone can be handheld or worn on a lanyard and played on a speaker. As students practice reading aloud or present projects, the Redcat helps classmates hear clearly. 

The school also purchased a subscription to IXL for student assessments. It offers analytics and feedback to help teachers determine if students are grasping the material taught. 

St. Michael is also now using the FACTS student information system to track tuition, lunch counts, grades, attendance and all the other tasks that a school completes. 

In addition to upgrades in the classroom, EANS funding is helping the school be more efficient and safe. A PA system was installed so announcements can be broadcast to each classroom and in the hallway. Each morning, the entire school joins in a student-led prayer and Pledge of Allegiance recited over the PA system. 

“The safety of the building has improved, the administration and staff are able to communicate in real time with all those in the building if there was an emergency,” Mr. Gielda said. 

New windows were added to a portion of the building to save on heating and cooling costs, and new building doors will be added soon. New security cameras, a replacement stage sound system and a replacement outdoor entrance carpet are also in the works, Mr. Gielda said.  

These changes and updates continue to make St. Michael’s a welcoming and safe school that provides an excellent education to all students.