School Supplies & One-to-One Device Program

School Supplies Program

EICS streamlined budgets for the past two years which allowed us to share cost-savings directly with our EICS students and families. One of the ways we shared this cost-savings was to provide school supplies to all students within the division.

Unfortunately with the new fiscal reality we are anticipating within the upcoming Alberta budget, EICS will no longer be able to provide this program for the September 2019 school year and families will be required to purchase school supplies for their students as they have traditionally done.

Anticipating this change, EICS has reached out to Staples Canada to provide volume discounted school supply packages for the upcoming year for our schools. We will be providing these package request forms shortly for parents to order in the next few weeks.

Students in Grade 4 will also need a one-to-one technology device (a chromebook, for example). 

At Elk Island Catholic Schools (EICS) our mission is to inspire success, confidence and hope in each student. As leaders in the use of technology we encourage creative and innovative learning.

Today’s students are already technology leaders. They want to take the technology they use in their daily lives and make it a normal part of their classroom experience. Research tells us that if we reflect this in their learning experiences, we will increase engagement which leads to improved student success.

EICS has implemented One-to-One in EICS, which means students can bring their own devices to school for educational purposes. In the classroom, students will use devices responsibly, and only with the permission and direction of the teacher or other staff members. Of course, technology alone will not improve learning — but when combined with the right instruction from skilled staff, amazing things can happen.

The increased use of technology in EICS classrooms will “power up” student success today, and for the future. Here’s why personally owned devices work best:
• Students are usually experts with the device they have, and customize it to their learning needs.
• Students can use it to learn anytime, anywhere.
• Students can collaborate with their peers after school, about their school work.
• Student-owned devices are typically more up-to-date than those schools provide.
• School-owned devices are expensive and can be hard to sustain

We know that not all parents can or want to send their child/teen to school with a device. That’s why teachers continue to plan, assuming that not every student will bring a personally owned device to school. Technology will not be used every day for every lesson. There is a right time and place.

In terms of what device we suggest, we recommend the Chromebook as the ideal device based on affordability, battery life, fast startup and usability. Students are welcome to use laptops, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones all accessing our WiFi.

If you would like to bring your own device - we certainly welcome that as well. A device brought for learning should meet the following requirements:
● Internet ready (preferably the Chrome browser)
● Ability to type
● Battery life of a full school day (6 hours)
● Easily labelled for identification
● 802.11ac WiFi Support

For further information please visit FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) For One-to-One and Why One-to-One?

Please click here for the EICS One-to-One (Responsible) Student Parent User Agreement.