Classroom Technology at ATLAS

Students participating in the Hour of Code

ATLAS Elementary is equipped with the standard technology to which VUSD guarantees all students and teachers will have access. Throughout classrooms in the district, you will find at least one desktop or laptop computer running Windows 7 or later and an interactive projector mounted above the whiteboard. At most schools, you will also find a modern, forty station computer lab, and a ubiquitous connection to our ever-growing Wi-Fi network. On top of these staples, the parents, staff and leadership at ATLAS have painstakingly procured an iPad mini for every student to use while at school, as well as access to Chromebooks in the upper grades and eReaders in the lower grades.

Mr. Williamson reviewing math with Nearpod

After an initial pilot of an application called Nearpod, our staff decided that we would go forward as a school and use Nearpod presentations to deliver content and assess students learning on a regular basis. To see how it works, click here. One of the most powerful features of applications like Nearpod is that students are able to interact with their classmates and teacher in real time, meaning that teachers can continually monitor and assess their students' learning. Plus, it's fun!

Along with Nearpod, the staff decided to use the lessons and resources available at Code.org to teach the fundamentals of computer science at every grade level. This highly engaging curriculum is free to use and can be accessed anywhere students have an internet connection. Students follow the developmentally appropriate courses in Code.org to develop precise language, mathematical reasoning, logic, critical thinking, problem solving, and perseverance among many other skills.