Each of the 618 students at the new Scales Technology Academy has his or her own laptop, along with a high-tech learning environment built from the ground up. The new campus, which features high-tech audio and video equipment and SMART boards as well as the laptops was one of several projects funded by a $64 million bond. A significant jump in enrollment suggests that the program is doing a lot to retain local students and bringing in others fro neighboring districts.

Principal David Diokno said, "Everyone wants their kid to succeed. We are no different from the other schools as far as having to meet the same district standards and state standards. We just have the extra resources to help kids and make that difference. It's not just about the technology. It's about the facility, the staff, everything."

Last year, the school building was leveled and rebuilt with the latest technology. Meanwhile, teachers began to teach the new curriculum with the tools available in the temporary building. Teachers say the technology helps them create multidisciplinary lessons that students understand in less time than traditional methods. They add that the high-tech experience keeps kids engaged.

According to student Julian Brown, "We get to do a lot of work on our laptops and it's exciting," he said. "It's amazing."

Source : azcentral, Scales students settle into high-tech learning