As the river flows before us,
We move forward to succeed.
(Alma Mater)
The Bolles School prepares students “for college and life by inspiring achievement, integrity, confidence, and compassion in an academic community dedicated to nurturing mind, body, and soul.” It is within this mission of The Bolles School that its students are learning in a stimulating academic environment with a challenging curriculum that engages and empowers, promotes diversity and inclusion, and supports positive participation in the local and global community with courage, integrity and compassion. Technology serves our enduring mindset of All Things Possible.
In the 21st century, it is a school's responsibility to prepare students for the present and future. Therefore, understanding and using technology are integral to virtually every aspect of daily life at The Bolles School. The School is an environment where all students and staff have ready access to a full range of current technology, software tools, and applications. A robust network infrastructure allows users to communicate between school and home and to interact globally. Every learning space is equipped with the necessary technologies to support teaching and learning.
Bolles students are inquisitive, open-minded learners. They are not passive learners; they are people who want to take positive action and become involved in and beyond the Bolles community. At Bolles, technology supports students as they learn to:
- understand, use, and appropriately apply digital technologies;
- access and analyze information;
- think critically and problem-solve;
- develop mental flexibility, agility, and adaptability;
- produce clear and concise, complex oral and written communication;
- collaborate within teams and across networks;
- develop curiosity and imagination;
- initiate new ideas; and
- lead by influence.
At Bolles, the critical use of technology by teachers broadens and enhances the quality of the academic experience. The School has expert faculty, well-versed in a variety of educational technologies and in the use of these technologies for daily instruction. They use technology to work collaboratively in developing engaging, challenging curriculum and are supported by a strong, ongoing program of professional development in the pedagogical integration of technology. Technology does not replace the teacher; it supports and enhances the educational and professional processes. In a technology rich, learner-centered classroom, the Bolles teacher serves as a knowledgeable facilitator of instruction, a model of good digital citizenship, a mentor, and a coach. At Bolles, teachers utilize technology to:
- provide relevant and engaging instruction and learning opportunities;
- support new ways of teaching and learning;
- expand learning beyond the traditional classroom;
- support their instructional tasks and professional learning;
- make more efficient use of their time and resources; and
- collaborate within the teaching community.
But learning is not limited to the classroom. Outside the classroom, students have ready access to curriculum and resources, ”anytime, anywhere.” The Bolles School community (students, faculty, librarians, staff, alumni and parents) uses communication and information technologies to enhance and expand a strong, traditional education. Through the communication technology resources at Bolles, community members have access to a wealth of information, materials, services, and social networks, both locally and globally.
Administrative functions are primarily supported and facilitated by current, resilient technology, thereby allowing more energy and resources to be focused on education. A highly-skilled, Technology Services supports the Bolles community through prompt and reliable technical support, quality service, and consistent end-user satisfaction.
Specifically, we envision robust technology that is constantly available and effectively supported for the Bolles community which:
- provides secure access to school resources;
- delivers ready global access to information;
- securely collects, assesses, and shares performance information;
- improves the efficacy of administrative tasks;
- meets the curricular needs of all learners; and
- facilitates the teaching of skills and proficiencies necessary for each of our students’ personal, academic and career futures.
“Technology is at the core of virtually every aspect of our daily lives and work, and we must leverage it to provide engaging and powerful learning experiences and content, as well as resources and assessments that measure student achievement in more complete, authentic, and meaningful ways.” (National Education Technology Plan, 2010)
