Dougherty County School System, Apple launch new tech initiative

The Dougherty County School System in Albany, Georgia, has announced that it’s launching a new technology initiative for its students, teachers, and staff as part of a collaboration with Apple and educational non-profit Ed Farm.

“When it comes to innovation, the Dougherty County School System embraces it, encourages it and rewards it, and so to work alongside Apple, a world leader in technological innovation, is impactful for us and our students in a multitude of ways,” Superintendent Kenneth Dyer said. “It’s more than just technology. This collaboration embeds a full-time Apple Professional Learning Specialist in our community to build capacity among our teachers, instructional coaches and others.”

Beginning next year, all DCSS high school students will receive a MacBook Air powered by Apple’s M1 chip, while all middle and elementary school students will receive an iPad and Logitech Crayon. These products will allow all students equal access to their studies in the classroom, at home, and on the go. Students will have the opportunity to learn coding and app development through DoCo Codes, a transformational STEM-based initiative developed in collaboration between the DCSS, Ed Farm and Apple. 

The initiative will expose DCSS students to coding and app development using iPad and Mac together with Apple’s Everyone Can Code and Everyone Can Create curricula. 

Additionally, Apple will provide dedicated, on-site professional learning for DCSS educators and staff, helping them maximize the impact of these tools and technologies in the classroom, in district offices, and at home. Ed Farm will also enhance professional development of teachers through its Teacher Fellows program which helps promote better learning outcomes for students by equipping teachers with tools and resources needed to cultivate the workforce of tomorrow.