Apple Distinguished School
We are pleased to be recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for 2022-2025 for our commitment to delivering innovative learning experiences through the use of Apple technology.
We are pleased to be recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for 2022-2025 for our commitment to delivering innovative learning experiences through the use of Apple technology.
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day School (St. Stephen’s), a Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5 elementary school, has proudly educated leaders of tomorrow since 1958. Our “little school by the bay” combines academic excellence with a commitment to values and morals. We are a like-minded community with a common purpose that cultivates relationships lasting a lifetime.
St. Stephen’s seeks to ignite learning, spark creativity, explore passion, and empower leaders by allowing students to investigate the world with an open mindset. Our teachers facilitate student-centered learning opportunities to develop problem-solving skills, independently and collaboratively. Students have ample opportunities to use their creative thinking skills and share what they learn with authentic audiences. They become leaders by example and innovators by design.
Technology is essential to our mission of educating and inspiring children to lead by example and become forces for good in the world. The Head of School, Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and families, collaborate to dream big. Our 1:1 program and robust technology environment aid in delivering rich learning experiences in meaningful, purposeful, and playful ways.
Our strategic plan outlines initiatives that provide an actionable road map to achieve our vision and goals. The school allocates funds that include financial and human resources to make our vision a reality. Our technology plan provides for the replacement of all iPad, MacBook Air, Apple TV, and iMac devices periodically.
Current faculty with certification
Faculty agree students use technology at least 50% of time when creating content
Faculty agree technology skills improved during pandemic
Learning at St. Stephen’s embeds empathy, problem-solving, collaboration, learning from experts and others, creativity, presentations, and reflection. St. Stephen’s designs optimum learning environments with room for risk-taking while actively practicing good citizenship. None of this would be possible without technology.
Student engagement, voice and choice, cross-curricular units, and differentiation are part of a more personalized learning experience. Equipped with an LMS, Apple devices, and Apple pencils, students can find solutions that otherwise would not be possible. Our digital toolkit is extensive to meet the needs of all, and it became essential during the pandemic. Remote learning, even though challenging at times, became a seamless process.
Students in all grades incorporate digital productions. Among others, students use moviemaking, computational thinking, green screen productions, stopmotion animation, and presentations to show their learning. They reflect on their learning in Seesaw, our digital portfolio platform. The design of all learning spaces at St. Stephen’s reflects an innovative approach to pedagogy and methodology. The most recent addition is our new Arts and Innovation Center, a proud unifying edifice to facilitate our STEAM program.
The academic leadership team continuously analyzes data to drive instruction towards our vision, keeping students at the center. Since the onset of our one-to-one iPad program in 2011, the school hired outside consultants and faculty members became Apple Teachers and attended many PD opportunities. In addition, faculty choose small-group PLCs annually to ensure that we hit the moving target of best practices.
St. Stephen’s conducts rigorous technology audits to be able to implement necessary network equipment, systems, hardware, and software to seamlessly support all operations.
St. Stephen’s conducts surveys in our community and analyzes its data to set a course of action. Leadership uses conversations, self-reflection, and walk-throughs to evaluate our progress. St. Stephen’s has a technology scope and sequence that all faculty members took part in creating to ensure appropriate digital literacy development for all.
Small task forces in different areas provide the community with research and solutions in line with our vision. They range from Reporting and Structure to Master Plan Building Design to the Development of a New Strategic Plan. Leadership, faculty members, and families make up these committees.
With a two-year disruption to our Strategic Plan because of the pandemic, an ongoing initiative remains to become more global in our student experience. The upcoming year has a renewed focus on the intentional use of Apple products. Another area that needs further development is the pursuit of student-driven passions. In the near future, we will embark on a new Strategic Plan involving all constituents, which will help to identify more opportunities for innovation and the expanded use of Apple products.
The school has a future ready, student focused, and mission driven technology plan that is reviewed on a semi-annual basis. All teacher and student Apple devices are on a threeyear refresh cycle, made possible by the Apple lease program.
