Junior-high students will receive tablets as scheduled

Editor's note: A reference to middle-schoolers was corrected below, in reference to students at the junior high school level.

Despite rumors to the contrary, Cape Girardeau Central Junior High will distribute students' district-provided tablet computers as scheduled.

Cape Girardeau School District spokeswoman Dana Saverino said Thursday although students at Cape Girardeau Central High School received their devices during orientation, students at the junior high are on a more gradual track.

"It wasn't done late or anything like that," she said. "For us, this is not abnormal."

She said seventh- and eighth-graders aren't falling behind by not having the devices for the first few weeks of school, as many of them still are acclimating to their new environment.

"Last year for our junior high, we didn't give (the devices) out until the second full week of school, and it was later in the second full week," she said. "They have to learn how to transition from different classrooms. They have to learn how to make it from class to class, where to walk, how to navigate the school."

Saverino said confusion likely stemmed from the ordering and distribution schedule.

"Our fiscal years run from July 1 through June 30," she said. "And so we have to get board approval to get new items. Once we had approval [from the school district], we ordered them."

The devices are part of the Cape Girardeau School District's 1:1 program, and last year was the first year the middle schoolers received devices.

The devices are at the school, Saverino said, but still are being prepared for use, engraved, given bar codes and having software installed.

"We're not worried about it, because we know our kids are still learning and getting an adequate education," Saverino said. "They still receive homework; it's just in paper form -- just like they did two years ago, when they didn't have the device."

tgraef@semissourian.com

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