Summer 2011 - Cannon School

Evolving 1:1 (continued)
is to get to a 1:1 tablet or iPad program for the middle school, where these devices seem
to work particularly well,” said Northrup.
“Students who are 11 to 14 years old really like that instant gratification of being able to
turn on a device and immediately begin exploring the Great Wall of China.”
Continuing the Evolution
Northrup said the school, which has been largely PC-based in the past, is also interested
in exposing students to different computing platforms in order to prepare them for college
and the work world. “We want them to be able to handle Excel spreadsheets, work on
MacBooks, or use iPads,” said Northrup, “as opposed to being one-trick-ponies.”
Nora Munger ’11 was among just 17
high school seniors from Mecklenburg
County to win a $2,500 National
Merit Scholarship award. Classmate
Madeline Hurley will receive a $4,000
Merit Scholarship award over four
years from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Junior Lucie Randall was chosen
to participate in the Middlebury
College Chinese-language immersion
program this summer at Green River
College in Vermont.
Reid Herrera earned grand recognition
for being among the nation’s highest
scorers in the Duke TIP seventh
grade talent search. Austin Coale,
Justin Fromke, Angeli Gupta, Dylan
Housman, Isabella Jacoby, Davis
Nelson, Sam Oddo, Padgett Powe,
Abigail Sparrow and Christina
Stylianou earned state recognition.
Calling their institution a “frontrunner when it comes to technology,” Northrup and Rush
said there are more IT projects on Cannon School’s agenda. Tablet PCs could soon be
introduced at the high school level, said Rush, as more of the school’s software is moved
into the cloud, where students and teachers will be able to access it and use it without
having to install programs on their individual computers.
Northrup said the school also plans to install more Smart Tables and Smart Boards in its
classrooms, plus purchase additional iPads for use by its fourth-grade classes, to ensure a
smoother transition into middle school. He said the projects all fall in line with the school’s
mission to “stay on the leading edge – but not the bleeding edge – of technology.”
From T.H.E. Journal, May 2011, © 2011 T.H.E. Journal. All rights reserved. Used by
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Chalk Boards to Smart Boards
Classroom technology has graduated from chalk boards to smart boards. As hi-tech
innovations revolutionize learning, Cannon School is putting cutting-edge tools in the
hands of its students.
Cannon School raised $50,000 to enhance classroom technology during a parent-led
fundraising drive in February. The money will provide additional iPads, Smart Boards and
Smart Tables, as well as a new virtual language lab.
“Smart technologies and iPads encourage high-engagement interactivity that keeps children
absorbed in learning and prepares them with the tools for their future,” said Matt Rush,
assistant head of school and head of middle school. “These innovations offer a stimulating
and constructive way to teach students.”
Cannon School began providing iPads for Middle School students last fall. Teachers are
incorporating the tablets in classes taught both inside and outside the classroom. For
example, when students have to dissect a frog in 7th grade science lab, instead of cutting
open a real frog, they do it on an iPad application. Teachers conduct outdoor learning
sessions on Cannon’s 65-acre campus while students participate using their iPads.
The new technologies are reaching even the youngest students at Cannon.
“Using a Smart Board, I can display the information for our students big as life in front
of the classroom so that everybody can see it,” said Camilla McWilliams, a first grade
teacher. “No matter what topic or theme I am discussing in class, I can find and share an
abundance of information using smart technologies and teaching apps.”
A Living Museum
By: Scout Burch ’19 and
Muskan Uppal ’19
The Living Museum was a memorable time
for fourth graders. This year’s theme was
“Prominent U.S. Historical Figures.”
As you entered into Taylor Hall, you could
feel the excitement in the air and see the
extensive preparation each student put into
their project. There were heroes/heroines
dating from the eighteenth century to today.
A timeline taped to the floor guided you
back through time chronologically.
To begin our study we investigated people
in history. After turning in our choices,
our teachers, Mrs. Sarah White, Mr. Keith
West and Ms. Denise Horton, then gave
us our assignment. Mrs. Kathie Riley, our
computer science teacher, and Mrs. Jackie
Mills, Lower School media specialist,
guided us with a plethora of resources.
We became history sleuths!
The day before the Living Museum took
place students set up their poster boards
in Taylor Hall. The work the parents and
teachers did setting up the hall and tables
was out of this world! The moment you
stepped into Taylor Hall, it felt like you were
back in time.
As you entered on the day of the museum
you could either follow the timeline, or go
directly to any U.S. historical figure to learn
about their lives. All you had to do was
drop a ticket into their cup to make them
come to life.
The Living Museum was an amazing
learning experience!
Lucas Kabasakalian and
Muskan Uppal placed first in the
N.C. Reading Association’s Young
Authors state competition. The two
Lower School students were honored
March 12 in Raleigh.
The Middle School MathCounts
team placed eighth out of 49
teams at the state championship.
Congratulations, Angeli Gupta,
Reid Herrera, Christina Stylianou
and Uday Uppal. Uday placed 24th
in the individual competition.
Rachel West received the Wellesley
Book Award, which honors young
women who have been top scholars in
high school and talented performers in
extracurricular areas. The junior’s award
was given by the Wellesley College
Alumnae Association.
The
Honor
Roll
Cannon’s K-1 chess team consisting
of Will Harris, Dylan Kabasakalian,
Owen Koehler and Matthew Kroll
placed third in their first N.C.
Scholastic Chess Championship. The
K-3 team of Joseph Hurtado, Dylan
Kabasakalian, Lucas Kabasakalian,
Matthew Kroll and Rob Trufant tied
for fifth in their division.
Cannon’s Middle School Battle of
the Books team placed second at a
regional competition held in March.
Team members are: Tyler Haritan,
Reid Herrera, John Knox, Claudia
Michaels, Anna Poffenbaugh,
Lindsey Turbyfill, Uday Uppal,
Joseph Vaccaro, Mimi Wahid and
Jay Williams.
Congratulations to seventh-grader
Davis Nelson for his excellent
finish in the state geography bee!
After tying with nine other students
for qualification in the preliminary
round and competing in a tie-breaker
round, Davis finished in an
impressive 15th place.
Fourth-graders Muskan Uppal and
Daphne Reynolds placed second
and third in a May TriMathlon math
competition. Sixth-graders Andrew
Redding, Claudia Michaels and Tim
Burton swept the top three places in
their grade level.
Upper School students Emily
Anderson, Crystal Bennett, Ben
Boesel, Cassie Calvert, Hayley Dane,
Tabby Horney, Connor Lippincott,
Ally Reynolds, Morgan Sexton,
Katie Shaw, Jake Vowell, Maggie
Warren, Whitney Yaniero and
Raffi Yessayan were inducted into
the Cum Laude Society in April.
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