Linden Public Schools continue to push forward in preparing students for future success in college and careers, as well as digital citizenship.
Seven schools have gained certification in the Future Ready Schools New Jersey program. The distinction recognizes schools that provide students with the technology-rich environments they need in order to be engaged and successful members of a digital society and workforce. Schools are rated in areas of education, leadership, and technology in order to be certified.
Linden High School reached Silver Tier Certification for 2019, the highest level a school can attain.
Soehl Middle School, as well as School Nos. 1, 4, 5, and 8, have gained Bronze Tier Certification, joining McManus Middle School, which earned Bronze status in 2018.
“It is an incredible mark of distinction for our district to see our schools laying the foundation for students’ future needs today,” said Interim Superintendent Denise Cleary.
“Future Ready certification shows a tremendous amount of dedication and hard work by our administrators, teachers, and students.
This epitomizes the commitment that all of our schools show in integrating technology into the classroom to prepare our students to be leaders in the coming decades of the 21st Century.”
The district has shown a deep commitment to educational technology since 2013, when it became a One-to-One district, meaning that every student is given their own MacBook Air laptop or iPad tablet.
The Future Ready program is a coalition of the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey School Boards Association, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. It is based on the work of the national Future Ready Schools initiative, and the structure and success of Sustainable Jersey for Schools Certification Program.
To achieve certification, schools need to establish a culture of digital innovation, where educators are empowered to deepen and extend student learning through the use of technology, digital content, and media.