Buckingham County schools are at the technology forefront with the implementation of new Chromebooks, and the response has been positive among students and staff.

The division has utilized grant funding to purchase Chromebooks for use at the elementary and primary schools, said Division Superintendent Dr. Cecil Snead.

“We took a team of teachers to the GAFE [Google Apps For Education] Conference in Charlottesville last year,” Snead said. “They returned energized for how GAFE could revolutionize what they do in the classroom. Since that day, my technology coordinator and the teachers have not relented in their pursuit for meaningful integration of technology and instruction.”

“We purchased enough Google Chromebooks to study the efficacy of technology use with regard to instruction,” Snead said. “We have a pilot in the eighth grade and a pilot in various subject matters at the high school. It is overwhelmingly successful, anecdotally.”

At a recent meeting of the Buckingham County School Board, a PowerPoint presentation outlined the benefits of the Chromebooks thus far.

Based on information presented, the school division has increased from just 96 Chromebooks in 2013 to a total of 1,350 currently.

The majority of Chromebooks — 77 percent — are located at the Carter G. Woodson Educational Complex.

“The price factor was the primary reason we stepped into purchasing Chromebooks,” said Joan Shumaker, coordinator of technology for the division. “We could purchase three Chromebooks for every one laptop. Once we started putting them into the hands of the students, no one wanted to use the laptops.”

Shumaker said the latest Chromebook order was received through a grant and cost approximately $149 each. “We ordered 800 at that time. We ordered 168 for the middle school and 144 for the high school last year through local funds, she said.”

Shumaker said the Chromebooks are more efficient due to an extended battery life and instant start-up. According to the presentation, this has saved over three hours of instructional time per year.

“Chromebooks provide students the best window to the web and works hand-in-hand with Google Apps for Education,” she said.

Snead said the division’s comprehensive plan places an emphasis on having a 1:1 ratio of devices for students.

Buckingham teachers expressed their appreciation for the Chromebooks in the presentation. “Having a 1:1 ratio of Chromebooks for our students has enriched our classes tremendously,” said Cynthia Toney, a fourth-grade teacher. “Students are able to practice their math on interactive sites and games instead of the traditional worksheet.”

Snead said the division would carefully review its budget to take the necessary steps toward implementing a 1:1 ratio at the middle and high school levels.

“Our students exist in a technological society and incorporating technological skills as part of instruction will prepare them for future academic success in a complex global society. All students benefit, all students learn,” said Rudolph Roethel, the principal at Buckingham County High School.