Historically, the technological infrastructure in rural schools has lacked in comparison to education centers like Boston, even though students from both regions compete for the same jobs after high school.
Until recently, that was the case at the Pioneer Valley Regional School.
Over the past year, the Northfield school’s outgoing Director of Technology John Heffernan has helped upgrade the school’s digital footprint. Among recent upgrades are a newly renovated Innovation Center and a new vendor that will provide three times faster and less expensive internet to Pioneer and Warwick Community School. Additionally, at a recent School Committee meeting, Heffernan said the district’s server hard drives were upgraded, the Pioneer Language Labs audio system was replaced, robotics kits were purchased, the nurse’s office received new laptops and its student management system was transferred to a cloud-based system. In the classroom, the school received new Chromebooks and iPads (including a “traveling iPad cart”) through donations from local businesses and rural school aid.
These upgrades will expand the district’s ability to teach local students about the technological tools of tomorrow.
“This is going to catapult this program to new heights, and will be a model program in the state,” said Superintendent Jonathan Scagel, who collaborated with Heffernan to bring about the changes.
Replacing Heffernan as the district’s director of technology is Tyler Pless, who worked previously as a network administrator for the school and for Western Massachusetts IT, a consulting firm. Heffernan, meanwhile, will return to the classroom as the new Makerspace teacher for the seventh-grade class, which will be held in the Innovation Center.
Through his new position, Heffernan — who was so inspired by the technological changes that he decided to return “to his first love of teaching” — will focus on instructing youngsters about computers, robotics, engineering, 3D printing and other important STEM (science, technology, education, mathematics) related skills.
“We’re trying to help students get the skills they need to get out in the workforce,” Heffernan said. “Why not start as young as possible?”
We agree.
Selfless and talented teachers like Heffernan, who choose to work here and invest effort into keeping our schools at pace with those in metropolitan areas, are an invaluable asset.
Franklin County’s skyline might not have skyscrapers like those in Boston. But that doesn’t mean its students can’t reach for the same lofty heights.