Educational Technology

North Shore Hebrew Academy High School is proud to be at the forefront of cutting-edge educational technology, providing all students with a laptop computer, building-wide high-speed WiFi, email accounts, STEAM-based learning opportunities and a plethora of innovative Web 2.0 resources to enhance teaching and learning across all disciplines.

The underlying technology infrastructure at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School includes

  • a high speed WiFi system and wired infrastructure enabling Internet speeds that promote productivity
  • a firewall and content filter for ensuring a safe environment for students to learn in and for setting appropriate digital citizenship guidelines
  • a school-wide announcement, digital signage and TV system ensuring that timely news and events are broadcast to everyone
  • a 1:1 model where students along with teachers have laptops that they use throughout the day. In addition, there are three laptop carts: an engineering cart used by engineering and science research students, a loaner laptop-for-phone cart, and a PC laptop cart for specialized programs such as CAD design and programming students using Eclipse IDE
  • all classrooms are equipped with modern interactive boards or other projection technology
  • cloud services for the student information system, school website, support services site and other intranet tools to ensure maximum uptime
  • technologies needed to pivot to online and/or hybrid learning environments such as Zoom, Google Classroom, Screencastify and Rev closed captioning
  • content specific technology across all disciplines
  • adaptive technology provisions as needed on a per-student basis

From an educational perspective, technology continues to change the way we teach and communicate. We will strive to provide innovative and sustained technology integration while also providing advanced courses and clubs in technology. Technology will help our teachers to transition from “sage on the stage” to “guide on the side.” Technology extends learning beyond the classroom.

Technology is applied at North Shore Hebrew Academy HS in three main ways:

  1. Teaching about technology and computer science
  2. Teaching with technology
  3. Students learning to apply technology in real life situations

As technology is always changing and growing, and jobs that our students will choose to pursue may not even exist yet, we must teach students how to adapt to technologies in order for them to succeed in our technology-driven world. Therefore, technology needs to be an integral part of the learning process and curriculum.

As students enter North Shore Hebrew Academy High School with a wide variety of computer literacy skills and interests, the computer science and technology curriculum is designed with a multitude of options and paths. In addition, staff development and interdisciplinary projects are woven into the fabric of our program so that faculty and students are able to relate to technology in ways that are relevant to their lives today and in the future. There are numerous platforms by which teachers communicate assignments, lesson plans and important content to students. We offer teachers the ability to use Veracross, Google Classroom, Google Sites and the full GSuite set of applications, Office 365 and Moodle. Teachers also create interactive lesson plans displayed on Promethean interactive boards, create engaging content through Google Presentations and Microsoft PowerPoint, and utilize other discipline specific technologies (e.g., Castle Learning, hebrew language keyboards, MathType, AutoCAD, Photoshop/Premiere, Arduino, Eclipse IDE, and MIT App Inventor among others). As NSHAHS is a 1-1 laptop school, we also provide teachers with LANSchool allowing them to manage classroom technologies, share their screen with students, share student screens with the class and freeze student screens during lectures.

NSHAHS is also proud to have formed a new signature program known at the 360 program. The 360 Program is a comprehensive STEM program that weaves together many disciplines including technology, engineering, robotics, science research and more. This unique program prepares students for enter 21st century careers through in-depth study and through the lens of judaic ethics and morals. As part of the program, NSHAHS has a brand new “thinkspace” where students go to brainstorm, collaborate and generate creative ideas for new projects. The 360 room has a variety of seating options and technologies such as 3D printers, interactive boards and other components that represent a workspace of the future. We also have a makerspace dubbed “The Space.” It is a place where people with shared interests, especially in computing, technology or engineering, gather to share ideas, work on projects and tinker with technological tools. The Space is equipped with 3D printers, Rube Goldberg components, electrical tools and more.

Our state of the art student information system allows our parents, students and faculty to share information among all constituents with the ease of a web-based portal. Available data includes attendance records, assignments, grades, directory information and more. A new admissions and enrollment portal have also been established to streamline onboarding from initial inquiry and application through graduation and beyond. We have a completely revamped bleeding-edge website which is constantly maintained through news feeds, social media connections, and content refinement. The entire TV system is brand new allowing for media productions such as North Shore News and for daily announcements to be shown to every classroom, minimizing overhead speaker disruptions. In addition, digital signs in the lobby and lunchroom provide daily and weekly announcements running throughout the day. We are also able to communicate with the student body through a new texting service.

The technology landscape is ever changing and each year we evaluate whether the technology curriculum, and the technology infrastructure which supports it, needs to change or grow. We are committed to researching best practices, collaborating with educators, vendors and students from schools around the country and providing continuous professional development to all constituents. In this way, students shift from simply consuming information to creating and constructing knowledge.

Click here for our Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and Digital Citizenship Guidelines.