Everything is in one place. Finally.

In a public entity, such as a school system, this is no small feat. “Going Google” was piloted in selected schools and immediately caught the attention of students and educators for its ease of use and practical application of Google Classroom. Many schools still opted to go Google, even before they were granted permission from the county. Why? Google was created for students. It was created for education, not for business. As teachers, we are in the business of education.

The overwhelming positive reaction to schools within the county convinced leadership to formalize its’ relationship with Google and move forward with student accounts and a LCPS Google cloud.

This year, Lowes Island Elementary made the commitment to go fully Google. It was certainly not an overnight decision, nor one taken lightly. Change is always a process of small steps. Sensing the direction the county was moving, the groundwork was laid to facilitate the transition to Google three years ago. Year 1 entailed creating student accounts, educating students, facilitating and supporting professional development, and moving and reformatting resources into Google Drive. Year 2 saw teachers using both Microsoft and Google, but Innovation Lab support focused on Google Apps for Education and how to use its’ tools to collaborate. Many teacher-leaders shared their positive experiences with Google, helping it grow naturally within the building.

We now find ourselves at the start of Year 3. Our school now has the Lowes in Focus Google Site to house resources and information from administration, specialists, and support staff. The Technology at Lowes Site supports device management, manages resources, and shares information regarding technology integration. Lastly, a Google Team Drive replaced our constantly-full staff drive and moves collaboration online. Despite all of this growth, we aren’t done with this transition. It continues to need refinement, professional development, and “on the spot” support. Most importantly, we need to continue to give our students opportunities to increase their fluency with the tools (even if we haven’t mastered them yet).

As a runner, I always think back to a quote from Kara Goucher, “Don’t try to rush progress. Remember-a step forward, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction. Keep believing.” We are all on the same path moving forward now, and I can’t wait to see where we go from here!