W. Babylon Schools Adopt Google Apps for Education

The West Babylon School District recognizes the important role technology plays in providing a 21st century education and strives to be at the forefront of offering a cutting-edge learning experience. Under the leadership of Ryan Case, the district’s coordinator of student data and instructional technology, West Babylon has implemented Google Apps for Education, a program that stores and protects school data.

Google Apps for Education is free for valid K-12 public schools, and providing their products to educational institutions at no cost is part of the Google mission.

“There are many benefits associated with having this program for the staff of West Babylon,” remarked Mr. Case. “The staff now has access to a free email system as well as features of Google Apps including Docs, Spreadsheets and Forms.”

The implementation of this program has expanded this year to include students as well. Every student in the district now has a Google Apps for Education account and the ability to access the Google Apps system from any computer with an Internet connection. Students can store work using this system and no longer have to utilize flash drives. Mr. Case is working toward the establishment of a “walled garden” Gmail system for students in which they are able to send and receive email messages with teachers, administrators and other students within the district system.  

Another benefit of the Google Apps program is the easy implementation of the program with the Samsung Chromebook laptops that will soon be available to all West Babylon students. Each school will be obtaining 30 Chromebooks to be used in classrooms or in Chromebook Writing Labs, where students will develop writing skills and take part in local and state assessments. The purchase of district Chromebooks was made possible through the use of “bullet aid” funding provided by Sen. Owen Johnson and Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr.