Lewisville ISD Realtor Tour

     Lewisville Independent School District has always been a great district with great schools which is evident with a high demand for homes in the district.  In the past couple of years Lewisville ISD has taken their district to new levels.  A couple of school years ago this change was most noticed when the district implemented a program which would be providing Apple Ipads for select campuses to use for their schooling.  Most parents thought it would just invite kids to play games not so much to do school work on the devices.

     Fast forward a few years to see some new campuses which not only embrace the technology but are also designed around the student experience and you have an innovation in education with Lewisville ISD leading the way.  This is evident when you walk in to a facility such as Donald Elementary in Flower Mound where the technology is present in the classroom yet it is not the primary focus.  As I toured different classrooms my main focus was on the Apple Ipads but what I found was engaged students in their task at hand, which was learning and not so much the device itself.  Many of the kids where engaged, asking questions, working in groups and learning hands on.  When I think Ipads for the students, I think kids playing games or just using them to browse the internet, but instead I found it to only be  one tool in the classroom and school to use for their learning experience.

    

     The district doesn't appear to just revolve around the Ipads but instead keeping the focus on learning and using them as a tool.  What most do not realize is this is part of a bigger plan known as 1:X which incorporates technology such as a devise like the Ipad, other devices such as Chrome books and MacBook Airs.  However it doesn't stop there the campus is designed with the learning experience in mind which was evident with such things as tables/desks which you can write on like a dry eraser board.  Or the smart overhead to use in front of the class, gone are the days of multiple sheets being used on the old light powered overheads.

     A stop by the Flower Mound 9th Grade Campus revealed more of the 1:X plan in full effect.  The campus itself was designed to have technology help but also with the day to day activities to be inviting, as was evident in the lounge area with room to plug in your device and do homework.  There were rooms which had smart boards, wireless routers every where, dry eraser boards easily accessible to the students and even down to chairs which were designed with comfort.  All these things and many more are evident as you walk thru the school, my favorite had to be the library... with no book in sight.  How is that?  Well the students can use the 2nd floor of the library as a place to read their e-books on their Ipad or just have a quiet place to study.  Don't worry there are books in the main library downstairs but how cool is that, that is innovative I must say.

     The implementation of this plan was evident in the Marcus High School 9th Grade campus as well when you see chairs in the lobby for students to use.  The chairs were very nice but had a top to put your Ipad and even electrical outlets to plug in to with multiple USB ports as well for more charging options.  Again it is those small touches that really give you a feel for the campus and the thought which has gone in to providing the students with a great learning environment which so happens to use technology as a tool to get the job done.  The science lab was over the top as well which showcased lab stations which would have made my science classroom experience that much easier.  Tall desks, state of the art microscopes, and of course a large monitor at the front to help the teacher with their presentations. 

    
     I added a picture of the cafeteria, which made me jealous, the options are numerous including a Pizza Hut... how cool is that?

     We were also given a tour of the new aquatic center, West Side Aquatic Center, located off FM3040 in Lewisville.  My initial thoughts were of a big place with a few pools but instead it is way more than that.  I figured it was a place where swim teams practiced and elementary kids learned how to swim.  What I found was a true place the whole community could be served by from area swim teams, the public who wants to use the lap pool, competitions from teams of all kinds and so much more.  I strongly suggest if you are interested in learning more that you check out their site because there is just so much to offer not only the students, groups but also the community in general.  You can visit their site by clicking HERE.

    
 I truly believe Lewisville ISD is on to something with the 1:X program which is innovative now but will set new standards for other districts to follow.  I keep thinking of how technology is more present everyday in our lives and for a school district to acknowledge that and implement in their plan only makes sense.  I am excited to have such an innovative school district in the area in which I practice real estate and it really makes it so easy to show potential buyers how beneficial it is for the students.  At the end of the day while the technology such as the Apple Ipads or MacBook Airs are present in the classroom the district has not made it about the technology but instead about the student with technology only being one tool they use to implement their goal... to better educate the students.

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Luis Cuevas
MakeNorthTexasHome.com