To arrange a visit with a 1:1Showcase Site, please contact the OTO office at 517.978.0006.
School: St. Joseph’s Academy
Address: Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Grades: 9-12
Type of 1:1 Implementation: Laptop Tablets
St. Joseph’s Academy is a private Catholic, college preparatory school serving girls in grades 9-12. Located in Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana, SJA was founded in 1868 by the Sisters of St. Joseph, who continue to own and operate the school under the leadership of a board of directors.
In 1994, St. Joseph’s Academy undertook an audit of its academic program. As a result, the curriculum was redesigned to ensure that what was being taught helped young women understand information rather than simply recall it. On the heels of the redesign came the realization that a more complex and sophisticated tool was needed to facilitate this new way of learning. In 1998, SJA launched a program to immerse the educational environment in technology training and usage, integrating the power of computer technology across the teaching culture.
While a 1:1 learning environment, and its technology immersion are cutting edge at the secondary level, SJA’s extensive experience proves their value. Students who work in 1:1 environments exhibit a greater engagement in their work; improved writing skills; higher-level thinking skills; and an enhanced sense of responsibility through care of their personal computers.
SJA has been recognized three times by the U.S. Department of Education as a national Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and was one of three schools in 2002 to receive the U.S. Department of Education’s Special Emphasis Award in Technology. The award honored SJA for its innovative and pioneering “Reengineering Learning” program that builds the education program around student usage of wireless personal computers.
Today, tablet computers are used to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in all academic areas. Integrating technology across the curriculum provides opportunities to enhance the instructional process and to raise the level of student learning and performance, producing active, engaged teachers and learners who undertake complex and meaningful tasks.
Schools from around the state and country visit SJA for insight into how to effectively implement a 1:1 program and successfully integrate technology into the curriculum. SJA relies on educational software such as Moodle and Dyknow to expand the possibilities of what can be done using laptop/tablet technology. Moodle and Blackboard augment classroom teaching with the power of the internet. Dyknow allows teachers to easily supervise and control student computers and encourage participation. Using these resources, teachers are able to make lessons engaging and comprehensive. Laptop/tablet technology gives students near limitless access to educational resources enhancing collaborative learning, critical thinking and independence.
The crown jewel of the Academy’s technology program is the student-run Warranty Repair Center, which celebrates 12 years of successful operation this year. Paid student technicians maintain all computers on campus. SJA is among the first high schools in the country to implement a 1:1 laptop/tablet program fully supported by a student-run repair center.
SJA has created a technology outreach program in which staff members, students, and graduates bring access to technology and technology-based education to those who would otherwise not have it. From local elementary schools to orphanages and schools in Córdoba, Veracruz, Mexico; from the barrios of Nicaragua to the rural townships of South Africa, SJA technology teams have established computer labs and provided training to share the gift of technology locally and around the world.