Local Press

August 2007

8/8 Keloland.com: "SD Teachers Gather in Madison"
Teachers from the Classroom Connections schools attend training at DSU

8/17 KSFY.com: "Teachers Learn About Laptops"
CCY2 educators attend the Content Symposium at DSU

March 2007

3/30 Argus Leader: "Students in laptop program find creative ways of using them"
Students and teachers involved in the Classroom Connections project have been more innovative than expected

3/30 Black Hills Pioneer: "Laptops for Lead"
Lead-Deadwood district selected for Year 2 of the Classroom Connections project

3/30 Madison Daily Leader: "Madison chosen for student computer project"
Madison district selected for Year 2 of the Classroom Connections project

3/30 Department of Education: "More high school students to get laptops"
Official press release from DOE regarding CCY2

3/31 Aberdeen American News: "More schools to get laptops"
Overview of of Classroom Connections Year 2

September 2006

9/15 Mitchell Daily Republic:"At school, some of our problems are welcome"
Information on the different technical issue's within the Mitchell area concerning 1to1.

9/19 Aberdeen American News: "Laptop initiative missing partner"
Governor's computer effort doesn't link with state's university system.

May 2006

5/02 Mitchell Daily Republic: "Technology changes faster than our ability to keep up"
Mitchell Superintendent Joe Graves talks about changing methodology in education and the effects of new technology on those methods.

5/10 Madison Daily Leader: "Madison's approach sensible; fund drive needs your help"
Editorial piece in the Madison newspaper advocating Madison Central School District's mobile computer lab approach.

5/16: Governor's Laptop Announcement
Audio of the Governor announcing the pilot schools for the 1to1 initiative and answering questions.

5/17 Mitchell Daily Republic: "Project will supply portable computers to 5,046 students at 20 high schools next fall"
Governor Rounds announces the laptop initiative pilot schools in Mitchell.

5/17 Watertown Public Opinion: "Watertown among four area schools chosen for state laptop pilot program"
Article about Watertown-area schools participating as 1to1 pilots.

5/17 Argus Leader: "20 schools to receive laptops"
Details of the first wave of the laptop initiative, including reactions from the gubernatorial candidates.

April 2006

4/11 Pierre Capital Journal: "School laptop plan in Pierre moves forward"
The Pierre School District is moving forward with its plans to participate in 1to1 and publishes its expected expenses as a result of the project.

March 2006

3/13 Lawrence County Journal: "High School laptop initiative gets Q&A"
General informational article about the 1to1 initiative by the Spearfish superintendent of schools

3/23 Argus Leader: "Do laptops boost learning?"
Article on the benefits of 1to1, and inconclusiveness of studies due to different skills gained by students in 1to1 initiatives VS the skills that are traditionally measured.

3/23 Argus Leader: "Do laptops boost learning?" (Printer friendly article page)
Benefits real, educators say, but hard to measure.

3/24 Lawrence County Journal: "Laptop topics"
The Spearfish High School principal details the topics covered at two recent community forums on 1to1

February 2006

2/15 Rapid City Journal: "Laptops worth a try"
Editorial piece describing the Watertown laptop program and why it is worth trying at other schools.

2/26 Argus Leader: "Education plan leaves rural schools behind"
Editorial that repudiates the laptop plan, saying rural schools can't afford it.

January 2006

1/02 Aberdeen American News: "Laptop plan engenders educators' comments"
Some administrators would prefer to have the money to spend as they want to, while others are eager to participate.

1/02 Argus Leader: "Districts unsure about laptop plan"
Several administrators are declining participation because they have already spent a lot on recent technology upgrades, or remain undecided for now.

1/02 KELOLAND.COM: "Learning with Laptops"
Dr Melmer and Bob Mayer promote the laptop initiative and the benefits seen in Watertown.

1/12 Argus Leader: "State's laptop plan flickers"
Legislators and school administrators argue that there isn't enough money to support the initiative, while Dr Melmer argues that the initiative has been "unfairly maligned".

1/12 Madison Daily Leader: "Melmer defends plan to provide laptops"
Dr Melmer defends 1 to 1 initiative against criticism

1/21 Mitchell Daily Republic: "In other words: Laptop idea overrrated" (sic)
Mitchell opinion writer doesn't think much of the laptop plan

1/24 Argus Leader: "Class tests laptop program"
Article about the new 1 to 1 Leadership course offered at DSU

December 2005

12/05 Pierre Capital Journal:  "Education Leaders See Flaws in Budget Plans"
Alliance for Education leaders say the program is too inflexible to justify the cost to schools.

12/05 Pierre Capital Journal:  "ROUNDS’ plan to aid schools uses ‘recycled’ funds"
Much of the money that would go towards the state's contribution in the laptop initiative is money that was earmarked for school technology spending but was never distributed.

12/08 eSchool News: "Rebounding state budgets boost laptop plan"
Governor Rounds' announcement regarding the state laptop initiative, and where other states are standing with their own

12/13 Mitchell Daily Republic: "Governor touts benefits of laptop plan"
General press report on Governor Rounds' announcement of the initiative

12/14 Sioux City Iowa Journal: "Governor touts benefits of laptop plan"
General press report on Governor Rounds' announcement of the initiative

September 2005

9/30/05:  Laptops in the Schools
A short article from KSFY.com concerning a wireless school.