Stepinac High School Shares Best Practice Lessons Learned in Creating All-Digital Library for Students

Last year, Archbishop Stepinac High School achieved a significant milestone when it launched an all-digital learning platform for its 700 students.  As a result of creating the first customized digital library of its kind, Stepinac became the focus of high school districts across the country considering adopting a similar model.    Now educators seeking best-practice guidance to go all digital can do so by clicking an online article written Frank Portanova, Stepinac’s Vice Principal, who led the school’s groundbreaking technology initiative.

In the article,   3 Secrets to a Successful Digital Transformation written for eSchoolNews.com, the online resource about how educators are using technology to advance learning, Portanova shares the valuable lessons his school learned in creating a fully digital text book library comprising more than 40 academic textbooks.

“This transformation has driven efficiencies in our school, created a more personalized learning environment for our students and, most important, positively impacted student outcomes,” Portanova wrote. He added:”In just one year of becoming all digital, the Stepinac academic probation rate was cut in half.

Portanova shared insights about Stepinac’s experience in three categories. Following are highlights:

1. Transformation does not happen overnight. “Creating an all-digital institution simply does not — and cannot — happen overnight. In fact, the complete digital transformation here at Stepinac took more than three years from our first test run of digital texts and platforms to the full implementation of the digital library.”

2. Digital infrastructure must support the transformation

“A school cannot become al digital without the correct infrastructure and technical support in place. Transitioning from a few computer labs to having 700 students plus administrators online all day requires a major increase in bandwidth, including wireless access points in every classroom and throughout the school.”

Portanova noted that there “are many steps to this process, the most important of which is choosing a trusted education technology provider. Working with Pearson, we first introduced digital texts as an alternative to standard print textbooks. At the same time, we began deploying innovative digital coursework and assessment platforms, such as SuccessNet and MyLabs, creating a hybrid-learning environment for our students.”

3. Teacher and student training and buy-in is key

“Lastly, to ensure optimal learning outcomes, it’s important that administrators and teachers are all on board for the transformation, and that teachers and students understand how to use the technology.”

For the complete article, click 3 Secrets to a Successful Digital Transformation

About Archbishop Stepinac High School

The mission of Archbishop Stepinac High School is to offer young men of the Archdiocese of New York a highly competitive academic and extracurricular program that will prepare them for college and leadership roles. The faculty and staff accomplish these objectives by pursuing excellence and creating a supportive, disciplined atmosphere with a strong sense of camaraderie and Christian values that is unique to the Stepinac experience. For more information, visit www.Stepinac.org.