A new year means new equipment for the Chinook School Division. 

Every year they replace what needs replacing, and update what needs updating. As schools depend more and more on technology like laptops, touch screens, and smart boards, this process becomes more integral to ensuring a good standard of education for students.

Rob Geiger, manager of Technology Information Systems for Chinook School Division, says that this is a normal part of their operations.

"Not a lot of big changes. It's mostly maintenance as devices get older," said Geiger. "We have to replace them, and that's pretty much what we're doing."

One of the things receiving ongoing updates is Smart Boards that have replaced typical whiteboards. Smart Boards started being implemented close to 15 years ago, and have been present now for multiple generations in the school system. They still aren't universally present and the older ones are being fazed out by newer, more reliable models.

"As they get older they just start to fail," said Geiger. "We have quite a bit of problems because of the old projector style. We replace them with what is essentially a T.V. which is a lot more durable, and a lot more long-lived. They don't cost as much to maintain as it fades and stops working."

Laptops were one item during the pandemic that was hard to source. Now that things are stabilizing in the market, the price is right and they are beginning to replace older models. 

Updating existing computer devices to Windows 11 from Windows 10 is a process that almost everyone will have to endure, and that includes students and faculty in the Chinook School division. 

For Geiger, that means assisting more faculty than students in adapting to the changes.

"To be honest, it's probably more of a challenge for our staff because kids seem to be pretty adaptable when it comes to newer technology," said Geiger. "In many cases, they come to our classrooms used to using different kinds of technology."

The classrooms of the future may be entirely equipped with digital technologies. For now, they continue to update and adapt to the changes in this evolving technological landscape.