Hybrid Classes at Blair Academy during the pandemic

     

The distance learning cart in use while Mr. Brandwood teaches English

For the 2020-2021 school year, Blair's faculty and students shifted to a school-wide hybrid learning model.  The model focused on enabling faculty to teach simultaneously in person and virtually. Over the summer months, our technology team deployed 60 free-standing distance learning carts to all teaching spaces and classrooms.  Each cart included a 360-degree camera, a room microphone, and speakers, plus its own desktop and webcam to give virtual students a "classroom-like" experience.

Virtual students attend live class instruction with students in the classroom

Virtual Learning puts Technology to the Test

 

When the State of New Jersey declared a lockdown in March of 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Blair Academy faculty and staff switched to a virtual school environment in a matter of weeks.  Part of the smooth transition was our faculty's ability to adapt to new technology.  School-issued laptops were already distributed to all Blair Academy faculty as part of our regular practice.  Periodic upgrades of these devices over the years ensured smooth functionality.  In addition, the existing Faculty Technology Training Initiative, which encourages and supports faculty to expand their use of technology in the classroom, was already in place for years.  At the time of the switch to virtual learning, approximately 80% of our faculty were already using Google Classroom and Google Sites.

Bogle Science Center Wireless Access Points

This past summer, the technology team increased the number of wireless access points (APs) in the newly renovated Bogle Science Center.  The devices project a Wi-Fi signal to a specific area and increasing the number of them improves the functionality and features of our network.  The size of Blair's campus and the number of buildings provide a unique need for many of these devices.  Around campus, we install, manage, replace, and monitor approximately 320 APs.  By comparison, the average household has one or two access points.

Email Verification Feature

The school cybersecurity initiative continues to move forward.  Recently, we added an email verification feature to Blair accounts.  This feature, called two-step verification, adds an extra layer of protection by sending a confirmation code to a cell phone to verify the user's identity.  The technology team enabled the feature in stages:  first to faculty and staff, and then to each year level of students, one at a time, starting with the seniors.  Moving forward all email accounts will require two-step verification.

Mathematics Classrooms

The audio-visual systems in Weber Hall classrooms are different from other classrooms on campus. The unique multi-projector design of Blair's mathematics classrooms started with testing out the idea of a 360-degree classroom, in which multiple projectors could be used in one room, for a few math classes.  The mathematics department was pleased with the positive impact on their instruction and included this AV system design in the planned renovations of Weber Hall. The mathematics classes are now held in Weber Hall with seven 360-degree classrooms.

On-boarding New Employees

Blair's technology team works with the Business Office to on-board new employees all throughout the year.  Beyond assigning an email address, the team creates accounts on several systems for new hires.  These accounts need usernames, passwords, and levels of access on our secure systems, including the school website, the WiFi network, and the emergency notification systems.  Technology training is also a vital part of welcoming new hires to Blair, including explaining the the mission of the Technology Office and an overview of the software systems related to their positions.

Telephone System Upgrade

A new IP phone system has replaced the digital telephone system on campus this summer.  The technology team replaced more than 120 physical phones and gathered the old phones for recycling.  We added more direct dial extensions and upgraded the voicemail system.