Westminster Leads in Technology; Becomes Only School to Earn Microsoft Showcase Title for Five Consecutive Years

Westminster Christian College has prolonged been a leader in technological know-how and in pursuing innovations that support the studying working experience for its students. These attempts have been identified and rewarded as Westminster turned the only school in nation to gain the title of a Microsoft Showcase School for 5 a long time consecutively. An unique honor, only 38 colleges nationwide acquired a Microsoft Showcase designation this calendar year.

“We are very happy. Our faculty, staff and IT office have labored hard to make certain that the most current Microsoft technologies is being used everyday in the classroom,” stated Omar Valerio, CIO, CTO and IT director at Westminster Christian University. “Our partnership with Microsoft allowed us to pivot swiftly and effectively at the onset of the pandemic and permitted us to maintain a strong academic practical experience for our pupils.”

Microsoft Showcase Educational facilities like Westminster are academic establishments that amplify the use of engineering to generate college-vast digital transformation and efficiencies. They also emphasize customized finding out for their pupils as a result of the use of 1:1 studying devices and studying with existing technological know-how these as Microsoft Teams, Business 365 Schooling, OneNote, and much more.

The Microsoft Showcase College title is created possible through the collaborative initiatives of Westminster directors and educators. Westminster IT Director Omar Valerio as properly as four Westminster instructors ended up also named Microsoft Ground breaking Educator Industry experts (MIE).

Elementary faculty enrichment, technological know-how and source trainer Arlene Castellanos, center university science teacher Kelly Gordon Venture Lead the Way and enrichment teacher Claudia Pastrana and, substantial college artwork teacher April Sharpe-Shirk, higher. The Microsoft MIE Qualified software recognizes teachers who embrace the didactic probable and relevance of digital technologies and who use them innovatively in their classes.

“Technology pushes training forward and helps make almost everything a lot easier,” stated Omar Valerio, Westminster’s CIO. “The students are more engaged, a lot more enthusiastic. They’re energized to appear to faculty, take part and master new points. Technological know-how facilitates prospects for them.”

Westminster is a a single-to-a person college for college students from grade 3 via grade 12. Applying Microsoft tools lets learners to excel with know-how by giving them the liberty to embrace it in a developmentally, age-appropriate way.

Each and every student has a Area Pro and an Business 365 account, enabling them to do the job extra successfully and fostering a collaborative understanding tradition. The school also gives a wide range of Information Engineering certifications, as perfectly as a huge variety of packages, from engineering to robotics. To grant much more alternatives in this area, students have the chance to take part in the engineering observe and analyze topics this kind of as Aerospace Engineering and Coding.

Technology also boosts the system for lecturers, allowing for them to help save time and be more effectively-structured. Via the Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook, teachers develop a particular workspace for each and every pupil, written content library for handouts and a collaboration place for classes and inventive functions. Moreover, lecturers can give direct comments by producing in each student’s non-public notebook, encouraging learners to work alongside one another as the trainer presents actual-time coaching.

As a Microsoft Showcase School, Westminster is part of a worldwide local community of establishments engaged in innovative change to boost educating and studying.