As part of an effort by the school to coordinate technology use by faculty and students, all grades will be able to download and install Microsoft Office for free by following steps that will be in an email.

Director of Computer Services Dave Ruben said this service will increase the compatibility between what students turn in and what teachers read.

“My understanding is that using those Office products, like Word and Excel, is going to be actually required at the Middle School this year and will probably be required at the Upper School next year,” Ruben said.

In addition, the computer services department is continuing two other programs, both of which aim to encourage the use of laptops on campus and ease communication between students and faculty.

Faculty and staff were given either new touchscreen laptops or tablets in continuation of the program that replaces this equipment every three years.

The second project this year, a subscription to the online learning company, lynda.com, will provide faculty, staff and students with access to hundreds of video tutorials on software, technology and creative skills such as photography.

This resource will be accessed with a Harvard-Westlake username and password at lynda.hw.com.

Ruben said he hopes that encouraging an environment where students and teachers have easy access to new software will be beneficial for the school.