By Lara Sokoloff

Middle school students will pioneer a “one-to-one” computer program beginning in fall of 2013, Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts announced to the Middle School Faculty Academic Committee yesterday.

“In 2013, if all the pieces fall into place, students will be bringing computers to school,” Huybrechts said. “The goal is to have every 7th, 8th and 9th grader bring a device to school everyday that much of their resource material would already be on,” she said.

The school also began distributing iPads to the faculty this week. Huybrechts said she is sending a letter to faculty with more direction of what teachers are expected to do with them sometime this week.

A few dozen iPads were distributed last year to departments for teachers to use as part of a pilot program led by Educational Technology Chair Jeff Snapp.

The iPads were to be checked out by teachers to explore using them in the classroom, and the overwhelmingly positive feedback has led the school to distribute them to all faculty and most likely staff, Huybrechts said.

Next year, all students will be allowed to bring a computer to school to takes notes with, if they want to.

If students misuse the devices, however, teachers are allowed to ban usage in the classroom, she said.