The nine exploration schools are: Skyway Middle School, Presque Isle; Lyman Moore Middle School, Portland; Conners-Emerson School, Bar Harbor; Maranacook Community Middle School, Readfield; Boothbay Region Elementary School, Boothbay; Piscataquis Community Middle School, Guilford; Auburn Middle School, Auburn; Pembroke Elementary School, Pembroke; Shapleigh Middle School, Kittery.
The demonstration schools are geographically spread across Maine based on the state's nine school superintendents' regions. They represent a range of school size and composition, including classrooms in several K-8 schools. As part of their commitment, demonstration schools will be open for other districts to visit for an average of one day per week, and schools will share experiences and student products with visiting teachers from the region and at regional and state conference sessions.
Maine's Learning Technology Initiative is the most ambitious program of its kind in the world, aiming to make Maine the first in the nation to deploy universal personal access to learning technology for all seventh and eighth grade students and teachers statewide.
In December 2001, the Department signed a four-year, $37.2 million contract with Apple to provide notebook computers, wireless networks, servers, technical support and maintenance, and teacher training for 36,000 7th and 8th grade students and teachers in Maine. The remaining 230 middle schools in the state will receive wireless iBooks in August 2002.
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