This School Has it right on MAC 4 everyone!!!

Philadelphia, PA — It started with a plan for some new carpets, drapes, and paint. But by the time the library renovation at Central High School was complete, school administrators and the Associated Alumni had created a state-of-the-art facility offering educational technologies that would be the envy of most universities. With a total of 290 computers — including iMac G5 and Power Mac G5 workstations in the library, and a wireless iBook laptop for each faculty member — Central has committed to making 21st-century learning available throughout the school.


Central’s library facelift began when the school’s alumni association held a meeting in the old building. Disheartened by his lackluster surroundings, Associated Alumni member Bernard Spain launched a fundraising campaign to begin a cosmetic overhaul. But rather quickly, Spain’s initial goal of $100,000 escalated into a multipronged, $4.5 million technology initiative. Bringing Apple into the equation helped define the campaign.


“Once we partnered with Apple, the culture change began to take shape that we felt was necessary,” recalls Richard Prinz, Associated Alumni president. “We were able to add all of the important pieces to it: the partnership with the school district, the presentation of an iBook laptop to each faculty member, and the professional development. That really put the focus on education and curriculum development, as opposed to just having a place that looked great.”

“There’s so much less time needed to support the Mac, which leaves me free to assist teachers with curriculum issues.”

— Sheldon Neff, Technology Coordinator, Central High School

“We did this whole thing because we really wanted the library to function as the educational nexus of the school, and to stimulate the staff, the kids, the parents, and the alumni to see what 21st-century research and learning tools could do,” adds Central High School President Dr. Sheldon Pavel. “Apple presented us with a user-friendly method of involvement; of having two components — the staff and the students — comfortably begin to access the technology tools, and enhance their capacity to learn.”