The halls of the Upper School were full last night at North Cross. But not with students. Last night, parents got a taste of their child’s school schedule at Parent’s Night. The night began with a welcome from Dr. Christian Proctor, headmaster of North Cross, and continued with a short speech from Mark Thompson, head of the upper school, as well as several teachers and parents. Dr. Proctor and Mark Thompson both emphasized how much North Cross has grown in the last few years, especially when it comes to the use of technology in the classroom. “Students are able to access the information quickly and find reputable sources [through technology],” said Mark Thompson. In fact, he went on to say that one student even looked up information, about a subject they were discussing, on her iPad during class and emailed him a link to a correct source. This ability to access information quickly and find reputable sources “speaks to a new paradigm shift in education,” continued Mark Thompson. This new shift seems to be taking over a lot in classrooms, as Tammy Shank, Director of Development at North Cross said over email, “Every student in the upper school has an iPad. They are given an option to buy it, or the school will loan one to them for the school year. Every teacher incorporates the iPad into their lesson plans daily… Since most of the textbooks used by our teachers are available for download, our students are able to have a mobile classroom with them where ever they go. It allows students to think globally by expanding their learning experience beyond the walls of the classroom.” The emphasis on new technology is seen elsewhere in the classroom, in the form of smart boards and various other new pieces of equipment.

In addition to technology, Dr. Proctor and the administration at North Cross seem committed to bringing the best faculty to their students. Dr. Proctor summed up their mission by saying, “We hired experience to complement our current faculty.” In fact, the Upper School has 5 new full time teachers, and one part-time teacher this year.

The halls of North Cross Upper School may have been filled with parents last night, but the students’ excitement and willingness to learn was certainly felt throughout the evening. Students at North Cross School are presented with an environment that is filled with potential. Excellent faculty, a global perspective and new technology are all being utilized at North Cross to produce an outstanding education.

Submitted by Elizabeth Watts Jones