Technology

One of the most impressive aspects of the Davidson Academy is the amazing technology. Each student has the opportunity to use a laptop for their classes. As all of the students at the Academy agree, the laptops make it much easier to take notes. The computers are IBM Thinkpads, and have very impressive security technology.

The school is very concerned about the security of the students. That is why they have applied Sonic Wall security system to all of the computers. This firewall automatically blocks sites of many different contents. Also, there is an administrative custom list that the administrators can block web sites that they believe should be blocked. In addition, every student has their own account. The usernames are just on a system that is the student's first letter of their first name, and then their last name. Their passwords, on the other hand, only the students and the administrators know. These logins let the students onto the wireless network "Academy Student 1", but not the administrative network "Academy".The students, though, have been determined to find ways onto "Academy". This network does not have any firewall, and no sites are blocked. Unfortunately, the administrators will not let this information be released into any further depth.

But students have found ways to play games even on the network "Academy Student 1". Whether it be through circumventors, caching, or googlepages, students have always found a way. Unfortunately, Mr. Kramp has had to send out numerous emails about the treatment and use of computers, like this one.

With these same logins, the students can also access the Academy's own email network. These email systems can be used to send assignments to teachers. Because the laptops are available for use, many of the assignments that are assigned to student involve the laptops. The students can then send their assignments via the IPswitch email. The student emails are "first letter of first name then last name @ davidsonacademy.unr.edu"

The same login then can also be used for the school's grading system, called power school. This enables students to see their grade before their report cards come out. It has problems also, like it does not take into account the emphasis that that certain project or exam will have on the total averaged grade.

Also, the Academy puts up a private web site that only the parents, students, and administrators can get into through passwords. This site has information on all of the students, the staff, the upcoming events run by the school, and anything else about the school.

Another major aspect of the Schools technology would be the Thursday Dispatch. This is sent out to students and parents, and it tells about the clubs, the upcoming events, and the special offers that are run by the school. It really gives the students a good idea of what is going on in the near future, or what has gone on. It also gives recognition of students' special achievements.

Now, moving into the technology specific to certain areas, the front door was locked all of the time. This was to enhance the security of the students. There was a doorbell that rang the front desk of the Academy, so that the students, faculty, or any visitors to the Academy could be let in.

The technology in the Tahoe room includes a projector. this is good for students to watch movies or look at stuff on the computer of their instructor. Also, there is as technology cart, with a computer, a DVD player, and a bunch of other stuff. There are many of these carts throughout the school, so that even the classrooms without projectors could watch movies because these carts included projectors on them. Unfortunately, the tahoe room was the only one to have a built in projector.

Please go back to the "About the Academy" page, and read the rest of this page when prompted.

The technology of the new building that the Academy now occupies is very advanced. The most impressive aspect would have to be the security system. While the old academy only had a locked door and some camera, now every student has keycards that let them in and out of the building. The students must sign into school by scanning their keycards every morning at the front of the building, and then at the doors upstairs. The keycards unlock the doors. Also, students can open the doors from the inside, but the alarm will sound, so they must sign out every day using their keycard in the same two places as well. In addition, if a student does not scan out at the end of the day, the system knows that, and will not let the student back in at the beginning of the next day. They keycards are General Electric Proxlite cards, and there is a 10 dollar fee to get a new one if you loose the old one. They keycards also work for the door to the overlook.

There is also more to the security system. The biggest thing is the lock down alarm. If this alarm is pulled, all of the doors will be closed and locked. Because the doors are held to the walls by electromagnets, the electromagnets are turned off when the alarm is pulled, and the doors then close. People can open the doors from the inside, but the unwanted person cannot open the doors from the outside. Also, the pine lounge has a garage door that can be closed in case of an emergency.

In addition, there are built in technology carts in every room, so all of the classrooms have the capability to watch movies, and so on. Also, students may not check out laptops anymore. The teachers provide them for each class, and students may only check them out for study halls purposes.

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