How Omnicharge Helped a Fenton Charter Public School Keep 2,650 Students Power in their Classrooms
The widespread rollout of the technology in classrooms provides students with better learning opportunities. However, it comes with a problem: how do we keep technology tools powered?
Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School is a K-5 school within the Fenton Charter Public Schools organization. They help 748 diverse learners to thrive in the community of East Hollywood.
Challenges
- Students forgetting to charge their iPads overnight
- Wall outlet seating interfering with class participation
- Instructor breaks wasted charging dead devices
Solution
- One power station and five charging packs for each classroom
- Portable chargers keep students in their seats
- Easy operation makes students independent
- Effortless process lets lessons flow uninterrupted
- More productivity and opportunity for breaks
Results
- Each student saved 1 Hr 40 min per day of learning time
- Each instructor saved 2 Hr 50 min per day of teaching time
- The school 810 hours per year freed from battery management
Students are more focused. Instructors teach without interruptions.
The Issue with Keeping the Devices Charged
at Fenton Charter Public Schools
The challenge of undercharged devices and batteries running low in class became an all too familiar issue at Fenton Charter Public Schools following the implementation of the one-to-one technology program.
And no wonder. With over 3,000 students across all of their five charter schools, there were times when multiple students needed to power their iPads to continue with the lessons - and there was no convenient way to do it.
Gaby Arroyo and Jennifer Nishimoto, instructional technology coaches at Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School (SMBCCS), one of the schools within the Fenton organization catering to 748 students, were acutely aware of the power source issue.
"We were constantly worrying about the iPads. During class, between classes, and at recess and lunch, we were spending nearly an hour-and-a-half each day managing batteries."
Jennifer Nishimoto, Instructional Technology Coach, Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter SchoolThis situation puts a strain on the teachers, too. The instructors had to stop and ensure everyone was on the same page. Moreover, Arroyo and Nishimoto would spend their time managing batteries at recess and lunchtime. With five classes daily, the instructors needed almost an hour and a half each day to charge the iPads.
Omnicharge Helps Fenton
Charter Public Schools Power Up
The problems were solved when Fenton Charter Public Schools ordered 154 Omnicharge power stations with 770 portable chargers and equipped each classroom with a power station.
The teachers were able to maximize the device uptime, gain more instruction time, and focus on teaching rather than managing device batteries. Gaby Arroyo and Jennifer Nishimoto alone saved 2 hr 50 min a day of instruction time in their tech labs. This amounts to 810 hrs per year.
"Without Omnicharge, we'd be back to charging against the wall. Kids would be missing lessons because they couldn't use their device," says Gaby Arroyo. "Now, we have the freedom to teach wherever we want, without worrying about outlets or dead batteries."
Because the teachers enjoy the freedom of teaching tech-based classes anywhere, even outdoors, they say that portable Omnicharge battery packs are the perfect solution to a more flexible learning environment.
And kids love the battery packs, too. Even kindergarteners know how to take out the chargers whenever they need them. Because each battery pack has dual charging ports, two students sitting at one desk can use it simultaneously.
According to the Fenton School instructors, the Omnicharge solutions have been the game-changers because they have helped Fenton Charter Public Schools seamlessly integrate the one-to-one technology program into the classroom.
"As teachers, we need our kids to be using their devices. Battery power can be a problem, and Omnicharge is the perfect solution."
Gaby Arroyo
Instructional Technology Coach, Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School
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