Johnston designated an Apple Distinguished School District
JOHNSTON, Ia. (August 28, 2024) — The Johnston Community School District has been named one of 17 school districts in the nation and one of two in Iowa recognized as an Apple Distinguished School District.
This recognition is based on the district’s commitment to continuous innovation in education across all schools in the system, and using Apple products to inspire, imagine, and impact teaching and learning districtwide.
All eight schools in the Johnston Community School District have also individually been named Apple Distinguished Schools for 2024-2027 for their integration of 1:1 iPads into various learning environments, from preschool through 12th grade.
Schools selected for this honor include Johnston High School, Johnston Middle School, Summit Middle School, Beaver Creek Elementary, Horizon Elementary, Lawson Elementary, Timber Ridge Elementary and Wallace Elementary.
“Receiving this recognition as a district and re-certifying all of our school buildings is a huge accomplishment,” said Dr. Erica Whittle, director of secondary teaching & learning. 
“This achievement recognizes our district and our schools amongst few across the world that Apple has recognized as educational spaces that have cultures of continuous innovation in the area of technology,” Whittle said. “It also recognizes our teachers’ efforts to infuse technology in authentic and meaningful ways that support our students in their academic achievement, collaboration, communication and creativity.”
Opening opportunities with 1:1 iPads
The Johnston Community School District first introduced the 1:1 iPad concept in 2012 at Johnston High School. Since then, the district has implemented iPads into all eight of its schools, along with the Johnston Early Learning Academy preschool, exploring creative ways to utilize technology for educational purposes. The district replaced all 8,350 of its iPads with new ones in 2023.
“Once we went 1:1 with iPads, it was a game changer,” said Jeremy Schwanebeck, an art teacher at Horizon Elementary. “The tools are so easy for kids to use–they are picking them up right away. It is nice that I can build on those skills year after year.”
The 1:1 iPads have opened students up to opportunities they may otherwise not have, ensuring all students in the district have equal access to technology. The district’s technology equips students with the skills and confidence necessary to navigate an ever evolving digital landscape and prepares them for their future after high school. Not only that, it keeps students engaged and interested in their curriculum.
“We’re learning about being computer scientists on Scratch Jr.,” said Emme Griffin, a first grader at Beaver Creek Elementary. “I like that my iPad has games on it that can help me learn.”
However, technology can also bring challenges — from too much screen time, to unkindness on social media, and impact on mental health. That’s why in conjunction with making technology accessible, the district has sought and provided resources and support for families and will continue to do so.
Innovation in Education
Apple Distinguished Schools are centers of leadership and educational excellence, with a clear vision for how technology-rich environments support learning goals. In Apple Distinguished Schools, forward-thinking leaders and their communities work to inspire, imagine, and impact teaching and learning, and they have documented results of academic accomplishments.
Johnston High School first earned this distinguished recognition in 2013-2015. All eight Johnston schools were first named Apple Distinguished Schools from 2021-2024.
The most recent application involved students, teachers and administrators through a hands-on video production, led by high school students with Dragon TV, the video production class offered at Johnston High School.
Dragon TV students visited each of the eight schools and conducted interviews with school administrators, teachers and students, capturing the impact of technology on student learning from numerous perspectives. Finalized videos were then submitted to the Apple Education team for review. Students also edited all materials with Apple products.
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