As an important foundation principle of its mission, Hilltop Country Day School seeks to provide a highly educational environment for its students. Part of what "highly educational environment" means in today's context is that children have the skills and abilities needed to access, process and present information quickly and efficiently.

 

In addition to the more traditional teaching of the basic skills associated with reading, writing, and math, our curriculum also needs to reflect the technological skills and knowledge necessary to be considered well educated in today's world. By using today's information technology in our curriculum, we will further strengthen what we do. In the hands of creative, prepared teachers, readily accessible information stimulates active learning and requires that students develop organization and study skills. Its use can also help us develop higher order thinking skills^' more easily.

 

For many children, the use of technology can be the gateway to deeper understanding. The computer and other technologies can develop in children a greater enjoyment of learning. For many who struggle with the printed page, with the hand writing of words, or with the visualizing of spatial relationships, today's technologies, when used appropriately, can be enlightening tools. In developing study and organizational skills, computers and other technologies can be another powerful tool in the teacher's toolbox of ideas and strategies. For children who quickly master the skills and content, the computer and other technologies can facilitate depth and enrichment. Knowledge of how to access and synthesize information through electronic media empowers children and provides them with unlimited possibilities.