Classroom Technology Strengthened

The St. Mark’s technology team was operating in high gear on campus throughout the summer months, supporting significant upgrades in classrooms across the Middle and Upper Schools. This was the latest installment of a multi-year effort to strengthen and expand classroom technology. After extensive research and careful planning during the summer of 2024, several different upgrades were tested and evaluated by teachers and administrators across various academic departments to determine which resources would most improve the learning environment. Audio and video projection capabilities, wireless resources, and other integrated teaching tools to support the seamless use of technology have now been installed in many more classrooms, making it even easier for teachers to enhance the overall classroom experience. 
 
This summer, 18 classrooms in Centennial Hall and the Hoffman Center received comprehensive upgrades, including versatile new state-of-the-art video projectors, flexible multimedia resources, new audio capabilities, and expanded network communication. Wall-mounted control panels and expanded wireless access were also enabled to replace cumbersome technology carts and support greater flexibility. 
 
Advanced screen-casting and video conferencing software is increasingly used across campus and is now being installed in more classrooms, enabling students and teachers to easily connect devices to much brighter high-definition projectors. Enhanced wireless capabilities also support the smooth integration of varied devices, including document cameras and other teaching tools. This tool also enables sharing notes and other visual resources through a shared network in the classroom. This will also be impactful in the Lower School where new wireless cameras are being widely deployed. 
 
Veteran math teacher Paul Mlakar had a chance to utilize the upgrades in his classroom last year, enabling him to walk around with the wireless document camera and quickly display students’ work for the whole class. And when he needed to annotate a math problem, it was as easy as connecting his laptop to the video monitor. 
 
“Overall, the new setup is intuitive, saves space, and integrates smoothly into my teaching style,” Mlakar said. “In addition to new features, all of the connections are much more stable and reliable, saving valuable class time.”  
 
To date, more than two dozen classrooms have been upgraded, with another 18 scheduled for 2026. Strong support from the School’s endowment and the St. Mark’s Fund is vitally important to maintaining and routinely strengthening state-of-the-art resources, facilities, and technology on every corner of the campus.

“St. Mark’s is fortunate to be in a position to make such deliberate, intentional, and consistent investments in teaching and learning. Disciplined financial stewardship over time and wide-ranging philanthropic support make it possible for us to constantly think over the horizon and maintain our commitment to excellence on every corner of the campus,” said Scott Jolly, Assistant Headmaster for External Affairs.