Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2013 | Page 2
New media and 21st Century Classrooms
“One component of this classroom
enhancement project will convert
our current library space into a fiveclassroom comprehensive New
Media Center...”
TATV station Manager Jeff Christenbury ’03 is filming News Director Ian
Maksut ’13 in an interview with Headmaster Rene Menard ’88.
By the time the leaves change color across our campus,
grown over 30% since 1996, present challenges to our 200
five classrooms in a New Media Center will serve
year old physical plant. In response, the Board of Trustees
Thornton Academy’s 21st century learners, students
has authorized a series of ambitious construction projects
who are described as “technology-literate,” “media
that will update and upgrade existing facilities. One
savvy,” and “digital natives.” Expanding communication
component of this 21st Century Classroom Enhancement
and creative expression into digital formats, New Media
Project will convert our current library space into a
technology promotes an increasingly interconnected
comprehensive, five-classroom New Media Center that will
world. Clearly, in order to meet our school mission
cluster teachers who offer New Media courses. This new
of preparing students for a changing world, we must
proximity will enable them to collaborate on course content
incorporate New Media into our curriculum, in our case,
and instructional practices, and share technological
an Arts & New Media department. Always forward
resources.
thinking, TA teachers have begun to do this by offering
Music Technology, Game Design Development, Technical
Our construction schedule is bold — all spaces, including
Writing In an iPad World, and by integrating digital
the New Media Center, are due for completion in the fall.
journalism, three-dimensional graphic arts, multimedia
I look forward to welcoming you when we celebrate the
production, and computer programming, to name just a
opening of our new facilities.
few examples. As you will see in this issue, TA alums are
in the vanguard of this new field.
Sincerely,
However, the technological demands of New Media
instruction, along with a local student enrollment that has
Rene M. Menard ‘88
Headmaster