In the Fall 2020 Marion Grants Foundation Grants cycle the Marion Independent School Foundation and Alumni Association awarded $2,394 to Logan Vander Wiel and Jonathan Dyrland from Marion High School to purchase two iPad Pros, Apple Pens and protective covers for the choir and band directors to use for instruction.
The iPads were needed to assist in taking attendance, viewing and storing PDF files of sheet music to be used during class, making digital annotations to digital music, playing video and audio examples of music for the class, viewing and editing marching band drill charts, viewing and editing show choir blocking charts with the StageBook app and playing accompaniment for the Spring Musical production.
According to MHS Choir Director Jonathan Dryland, “Having the iPads allows us to be much more mobile when moving from the classroom, to the auditorium, to the marching band field. Students have said, ‘I love the larger screen! The iPad is easier to use than the laptop and is much easier to handle and run.’ We plan to use the iPads a great deal over the next several years and look forward to finding new ways to use them to support our students. As technology changes, so will we!”
MHS Band Director Logan Vander Wiel stated, “The iPads have been as useful as we hoped they would be and more. I’ve been using it to teach AP Music theory and it has been extremely useful there. Otherwise it has taken a behind-the-scenes role in helping to plan, grade, and run rehearsals. One student said ‘the iPad is great in music theory because of how much easier it is to edit and mark music.’ The iPad is also helpful as a tool during social distancing in lessons using quick screenshots of student music so I can see it without sitting right next to them.”
The Marion Foundation’s grant program provides teachers an opportunity to receive funding for projects that benefit students in the Marion Independent School District. Grants are made possible because of generous contributions the Foundation receives throughout the year from both businesses and individuals as well as a number of educational funds that are invested with the Foundation for long-term benefit.