Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) is an independent day school serving about 1,000 students from grades Pre-K–12 in Northern New Jersey. Made up of three campuses — a primary, middle, and upper school — the academy provides an innovative education that combines excellence in teaching, creativity in curriculum, and a highly personal, technology-enriched environment. MKA is recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for 2013–2015 for its unique implementation of Apple technology in its 1:1 laptop learning initiative for grades 4–12, and its use of iPads for grades Pre-K–3.
An Apple on every desk
Students at MKA use Apple technology to explore learning in new ways, practice skills, and gain valuable lessons in digital citizenship. All faculty and students in grades 4–12 are provided with their own MacBook Air laptop in the school’s 1:1 program. Each comes equipped with an identical suite of software to ensure a common platform for instruction. In the primary school, students have access to over 170 iPads, mobile laptop carts, and a library technology space in the classroom. Students use Apple technology in a range of ways: from creating and publishing their own multimedia projects to practicing math skills via interactive software.
Enabling creativity, teaching responsibility
The hallmark of MKA’s technology initiative is its 1:1 program, which provides every student with a laptop that they are responsible for around the clock, 365 days a year. Students use these laptops in creative ways everyday. Middle school students record their own podcasts in a foreign language, design animations to explain mathematical concepts, and publish research findings online. Upper school students use Macs for everything from analyzing physics concepts using computer-generated simulations, designing websites, to debating current events via an online platform.
To help students gain a sense of ownership and responsibility for their laptops, MKA requires they pass a “Technology Driver’s Test” where they manage their Mac just as they would in the real world — from conducting Time Machine backups to installing software updates all on their own.
A solution for now, and the future
When MKA began its 1:1 program four years ago, it immediately turned to Jamf Pro to make it all possible. The school was already using Jamf Pro to manage other Apple devices, and liked its best-ofbreed technology and same-day support for all new releases. This enables MKA to “future-proof” itself for any new Apple releases. Jamf Pro also features a flexible backend, allowing MKA’s IT team to engineer its own out-of-the-box solutions. As a result, MKA is able to design temporary administrative privileges to 30 middle and upper school students who are participating in its Laptop Learning Group. This group of students is trained as the first line of help to solve any technical challenges that may arise in their classrooms. Together with the Laptop Learning Group and Jamf, MKA’s sole Apple device administrator is able to manage over 1,400 devices.
Why MKA relies on the Jamf Pro
- It helps them easily deliver on their 1:1 laptop learning initiative, and offers a tech-rich learning environment with simple management of over 1,400 Apple devices schoolwide.
- It enables a safe, intuitive environment for students to gain valuable lessons in digital citizenship by serving as administrators for their personally assigned Macs.
- It supports creative learning in new ways, as students leverage Apple technology for everything from creating their own podcasts to debating with classmates in forums and chats.
- It allows MKA to stay ahead of the curve by offering complete and timely support for all new Apple iOS and Mac releases.
- Jamf Pro Focus enables teachers to guide students through applications on the iPad, and then release control when students are ready to explore creatively on their own.
- It unleashes the power of Apple TV in the classroom so students can project and share their creative work from an iPad to the rest of the class on a larger screen.
- It is backed by the strength of the Jamf Nation community and the Jamf support team, who offer quick answers to specific questions during and after the implementation process.
- It delivers the most comprehensive, flexible, and easy-to-use Apple device management solution.
When we decided to fully embrace the Apple platform, we looked at other solutions and decided that Jamf was the only player in the game. Jamf Pro allows us to manage our Macs and iPads in ways other solutions aren’t capable of, and provides the flexibility we need to make our technology initiative a true success.