Today, technology provides a launching point for innovative instruction and a transformative educational experience.
At KUA this begins with SMART Boards in every classroom, the KUA Laptop Requirement (see below) to ensure that every student is equipped with the appropriate device and support for their academic computing needs, and the adoption of digital textbooks across a number of our course offerings, which allows us to further embrace digital content and enhancements in and out of the classroom. Utilizing cutting-edge technology gives faculty and students the freedom to be creative and move beyond the traditional walls and constraints of “old school” education. We strive to make our classrooms more interactive and empower students to play an active role in their education. We see the impact of this every day—whether it’s guiding students as they use Twitter to follow up-to-the-minute, first-person accounts of a revolution unfolding half a world away, or watching them win the Massachusetts FIRST Tech Challenge Championships as part of our STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Program.
Kimball Union Academy's classrooms are all equipped with SMART Boards and outstanding audio/visual capabilities. These technologies are integrated into the curriculum in a variety of ways to emphasize 21st Century skills and learning outcomes. Whether through collaborative problem-solving, global interconnectivity, access to databases, or refining information literacy, our objective is to advance learning with these technological tools.
Because we believe that access to our digital community is essential in order for our students to have a successful 21st-century educational experience, Kimball Union has made a commitment to a BYOsD (bring your own specified device) Laptop Requirement.
Equity in access to digital resources greatly enhances teaching effectiveness and promotes student-centered learning, inquiry learning, and interactive teaching. Standardization also ensures that valuable classroom time is not spent trying to remediate disparities and hurdles caused by the use of different operating systems, platforms, and software, allowing our faculty and technology department to focus on providing the most innovative and creative programs for our students. Through the KUA Laptop Requirement, students have ubiquitous access to KUA’s technology-rich environment and dynamic learning opportunities as well as a wide array of resources including digital content, educational software, and digital authoring tools. Our faculty continue to incorporate the use of technology into the curriculum as an extension of traditional classroom tools to support and encourage critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and digital citizenship.
We feel confident that the KUA Laptop Requirement helps our students to become fluent with the tools they need to be successful in college and in the 21st-century global workplace.
Students at Kimball Union Academy are expected to arrive with a fully functional laptop meeting the following specifications:
Apple MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro Notebook Computer
Minimum: Mac OS 10.13 or later 8GB RAM or greater 128GB SSD/HDD or greater Recommended: Mac OS 10.15 or later 8GB RAM or greater 256GB SSD or greater
The Kimball Union Academy Technology Department is equipped to provide basic support and software installation, as needed, on these devices. Additionally, a small pool of KUA-owned MacBooks is maintained for short-term lending in the event that a student-owned device requires service at our local repair depot. The Technology Department helps to facilitate transportation and billing of repairs for student-owned devices, in conjunction with our Business Office and our Apple Authorized service partners.
Jason has enjoyed working for both small and large technology-based organizations here in the Upper Valley region of NH for the past 20+ years. He has held management positions in software development and training, federal sales, and global product planning. Jason’s return to campus as a member of the faculty provides KUA the benefit of his significant background in project management, contract negotiation, database administration, user support, and training. Jason strives to not be a “back-room” technology manager and is committed to engaging faculty, staff and students in discussions to improve the use of technology on campus. As a Kimball Union graduate of the Class of 1988, he is proud to serve our community. Jason lives in nearby Cornish with his wife Christine, a career educator and Principal at a local Elementary school.
Stephen Rogers 04
Academic Information Systems Manager, Theater Technical Director
Stephen, KUA class of 2004, works with all things technology, bringing a wide range of knowledge to both the Technology and Arts Departments. Acting as a resource for students, faculty, and staff, he works to integrate and simplify technology across campus. He also works as the Technical Director for the Theatre, building and designing sets, lighting, and sound. He graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2008 with a BA focused on computer science. Stephen is an advisor and a dorm parent and lives on campus with his wife Christine Clisura and their tiny terrier Taffy.
Before coming to KUA in 2011, Jerry was in the U.S. Air Force for more than 21 years where he served in hospitals performing many roles and later with information technology until he retired as a senior non-commissioned officer. During this time he earned his bachelor's degree in information technology and completed many other computer science courses, both for his work and while working on his master's degree. Jerry enjoys serving the KUA community and helping people with their technology needs. He likes to read, listening to music and attending live music events, hiking, gardening and being with his two daughters and other family.
Founded in 1813, Kimball Union Academy is one of the country's oldest private boarding high schools. KUA blends the best of the New England boarding tradition with an innovative, modern educational program for a diverse and global group of day and boarding students. Located in Meriden, New Hampshire, in the heart of the Upper Valley, Kimball Union is minutes from Dartmouth College and has direct access to Boston and New York.