Today it seems like almost everyone has an email account that is filled with hundreds or even thousands of of unread emails.  If you log on to look for an email from a teacher it may take a while to scroll through the list of junk mail.  All the junk emails may cause someone to miss an email that is actually important.  With all the new technology you can always update a cell phone, T.V., or computer.  Don’t our email accounts deserve an update too?  With a common Google email account, that is just what students and staff of Walpole Schools will get.

Under Google apps for Education all students would receive a common email address that would be used for school use only.  This would make communicating with teachers and classmates easy because everyone would have a similar email address.  District Technology Director, Ann Arpin said, “Communicating on X2 is not very effective,”  because students are unable to contact other students.

Another great advantage is that once students have a Google account they can use all the features on Google, including Google Documents.  This allows a student to work on a project or paper for school at all times. Arpin said, “No matter where they go they will have access.”  An advantage for teachers would be the ability to make a group for each of their classes and to make groups for projects.  Students in the same group can create documents that they can all access at the same time while Google saves all versions of the document.  Students can also see who else is logged into their account and chated with them.

A separate school and personal email account will also help to prepare students for having a separate work and personal email account in the future.  Google accounts will improve students’ collaborative skills for the future. These accounts will make life easier for students and staff of Walpole Public Schools, and the best part is that making the accounts is completely free.