ADAMS TWP — Parents accompanying their Mars High School students Monday to pick up a district-issued computer seemed to approve of the new program.

This school year, all students in grades nine through 12 will get a Lenovo Thinkpad 11.1-inch computer to take notes, complete projects and homework, and access information in class and at home.

Students and their parents are picking up the computers Monday, today and Wednesday night. All students who plan to take their computers home after school must pay a $57 insurance fee.

Parent Jennifer Wingert praised the program and the administrators who worked on it.

“You need to tailor the educational presentation to the student,” Wingert said.

Her son, Sam, who will be a junior when school starts on Monday, said the computer will more closely align with his learning style.

“It's going to be a lot of help because I read a lot better on a computer screen than from a book,” Sam said.

Superintendent William Pettigrew said students and their parents began lining up for the first day of the computer pickup a half-hour before distribution began.

Staff manned four distribution stations in the cafeteria where students picked up their boxed computers. They then proceeded to the a room to watch four slides that gave instructions on logging on to the district's server for the first time.

The district's director of technology, Jeff Bitzer, plus two technology technicians made themselves available to those with questions about logging on to the server or attaining a password.

School board members Rita Dorsch and Christine Valenta talked to parents and students as they left the school with the computers.

“It's a good idea,” said parent Doug Kitt of the program. “It's about time everyone got laptops.”

His daughter, Blake, who will enter 10th grade this year, said while the computers would allow all class information and assignments to be in one place, she also enjoys learning from books.

Parent Katie Richardson also approved of the computer distribution.

“As a parent, I'm interested in them taking more steps toward 21st century learning,” she said.

Her son, Justin, will be a freshman this year.

“We won't have to carry as much stuff home,” he said.

Freshman Paul King agreed that having books and assignments on the computer would save carrying multiple books home.

“And you can access your books without going to your locker or worrying about losing them,” King said.

His classmate, Trent Williams, could only think of one potential problem with having a computer.

“You can't say you left your project at home,” Trent said.

Pettigrew said feedback from the parents was mainly positive.

“I've heard most people think it's a great idea, and it will move people in a positive direction, and that's what we're trying to do.”

Computer distribution will continue today and Wednesday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. A signed copy of exhibit B from school policy 477, plus a payment of $57 by check or cash are required to pick up the computers.

Students who do not plan to take their computers home will get their units when school starts.