K–12 Education - Success Stories

St Andrew’s Anglican College, Australia

Switching to Mac unlocks new opportunities.

St Andrew’s Anglican College had a vision. This award-winning K–12 school on the Sunshine Coast of Australia wanted to create an even more dynamic and innovative learning environment. The solution was to invest in reliable and robust devices that supported their goals — and their budgetary requirements.

At the time, they found student devices to be slow, unreliable, and limited to internet use and word processing. These legacy devices were also a source of frequent IT issues and security attacks, so a lot of time was spent maintaining, troubleshooting and fixing them.

As a potential solution, Director of Knowledge Services, Brett Moller, spearheaded a trial of MacBook Air in 2020 to pilot the ultrafast performance and all-day battery life of Mac. The students loved it, and by 2021 the entire high school switched from PC to Mac. Today, teachers say they’ve seen an increase in student engagement, productivity and creativity across the school.

The seamless compatibility of Mac with third-party apps — like Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft 365 — means everyone can find tools that best support their needs. Students use SketchUp in engineering to visualise an idea before building a model, iMovie in art classes to create stop motion animation, and Swift Playgrounds in coding classes to bring their app ideas to life. And teachers seamlessly transfer and review student work with AirDrop, then share with the whole class via screen mirroring on Apple TV, so USB drives are no longer required.

The IT team uses JAMF and Apple School Manager to set up all their devices, without touching a single one. After the switch to Mac, IT issues dropped by over 90 per cent and the built-in security features of Mac — like data encryption and automatic updates — significantly reduced the number of security issues.

When compared to their previous platform, school leaders found that the reduced IT demands and the resiliency of Mac made it the most cost-effective option. Since the switch, the overall IT operational budget has decreased by more than 6 per cent on average, despite an increase in enrolment and added expenses for facility and security improvements. The result is that more budget and personnel can be dedicated to what matters most: learning.

Nowra Public School, Australia

Apple makes it easy for IT to deploy devices, setting up this school for success.

The Gardens School, New Zealand

Helping teachers support student
wellbeing with iPad.

With a diverse student body consisting of 568 students, The Gardens School in South Auckland takes a holistic approach to education that incorporates collaborative learning and wellbeing support for students. The school’s all-female leadership team, led by Susannah Fowler and Kate Gifford, spearheaded a BYOD iPad or Mac program in 2014, which helped to support this holistic approach.

While Apple technology enabled a seamless transition to collaborative, remote learning during the pandemic, school leaders saw many students struggling with anxiety and depression. They wanted students and teachers to have the best tools and strategies to support these challenges, so they implemented a school-wide wellbeing program.

“We want our students and teachers to thrive in a post-pandemic world, where positive wellbeing and resilience are as important as academic success. We want them to be able to express their feelings in new and alternative ways. Our wellbeing program feels authentic and organic — and is supported by the technology we already use,” says Deputy Principal Kate Gifford.

A wellbeing team of six teachers created strategies across different areas of mindful and creative expression — such as music, cooking and gardening — and then integrated wellness activities into the curriculum on iPad. Each step of the way, Apple technology and powerful apps support their vision.

Now, students get immersed in digital fabric design with the Tayasui Sketches School app. They capture the amazing life cycle of plants in the school garden using Camera and Clips. And they explore their emotions by creating original music with GarageBand.

School Principal Susannah Fowler adds: “At our last school talent show, a nine-year-old student performed a GarageBand song that she created in our dedicated wellbeing space, the Zen Den, about needing to be herself.”

Students also have access to GoodSpace, a private and secure platform that offers them another way to communicate their feelings and request support from the wellbeing team if they are struggling. GoodSpace can also help teachers see how students are feeling by asking them simple questions, such as “How many times have you felt happy or sad this week?”

And with the Hero app on iPad, teachers are able to oversee student work and progress, and to share it with their families. The wellbeing team is also able to leave comments for teachers about students who may need extra support and attention in the classroom. Susannah adds, “The priority is for the teachers to teach, and let the leadership and wellbeing team focus on everything else.”

With the help of iPad and Mac, The Gardens School has incorporated wellbeing into their teaching and learning goals. The result is a holistic, wellness-focused approach to every student’s education.

Istituto Comprensivo Statale G. Ungaretti, Italy

Lifting students up by moving teachers forward.

Istituto Comprensivo Statale G. Ungaretti is a public school serving a local community in Melzo, a former industrial town with a high proportion of low-income families. The school has 1,100 students aged 3–14 years old, and 10 per cent are learning with special needs.

To best prepare all of its students for success in the modern world, the school’s leadership is on a mission to provide exceptional learning through equal access to digital tools. They chose to invest in Apple technology because of the flexibility and versatility that iPad offers their students — and for the ongoing programs that support teacher development.

Enter Apple Professional Learning. The school uses its free tools and resources to ensure educators are getting the most out of Apple technology. For existing staff, the learning is intuitive and easy to adopt, and for future faculty members, it’s fully supportive of their development and growth. After initial advice from district experts, the school now hosts its own hands-on training sessions for educators to learn and share knowledge.

For example, to prepare themselves to teach coding, teachers practise programming a Blue-Bot robot with an iPad app to develop their own skills. “This virtuous loop is a fundamental ingredient for making our school successful,” says Francesca Testa, an Apple Professional Learning Specialist and Apple Distinguished Educator within the faculty who runs regular sessions for her colleagues.

Such a foundation ensures that new teachers have a strong development pathway while tenured faculty continue to grow their teaching practises. As more teachers learn the fundamentals of using iPad, they are empowered to explore other development programs — like Apple Teacher, where teachers earn rewards as they learn new skills, all at their own pace.

With teachers bringing these fresh ways of learning into the classroom, students are thriving. In music lessons, students gather around a piano to play and write their own music using Apple Pencil with Pages. Others use GarageBand to create and record their own sounds in concert with classmates playing instruments. In coding class, students use CoSpaces Edu on iPad to make 3D creations and Swift Playgrounds to animate in AR and VR environments.

Lewis Elementary School, United States

Discovering the full potential of iPad in the classroom.

Just southeast of Los Angeles in Downey, California, Lewis Elementary School serves 850 students. Lewis’ iPad deployment began with one device for every two students. That put iPad in every classroom, but it didn’t mean every teacher knew how to teach with them. And among those who did, there was a lack of consistency and continuity across the classrooms. So leadership took action.

“It was all about changing the mindset of the teachers,” says Instructional Technology Coach Leslie Neill. “We have these tools, they’re powerful — but they’re going to be paperweights if we can’t show their value in a classroom.”

School leaders began modelling use of iPad at every opportunity — mirroring screens with AirPlay on Apple TV, sharing files with AirDrop and taking notes with Apple Pencil during meetings. To further inspire adoption and enhance fluency among educators, leadership turned to the free resources of Apple Professional Learning.

Apple Teacher tutorials get participants comfortable with iPad, Mac and Apple software. And Apple Learning Coach trains educators and administrators to conduct one-on-one sessions with peers — they answer questions, provide feedback and help others get the most out of their Apple devices.

Lewis’ educators now feel supported when taking risks, trying new things and discovering innovative ways to use iPad in their classes. In doing so, they’re giving students new avenues to explore subjects they’re passionate about.

Teacher and Lewis Tech Squad leader, Melissa Minahan, recently felt empowered to incorporate podcasting into her lessons, and it has energised her students. They research subjects in Safari, write scripts in Google Docs and record audio in GarageBand, where they then edit, add music and layer in sound effects to create a podcast. “It’s been really cool to see students demonstrate their learning in new and innovative ways that they wouldn’t have been able to do without iPad,” Minahan says.

In another example of empowerment, teacher Susan Fisher — with the help of Apple resources and support from her peers — has led the Lewis News Team to huge success, even though she didn’t have previous experience in broadcast production. Her students use iPad to research stories, record interviews and write scripts. Then they edit and deliver with iMovie. “iPad is the only all-encompassing tool I can think of,” says Fisher. “You’ve got your research component, writing tools, creation tools. You’ve got a way to get your voice out there.”

Today, educators at Lewis are using iPad and Mac with confidence. They explore their curiosity and find continued inspiration in their classrooms. As a result, Lewis Elementary School has seen increased enrolment, attendance and student engagement — and serves as an inspiration for other schools in the district.

École Secondaire Sisler High School’s CREATE program, Canada

Prototype. Produce. Publish. With Apple.

École Secondaire Sisler High School is the second largest high school in Manitoba, and it supports a diverse BIPOC community. When district leaders saw demand grow for digital jobs in creative industries — such as gaming, coding, animation, film and graphic design — they sought to provide their students with pathways to these careers. So, in 2015, they launched the CREATE program at Sisler.

Powered by Apple technology, CREATE emulates a real-world industry setting with a flipped classroom approach, scaffolded by a curriculum infused with maths, science and art.

“At Sisler, our priority is student success,” says Principal Pat Graham. “Creating an innovative and compelling learning environment is key to empowering students to pursue their goals and passions.”

Mac performance allows students to design and render high-quality graphics and complex audio compositions without sacrificing power efficiency across CREATE’s 24 courses, ranging from game design to digital media. And the features built into macOS streamline their workflows and increase productivity — utilities like Screenshot and QuickLook make it easy to capture and preview their work.

And because the hardware and software being used in the classroom mirrors what professionals use in the studio, students are fully equipped to create detailed storyboards, animated films and original music. One example is the animated short and game, Roots on the Run, featured on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Kids.

Students move seamlessly between Mac and iPad for the task at hand. iPad is an expansive palette where CREATE students can easily draw, storyboard and prototype their ideas. They draft rough animations in Procreate or Keynote, then share their work on social channels for real-time engagement.

As part of their final projects, students also reach out to experts from studios like Disney, Nickelodeon and Ubisoft — via FaceTime and other video conferencing apps — to ask for feedback and further refine their ideas.

“The use of this cutting-edge technology is key to our program,” says CREATE Department Head, Jamie Leduc. “It gives our students an edge when entering the workforce or continuing their education.”

70 per cent of CREATE graduates go on to pursue degrees in digital media or work with some of the largest media houses in North America. Apple technology empowers students at Sisler High School to develop the core competencies they need to thrive in today’s competitive job market.

Berwyn South School District 100, United States

Deeper engagement.
Higher achievement. With iPad.

In a suburban city outside Chicago, Illinois, is Berwyn South School District 100, with six primary schools, two junior high schools and over 300 teachers serving more than 3,100 students. Despite the fact that it’s a lower funded school district, leadership has always strived to ensure their students have equal access to the best tools. Over a decade ago, they set out to bring technology in with a 1:1 Mac pilot program in a single classroom. Today, the district is 1:1 or higher for every student and educator.

Principal Mary Havis believes the most critical thing is to ensure students are learning, and to do that you have to make sure students are engaged. That requires tools which encourage collaboration and inspire creativity. With iPad, teachers enjoy more flexibility in how they present their lessons, and students have more versatility to express their learning in their own way.

The district offers a dual language program, providing students the opportunity to keep their first language as they study English. With the ability to switch keyboard and region across the system, iPad makes it easy for students to type, draw or dictate in whatever language they choose. And teachers love being able to toggle back and forth just as easily. Leticia Valadez, Principal at Komensky Elementary says, “I think that the iPad breaks down barriers. It levels the playing field for all students and allows them to reach their fullest potential.”

Principal Havis believes in the power of ongoing professional learning and coaching. She wants to create an environment where everyone is a learner and where everyone continues to grow. Berwyn utilises all of Apple’s Professional Learning offerings — including helpful resources, an online community, in-person coaching and more. The district is also a strong proponent of the Apple Learning Coach program, creating technical expertise at the district- and school-wide level, so help is always nearby for teachers when challenges arise.

All of this is making a real impact. Komensky Elementary received an ‘Exemplary’ designation by the state of Illinois in 2022, meaning it performed in the top 10 per cent statewide, with no underperforming student groups. With all eight schools in the district designated as Apple Distinguished Schools, there’s no stopping Berwyn.

Greenside Primary School, United Kingdom

How iPad brings farm-to-table
to the inner city.

Greenside Primary School is a state-run school serving an economically and culturally diverse community in London, with many of its 200+ students speaking English as a second language. Greenside is committed to providing equitable access to learning, so every student aged 4–11 and every teacher receives an iPad.

The school's leaders and teachers are also committed to educating city kids about their impact on the natural world around them, including ways to reduce waste, make sustainable choices and eat healthier. Deputy Head [Deputy Principal] Georgina Webber is passionate about driving climate awareness, and has led the creation of a vibrant green space and programs to help reduce Greenside’s own carbon footprint.

Supported by an onsite micro-bakery and a patch of garden, they’ve developed a sustainability program that runs alongside their STEAM curriculum. On the small school grounds, students learn to grow their own food in a farm-to-table experience — and demonstrate their learning in new ways on iPad.

In the kitchen, students use Notes to follow recipes, iMovie to create how-to videos and Keynote to make nutrition labels. In the garden, to gain understanding of how to grow nutritionally rich produce, students test soil samples and record findings in Numbers. They even FaceTime with farmers across the UK to learn how they grow food in a sustainable way at scale.

iPad and native apps have changed how students learn and express themselves in ways that work best for them. And teachers are inspired to get creative with the Apple Education Community, thanks to meaningful resources for lesson planning that help engage students and save time.

Executive Headteacher [Executive Principal] Karen Bastick-Styles says, “iPad is so versatile, it allows students to approach learning creatively and to develop their own understanding of sustainability, however that message is being taught.”

At Greenside Primary School, the biggest lesson they’ve learned is that the size of the school shouldn’t limit big ideas.

Mallya Aditi International School, India

Powerful tools spark more engaging ways to teach and learn.

When teachers are empowered, they can make anything happen. At Mallya Aditi International School, a private 1–12 school, a group of passionate teachers imagined a world where every student had access to a powerful set of tools, and every teacher could create their own rich and engaging curriculum.

In 2012, they started small, with an iPad for every teacher. The reception was so positive that by 2014, the school leadership invested in and deployed an iPad for every student and teacher across the entire primary and junior-high schools. Thanks to creative tools such as the built-in camera and microphone on iPad, and powerhouse apps like iMovie, Clips and GarageBand, teachers can facilitate learning in a way that works best for them — and their students.

In one biology lesson, students create animated GIFs in Keynote, bringing the system of interdependent food chains to life and deepening their understanding of the subject matter — all while learning valuable creative skills. And with Apple TV in every classroom, students easily share their creations and learnings with the class.

Prior to iPad, teachers shared lesson plans, notes and assignments on an ad-hoc basis via USB drives or email. Now they’re actively collaborating in free Apple apps like Pages, Keynote and Numbers. And Apple’s Professional Learning resources — including on-demand tutorials in the Learning Centre — are a go-to for all their teachers to find creative ideas.

From professional learning offerings that inspire creative lesson plans, to tools that help students express their learning, iPad is supporting Mallya Aditi’s vision of creating the ideal environment for teaching and learning.

Scottish Borders, Scotland

A rural community introduced iPad, and opportunities, to 68 schools.

The Scottish Borders Council decided to invest in technology for all schools across their district as a commitment to the community’s future. They wanted to give students equal access to learning and provide educators with intuitive, easy-to-use tools for teaching. They needed devices that worked as well offline as they did online, to overcome barriers caused by remote access in their rural area. And they knew that the young people in their community had to develop vital skills to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

The council considered Apple alongside every alternative. With its wide range of features and professional learning resources, iPad stood out as the best tool for teaching and learning. They created a plan called ‘Inspire Learning’ that led to financing and deployment of thousands of devices across the more than 4,500-square-kilometre region.

“We wanted to demonstrate the value that we placed upon education,” says David Robertson, chief financial officer of the Scottish Borders Council. “We looked at the total cost of ownership: the initial cost of the devices, the residual value that we could get from them, the leasing deal with Apple Finance. To us, Apple offered the best value for the money.”

After implementing iPad and Apple Professional Learning across 68 primary and secondary schools, educators saw an enormous change in their classrooms. With iPad, educators were creating more interactive lessons than ever before. Its mobility allowed for immersive learning experiences from anywhere, including at home throughout the pandemic. And its versatility supported the entire curriculum — from horticulture lessons where students use Clips to make movies about native plants, to English lessons where they use Keynote to bring stories about Macbeth to life.

D’Incao Instituto de Ensino, Brazil

This school drives real impact with Apple technology in and out of the classroom.

Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, United States

An entire school district is coding a path to equal access. And to the workforce.

Montgomery County Public Schools have over 161,000 students, and many of them come from underserved and underrepresented communities. This makes preparing everyone to succeed all the more important. When the school district’s superintendent, Dr Monifa B. McKnight, realised that opportunities for students could expand if they learned to code, she implemented new programs using Apple products and the Apple programming language Swift.

As part of the programs, Dr McKnight works closely with local economic experts and state officials to figure out where job opportunities in her county are growing. With biotechnology and cybersecurity expanding, she makes sure that the students in her schools have the skills they need to work in those industries — including app design, software development, and an understanding of the latest tools and platforms.

One of the district’s most successful initiatives is Montgomery Can Code, a summer program that was launched in 2019. It’s based on Apple’s Everyone Can Code guides, which help students of all ages learn about software engineering. The program gives students in years 6, 7 and 8 the opportunity to use iPad to design apps in Keynote and prototype them in Swift. Montgomery Can Code also helps connect students with internships and job opportunities at local businesses, and more than 3,000 students have participated. It even inspired the ignITe Hub at Montgomery College, a collaborative space for the larger community to learn coding and entrepreneurial skills.

“Montgomery County was the right place for a coding initiative with Apple. Every child has a gift or strength they’re not aware of, and it’s up to us to help them find what that is. Regardless of socioeconomic status. Regardless of anything someone may see as an obstacle. This program gives students the power to solve problems that exist in their communities with the best tools possible. There’s power in that,” says Dr. McKnight.

Panyapiwat Institute of Management Demonstration School, Thailand

Apple Professional Learning resources are energising lessons and supporting learners.

Madrasah Alsagoff Al‑Arabiah, Singapore

iPad helps an all-girls Islamic school turn students into leaders.

At Madrasah Alsagoff Al‑Arabiah, one of the oldest Islamic schools in Singapore, principal Syed Mustafa blends modern technologies and traditional values to create a path for students to become vocal leaders. He encourages a culture of creativity, compassion and collaboration — and believes technology is an avenue for developing and sharing critical thinking skills. So for the last 10 years, he’s equipped every student with an iPad, every school leader with a Mac and every classroom with an Apple TV.

“Students should be given the opportunity to be creative,” says Mustafa. “They need to be critical in their thinking and brave enough to share it. Apple technology helps because sometimes when you ask students to voice their opinion, they may not feel capable of doing it. But with these tools, even the quietest students can be heard.”

Students use iPad and Apple Pencil to write in Arabic about Islamic values, culture and experiences, and share their reflections in digital storybooks. Every student also learns and practises public speaking by telling their personal stories in Keynote and sharing them with classmates via Apple TV. And they regularly use iPad for activities involving design, including a recent competition to create new school uniforms.

In their final year at Madrasah Alsagoff Al‑Arabiah, students participate in a global leadership program that has a real impact on a community of their choice. One group of students proposed building a library at a school in Kampong Cham, Cambodia. A presentation in Keynote clearly articulated their plan, which included a budget to kick off fundraising efforts and make it a reality. Today, the library serves over 180 students.

Learning
without limits.

St Andrew’s Anglican College, Australia

Nowra Public School, Australia

The Gardens School, New Zealand

Istituto Comprensivo Statale G. Ungaretti, Italy

Lewis Elementary School, United States

École Secondaire Sisler High School’s CREATE program, Canada

Berwyn South School District 100, United States

Greenside Primary School, United Kingdom

Mallya Aditi International School, India

Scottish Borders, Scotland

D’Incao Instituto de Ensino, Brazil

Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, United States

Panyapiwat Institute of Management Demonstration School, Thailand

Madrasah Alsagoff Al‑Arabiah, Singapore

How to Buy

Buy from Apple

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How to Buy

Buy from Apple

Buy online

Shop for your institution.

Learning without limits.

St Andrew’s Anglican College, Australia

St Andrew’s Anglican College, Australia

Nowra Public School, Australia

Nowra Public School, Australia

The Gardens School, New Zealand

The Gardens School, New Zealand

Istituto Comprensivo Statale G. Ungaretti, Italy

Istituto Comprensivo Statale G. Ungaretti, Italy

Lewis Elementary School, United States

Lewis Elementary School, United States

École Secondaire Sisler High School’s CREATE program, Canada

École Secondaire Sisler High School’s CREATE program, Canada

Berwyn South School District 100, United States

Berwyn South School District 100, United States

Greenside Primary School, United Kingdom

Greenside Primary School, United Kingdom

Mallya Aditi International School, India

Mallya Aditi International School, India

Scottish Borders, Scotland

Scottish Borders, Scotland

D’Incao Instituto de Ensino, Brazil

D’Incao Instituto de Ensino, Brazil

Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, United States

Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, United States

Panyapiwat Institute of Management Demonstration School, Thailand

Panyapiwat Institute of Management Demonstration School, Thailand

Madrasah Alsagoff Al‑Arabiah, Singapore

Madrasah Alsagoff Al‑Arabiah, Singapore

How to Buy

Buy from Apple

Buy online

Shop for your institution.

Get updates from Apple Education.

Learning
without limits.