Nearpod Chosen by Norwalk Public Schools to Support Teachers in Delivering Engaging and Immersive Lessons

Nearpod, the most comprehensive Student Engagement Platform for K-12 teachers, today announces its partnership with Norwalk Public Schools to expand educational content and new technology to create more engaging, immersive and lasting educational experiences.

Norwalk Public Schools, a district of 900 teachers and more than 11,700 students, sought a new teaching resource to deliver engaging content through a collaborative interface. Norwalk was also looking for a solution that would grow with their teachers’ ability to integrate technology into the classroom.

The district learned of Nearpod through nearby schools and most importantly, its own teachers, who spread usage through word-of-mouth. For example, a Norwalk High School Latin language teacher used Nearpod’s virtual field trip technology to explore Roman roads, allowing students to immerse themselves in the culture and make connections between past and present. 

“Nearpod offers an extremely easy way to use technology in new and innovative ways to increase engagement as well as hold students accountable for their own learning,” commented NPS Chief of Digital Learning and Development, Ralph Valenzisi. “We believe there is great educational power in Nearpod and its ability to create natural interaction and excitement between students, teachers, and the curriculum. Our teachers have been able to create more engaging, authentic and immersive lessons for their students that are deepening the learning in our classrooms.”

The district plans to use the technology as one of the methods to deliver Digital Citizenship instruction. Nearpod will also serve as a virtual reality resource for Norwalk’s World Language students and an instructional tool for its Library Media Specialists and Digital Support Staff at each school. Furthermore, Norwalk teachers are looking forward to utilizing features such as quick formative assessments and ongoing progress monitoring, available districtwide in its one-to-one technology environment.

Nearpod provides over 7,000 standards-aligned resources for a wide range of K-12 topics that feature a variety of interactive, engagement-boosting tools, like virtual reality, 3D models and live quizzes, among others. With Time to Climb, teachers can now also gamify any lesson and test comprehension through friendly classroom competition as students answer questions in a race to the top. Nearpod also supports all web-enabled devices, from tablets and phones to Chromebooks and desktops, to ensure that any teacher can deliver high-quality lessons and engaging content. 

To try Nearpod in your own school, visit nearpod.com. 

About Norwalk Public Schools
Norwalk Public Schools (NPS)  is the number one city school district in the state, as measured by the 2018-19 Connecticut Next Generation Accountability Report. NPS has a Strategic Operating Plan that is focused on raising the bar for all students and closing achievement gaps. To achieve the plan’s goals, 10 measurable priority outcomes are set each year, as well as 25+ priority implementation steps. Results and accomplishments are publicly reviewed each year. A data dashboard has been designed to track student outcomes in relation to the Strategic Plan’s goals. Under the Strategic Plan, NPS has worked together with teachers, administrators, families and the community to enhance curriculum and expand programs, add support for students who need it the most, and make structural change. 

About Nearpod
Nearpod, recently named EdTech Digest’s Company of the Year, is the most comprehensive Student Engagement Platform for K-12 teachers. Nearpod works with any classroom technology from tablets and smartphones to laptops and Chromebooks to help engage students with activities such as Virtual Reality, PhET and Desmos, and with more than 7,000 ready-to-run lessons created in partnership with leading brands like Common Sense Education and the Pulitzer Center. Nearpod recently acquired Flocabulary, a learning platform that helps students thrive by bringing the K-12 curriculum to life through hip-hop. Beyond classroom instruction, the company revitalizes teacher development through Teacher Professional Learning content that cultivates classroom-changing strategies for educators. To learn more, visit: nearpod.com.

Media Contact
Rachael Chappa
Norwalk Public Schools
chappar@norwalkps.org
203-854-4082 office

Contact Information

Rachel Stoczko

Media Contact

VSC for Nearpod

nearpod@vsc.co