Educational Technology

The RCDS Technology Committee oversees a K-12 program that addresses themes of using and sharing intellectual property, digital footprint and reputation, cyberbullying and digital drama, and gender stereotypes and social media. These topics are discussed across the School in division-appropriate ways.

The Technology Committee at RCDS, chaired by Director of Academic Technology Daren Khairule and IT Director Andrew Gillies is responsible for ensuring that students receive the cross-curricular benefits of exploring technology.

After examining the School’s mission along with exemplary models from peer schools, the Committee elected to adopt the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards, seven interconnected bands of technology goals that circumscribe the student experience. The ISTE developed the standards as a “framework for students, educators, administrators, coaches, and computer science educators to rethink education and create innovative learning environments.” The framework helps RCDS ensure that the School’s community and its classrooms are best equipped for digital-age learning and citizenship. Importantly, the standards’ focus on community, collaboration, and communication also supports strategic initiatives at Rye Country Day including Character/Leadership/Ethics, Diversity and Inclusion, Global Studies, Public Purpose, and STEAM.

The Technology Committee has also implemented the TIE (Technology Impact and Efficacy) assessment. This assessment, which is aligned with the ISTE standards, uses faculty, student, and administrative feedback to assess the technology integration and backend services at the School. The results will be used to inform the Committee’s future initiatives.

To date, the work of the Technology Committee has resulted in the Middle and Upper School computer science requirements, which are in addition to the already required tech courses in Pre-K through Grade 6. In the Lower School, the Committee has provided guidelines on the integration of technology into classrooms and coursework as well as counsel on pertinent topics such as recommendations for screen time and social media use.

Across the School and with the help of the Technology Committee, initiatives to ensure technology literacy, enhance instruction, and bolster teacher training are continually underway. The Committee has implemented training for faculty and staff, alternate assessment and project-based learning training for teachers, and community-wide digital citizenship programs.

Supporting Rye Country Day’s commitment to responsible digital citizenship, the Committee has introduced a K-12 program that addresses themes of using and sharing intellectual property, digital footprint and reputation, cyberbullying and digital drama, and gender stereotypes and social media.

After eight months of negotiations, RCDS is proud to become the first independent school to pilot OpenAI’s new education platform, launched in Spring 2026. Through this partnership, every RCDS employee will receive free access to GPT-5.2, training models, and advanced features. This opportunity is not available to other independent schools until next year.

Starting in seventh grade, each RCDS student has their own laptop. Prior to seventh grade, students have ready access to computers with faculty guidance in order to prepare for the responsibility of having their own laptop.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LAPTOP PROGRAM