Newsletter text
A weekly update for families — April 13, 2026
Technology is one of those topics where there isn’t a single “right” answer. It comes down to thoughtful decisions.
As we design West Q, we’ve been thinking carefully about what those decisions should look like in the early years. In many classrooms today, technology can become a routine part of the day. Students use it because it’s available, scheduled, or expected.
That’s not the approach we’re taking.
Instead, we think about technology the same way we think about any other material in the classroom: books, blocks, paper, building tools, and art materials.
Each has a purpose.
Each has moments when it’s useful, and moments when it isn’t.
Technology is no different.
There may be times when it helps students capture something they’ve created, revisit an idea, or share their thinking in ways that would be difficult otherwise.
But there are just as many times when the most important work is happening through conversation, collaboration, or hands-on exploration. In those moments, technology would add very little.
What matters most is that these decisions are made intentionally. They are based on the learning, not the tool itself.
This means technology won’t look the same every day or in every classroom. It will shift depending on what students are working on and what supports that work best.
As West Q, our responsibility is to make those choices thoughtfully so that technology is used with purpose and never at the expense of the experiences young children need most.
Warmly,
Suzanne Sheerin
I.A. Founding Principal, West Q Elementary
