TOLEDO—Toledo Central Catholic High School has been named one of 52 Apple Distinguished Schools across the United States for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Students at Toledo Central Catholic High School each receive an Apple MacBook in their freshman year and use it in class and at home. The school has been named an Apple Distinguished School based on how it integrates technology into the curriculum. (Chronicle file photo)

Central Catholic is one of only two schools given this distinction in the state of Ohio. This is also the second year CCHS has been honored with this distinction.

Only schools that have implemented a 21st century vision of education using Apple technology may be called an Apple Distinguished School.

The selection of Central Catholic as an Apple Distinguished School highlights its successes in enhancing and extending teaching and learning with thoughtful and innovative implementations of technology. Apple Distinguished Schools are schools that have integrated Apple products and solutions and have become centers of educational excellence and leadership.  These schools also demonstrate Apple’s highest vision of a successful 21st century learning environment.

“I was especially impressed by the use of Apple’s professional level hardware and software to provide students with an industry-level media production environment,” said John Couch, Apple’s vice president of education, about Central Catholic.

Central Catholic introduced its One Connected Community laptop program in 2007 to provide every incoming freshman student with an Apple MacBook computer. The students are able to use their computers in class and at home, allowing teachers to integrate technology with their subject matter in every classroom.

From iPhones to iPods and wireless access points to file servers, Central Catholic is using virtually every Apple technology tool at its disposal to create an effective and robust learning environment.

“Central Catholic has always been a leader in the Diocese of Toledo’s learning community. It is only natural that we would embrace and integrate state-of-the-art learning tools that were developed by the world’s leader in educational and communication technologies in an effort to create the highest quality experience for our One Connected Community,” says Chris Hamady, director of technology.