First, it was Briarcliff Middle School.
Then, Todd Elementary School.
Now, Briarcliff High School has joined the ranks, earning the prestigious Apple Distinguished School designation and completing a district-wide trifecta of innovation and excellence.
Becoming an Apple Distinguished School is a rigorous process that reflects a shared commitment to creativity, collaboration and continuous learning. Schools must demonstrate innovative use of Apple technology, a strong vision for teaching and learning, and a culture that empowers both students and educators to think differently.
“This recognition is truly a testament to our faculty’s commitment to purposeful innovation,” said Principal Diana Blank. “Our teachers have embraced professional learning with our instructional coach and math teacher, Dr. Tracy Campanile, and our Apple Professional Learning Specialist, Jim Harmon. More faculty than ever have earned their Apple Teacher certification, sparking creativity across every department, and that has sparked new ideas across every department.”
The application process began with a nomination from Apple’s local leadership team. From there, Dr. Campanile, Ms. Blank and Assistant Principal Danny Goldberg collaborated with teachers to create a three-minute video that would tell the Briarcliff story.
“We filmed interviews with teachers Shaniece Mosley, Ted Sandomenico, Jamie Mandel and Annmarie O’Brien on an iPad and then edited the entire piece using iMovie,” said Dr. Campanile. “Condensing such a rich story into three minutes was challenging, but it gave us the chance to capture the heart of who we are as a learning community.”
The heart, she explained, is rooted in creativity and courage.
The culture here encourages teachers to explore, experiment and take risks,” she said. “That spirit extends into our classrooms, where students are not just using technology; they’re creating with it. They’re designing, collaborating and solving real-world problems. It is inspiring to watch their ideas come alive.”
The video showcased how Briarcliff students “Inspire, Imagine and Impact,” from live broadcasts and podcasts to science research and engineering design.
“The process allowed us to reflect on what makes Briarcliff so special,” Ms. Blank said. “Every day, our students use Apple technology to think critically, tell stories and bring their ideas to life.”
Technology plays a vital role across disciplines.
“In the Science Research program, access to a MacBook is essential,” said Science Research teacher Annmarie O’Brien. “It empowers students to explore extensive academic databases for scholarly articles related to their research topics, facilitates virtual meetings with mentors, and supports data analysis and documentation. Additionally, it enables students to craft compelling presentations that effectively communicate their findings to the broader community.”
“In Kristin Becerra’s A.P. U.S. History class, technology enhances creativity in unexpected ways. At the start of the year, students used iMovie to create commercials.
“They had to pretend they were emigrating from Europe to the colonies,” she said. “Each year we also make a children’s book about events from the 21st century that we learned about in class and make it appropriate for young children. We use Pages and Keynote, which allow students to publish their books and insert audio so they can be read aloud.
“The Apple technology is brilliant and prepares students for the real world,” she said. “Last year, for my Racism, Classism and Sexism course, students participated in a multi-layered project creating podcasts. They used GarageBand to create a catchy intro and some used iMovie. Public speaking and being able to articulate and get your point across in ways other than writing is very important these days, and some of the Apple technologies are very helpful with that.”
For administrators and faculty alike, the Apple designation reflects not just technological innovation but a deeper culture of learning and leadership.
“Being named an Apple Distinguished School is a tremendous honor,” Ms. Blank said. “It reflects who we are: a community that values curiosity, creativity and critical thinking, where students and teachers alike feel seen, supported and inspired to take risks.”
Dr. Campanile agreed.
“Briarcliff is truly a special place,” she said. “This recognition celebrates not just what we do with technology, but who we are as learners.”
