Pineville Elementary School was designated as an Apple Distinguished School from September 2026 to December 2029. Principal Earl “Bobby” French and his staff received recognition for their innovation in using Apple technology to enhance teaching and learning.
The Apple Cohort in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is a three-year initiative aimed at integrating technology in early grades, with ongoing support from CMS Educational Technology and Apple. The program focuses on using the iPad to improve student engagement and personalized learning.
Press Release: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Published November 2, 2026. Reproduced in full from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Pineville Elementary earns Apple distinction
Pineville Elementary School was recently designated as an Apple Distinguished School from September 2026 to December 2029. Principal Earl “Bobby” French and his staff were recognized for continuous innovation in using Apple technology to inspire, imagine and impact teaching and learning.
The Apple Cohort in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is a three-year initiative designed to help schools model strong, purposeful technology integration in the early grades while working toward Apple Distinguished School recognition. Participating schools receive ongoing professional learning and support from both CMS Educational Technology and Apple, with a focus on using the iPad to strengthen student engagement, creativity, accessibility, collaboration and personalized learning.
The goal of the cohort is to identify and share practices that can benefit schools across the district while ensuring technology remains intentionally connected to teaching, learning and student outcomes.
“Pineville Elementary’s vision is centered on building a collaborative culture focused on innovation to meet the needs of each student,” French said. “The process of becoming an Apple Distinguished School gave our teachers and staff the opportunity to work together, explore new ideas and meet individual student needs. Our teachers have found ways to build instructional practices that ensure technology is used to support their teaching and enhance the already strong practices in our school. The award helps to celebrate their hard work and innovative practices.”
Rebecca Lehtinen, executive director of Education Technology, said an important part of the Apple Cohort work is that they don’t view effective technology integration as simply increasing the amount of time students spend on a device.
“Our focus is on the quality and purpose of the learning experience,” Lehtinen said. “Technology should be used when it adds value to instruction and helps students create, communicate, collaborate, problem solve or access learning in ways that may not otherwise be possible.”
Because much of the cohort work focuses on K-2 students, developmental appropriateness is especially important. Teachers use their professional judgment to balance digital and nondigital learning experiences, including hands-on learning, discussion, movement, play, writing and collaboration with peers. The iPad is one instructional tool within that larger learning environment, not the learning experience itself.
The cohort also invests heavily in educator development. Participating teachers receive professional learning throughout the year, schools engage in non-evaluative “Apple Walks” to share strong instructional practices and identify additional support needs, and teachers contribute examples of meaningful student learning as schools build toward Apple Distinguished School recognition.
