Last Wednesday, the Oxford Area School District held a meeting for parents to explain the details of a plan to provide iPads for all 1,200 high school students within the next four months. On Friday, the football team improved to 5-0. And on Saturday, the Oxford Run, the Whisker Walk, and the Oxford Presbyterian Church's Apple Festival made for a great day of family-friendly activities.

As weeks go, it was a pretty good one in Oxford.

Kudos to the Oxford Area School District for moving forward with a plan to provide iPads to all students in the high school. Technology is an important tool to put in the hands of students, and if the iPads can help teachers do their jobs better then the expense associated with the initiative will be worth it. Within a few years, students may no longer have to lug around thirty pounds of books—all the hefty textbooks can be replaced by electronic textbooks.

Providing the iPads to students also means that all students will know how to use the devices for educational purposes—no students will be left behind for financial reasons.

The Octorara School District is about a month further along in the iPad initiative than Oxford, but Oxford is still further along than many schools in fully incorporating this useful technology into the classrooms.

Meanwhile, the Oxford football team is enjoying success that the program hasn't had in many years thanks to the hard work of the players and the coaching staff. With a 5-0 start, Oxford is one win away from having a winning season for the first time since 1997. A winning 2013 season would be a nice boost for the program. A large number of people followed the team to Octorara last week as the Hornets defeated the Braves in an entertaining overtime game.

Then, the next day, sunny skies and cool temperatures provided the perfect backdrop for a day filled with activities in town—the Oxford Run, the Whisker Walk, and the Apple Festival. All three are events that build a sense of community. The Apple Festival is a tradition for the Oxford Presbyterian Church that dates back 25 years. The Oxford Run is growing and attracting runners from a wider area, and the Whisker Walk gives pet-lovers the chance to exercise with their four-legged friends.

The organizers of the Oxford Run managed to plan an event that came off without a hitch, thanks in part to the Oxford Police Department, which worked overtime to keep all the participants, local residents, and motorists safe.

That all these unrelated activities took place within just a few days says something good about the Oxford community.