Kansas City Center School District Standardizes on SMART Board Interactive Whiteboards
More than 2,500 students will benefit from half-million dollar investment
Calgary, AB – June 14, 2004 – SMART Technologies Inc. announces that Center School District, Kansas City, Missouri, has standardized on SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards and SMART Ideas® concept-mapping software. The installation is part of the district's comprehensive plan to equip all of its schools with the technology to support its rigorous curriculum and provide hands-on use of technology to students in kindergarten to grade 12. The project encompasses seven schools and 177 classrooms. To assist with the purchase, the district received a grant from the SMARTer Kids™ Foundation.
The Center School District introduced the SMART Board interactive whiteboard to its classrooms in 2000 through the eMINTS (enhancing Missouri's Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies) program. eMINTS required all fourth grade classrooms across the district to be equipped with a specified list of technology products, including an interactive whiteboard. With the eMINTS program underway, a district-wide survey was conducted in 2003 to find out what technology teachers needed in their classrooms to improve instruction, and the SMART Board interactive whiteboard was a frequent request.
"The SMART Board interactive whiteboard has been an essential component of the district's technology implementation plan," says Bruce Rehmer, technology coordinator, Center School District. "I am impressed with SMART Board software's abundance of comprehensive applications and SMART's educational resources, because they put so many tools at teachers' fingertips. SMART's products have enhanced the entire classroom experience at Center School District."
"SMART Board interactive whiteboards help students improve learning and retention, and teachers deliver curriculum in a powerfully engaging way to the whole class," says Nancy Knowlton, SMART's president and co-CEO. "The Center School District has a progressive strategy to install teaching tools in every classroom, and this investment demonstrates their commitment to ensuring that every student succeeds."
About SMART Board interactive whiteboards
The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is the world's leading interactive whiteboard. Simply by touching the large interactive display, users can access and control any computer application or multimedia platform, including the Internet and CD-ROMs. Users can also write over applications in digital ink and then edit, save, print or post their notes to a website for future reference. SMART Board interactive whiteboards are used in classrooms, briefing rooms and boardrooms around the world, helping people to collaborate effectively whether they are in the same room or in another location. Feature-rich software and intuitive functionality make the SMART Board interactive whiteboard the number one choice of educators, presenters and trainers in more than 65 countries worldwide.
About Center School District and eMINTS program
The Center School District offers comprehensive early childhood through grade 12 studies, emphasizing an established and highly regarded academic curriculum that prepares students for the real world. Center schools offer a multicultural experience necessary for success in life, along with a true small-town experience in an urban district. With more than 2,500 students, the Center School District includes an early childhood center, four elementary schools, a middle school, a high school and an alternative high school. For more information, visit www.center.k12.mo.us.
eMINTS is administered by the Missouri Research and Education Network (MOREnet) in collaboration with Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The goal of the eMINTS program is to support Missouri educators as they integrate multimedia technology into inquiry-based, student-centered, interdisciplinary, collaborative teaching practices that result in improved student performance, increased parent involvement and enriched instructional effectiveness. For more information, visit www.emints.org.
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For more information, please contact:
Public Relations
SMART Technologies Inc.
300, 1207 - 11th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB CANADA T3C 0M5
Phone +1.403.802.3337 Fax +1.403.228.2500
pr@smarttech.com
Please note that SMART is written in all capital letters.