SMART Wins Wichita Public Schools' Product Shootout for Interactive Whiteboards
District standardizes on SMART Board interactive whiteboards
Calgary, AB – June 21, 2004 – SMART Technologies Inc. announces that Wichita Public Schools, Wichita, Kansas, has standardized on SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards for its 92 schools. The district recommends the SMART Board interactive whiteboard for its nearly 50,000 students and will provide technical support and training for schools that purchase them. SMART's reseller, Kent Audio Visual, will supply and support the district, and an installation of 56 SMART Board interactive whiteboards will be complete by the start of the new school year. The school district undertook a rigorous evaluation process that included among other things, back-to-back, one-hour presentations by local resellers of five interactive whiteboard manufacturers.
Wichita Public Schools recommended an interactive whiteboard standard to help streamline its technical resources and support and maximize its purchasing power. The district assembled a committee of eight teachers, administrators, purchasers and IT coordinators to outline selection criteria, rate each presentation and make recommendations to the district’s hardware standards committee. Classrooms in every U.S. state and most of the nation’s top 500 school districts are using SMART products to provide interactive learning opportunities and enhance student achievement.
"After review and comparison, we chose the SMART Board interactive whiteboard as one of our standards because of its ease of use and accompanying wealth of educational resources," says Brad Niessen, instructional technology specialist, Wichita Public Schools. "Now that the new standards are in place, we anticipate a busy summer of SMART Board interactive whiteboard installations and training. We look forward to having these engaging instructional tools in place for the new school year."
"SMART Board interactive whiteboards are proven to increase student engagement and motivation at all grade levels, which is important for districts with a diverse range of schools and programs," says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s president and co-CEO. "By choosing the SMART Board interactive whiteboard as a district-wide standard, Wichita Public Schools will ably support a variety of learning styles in K–12, special education or technical college classes."
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 Wichita Public Schools
Wichita Public Schools, USD 259, is the largest school district in the State of Kansas. There are close to 50,000 full-time students and 7,000 full-time and part-time employees. The district has more than 100 buildings and support facilities and includes K–12 schools, special programs and special schools and a technical college. In addition to traditional neighborhood schools, the district’s magnet schools provide specific focuses, including science, technology, international studies, back-to-the-basics, foreign language and health. The district also hosts the acclaimed International Baccalaureate program. Wichita Public Schools brings a caring approach to the individual communities it serves, and parents and staff work together to create a learning environment that is safe, caring and challenging for each student. For more information, visit www.usd259.com.
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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.