Lorain City Opens First of Twenty High-Tech Schools
Oct 26, 2004 3:40 PM
SMART Technologies Inc. (www.smarttech.com) announces the
installation of SMART Board interactive whiteboards in every classroom
at Frank Jacinto Elementary School in Lorain, Ohio. This is the first school
completed in the district’s $216 million project to open 20 new or renovated
schools. As part of the project, every classroom in each of the 20 schools
will have a SMART Board interactive whiteboard. Scheduled for completion in
2009, the initiative is one of the largest school renovation projects in the
state.
The school district is working with SMART reseller SMART Ed Services, a
division of Cleveland Corporate Services, to achieve its vision of equipping
each classroom and computer lab with leading-edge technology products that
improve student learning and make lesson planning and delivery easier for
teachers. To assist with the purchases, the school district will receive
funding through the U.S. Department of Education’s QZAB Federal Grant
Program and grants from the SMARTer Kids Foundation
(www.smarterkids.org).
The district has complemented the SMART Board interactive whiteboards with
other technology products such as projectors, computers, DVD players and
sound systems. The combination creates a multimedia environment where
teachers can access websites in front of the entire class, show students’
work, play movies, write class notes in digital ink and post files to the
Internet. Everything is accessed and controlled from the SMART Board
interactive whiteboard, so the teacher doesn’t have to take her attention
away from the class to change materials or subjects.
“Today’s youth relate to technology, and the SMART Board interactive
whiteboards will ensure that Frank Jacinto Elementary is the most
technologically-advanced school in Lorain City,” says Dan DeNicola, director
of facilities for Lorain City Schools. “These classrooms create an
environment where teachers are excited to teach and students are excited to
learn.”
“The opening of Frank Jacinto Elementary signals a significant investment in
education technology for the students of Lorain,” says Nancy Knowlton,
SMART’s president and co-CEO. “The SMART Board interactive whiteboards will
help teachers improve student outcomes and equip this generation with the
technology skills needed to succeed in their careers.”
Dedication Ceremony
Frank Jacinto Elementary School will hold a dedication ceremony on October
31, 2004, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Maria Hernandez Ferrier, deputy under
secretary of education and Lynn Readey, director of the Ohio School
Facilities Commission will be speaking. School representatives will give
classroom tours to view construction and technology advancements.
About SMART Board interactive whiteboards
The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is the world’s leading interactive
whiteboard. Simply by touching the large display, users can access and
control any computer application or multimedia platform, including the
Internet, CD-ROMs and DVDs. With SMART Board software, users can 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
different locations. Feature-rich software and intuitive functionality make
the SMART Board interactive whiteboard the number one choice of educators,
presenters and trainers in more than 75 countries. For more information,
visit www.smarttech.com/smartboard.
About Lorain City Schools
Lorain City Schools empowers its students to be successful, productive and
valuable members of society. As the tenth largest school district in Ohio,
Lorain schools serve approximately 10,000 students and are home to a diverse
and unique population. Scheduled for completion in 2009, the district’s $216
million facilities construction project will provide 13 new and seven
renovated buildings. The initiative is one of the largest school renovation
projects in the state and will provide a completely new face for Lorain City
Schools.
About SMART Ed Services
SMART Ed Services*, a division of Cleveland Corporate Services, is a premier
provider of audio/visual presentation technology. Established in 1989, SMART
Ed Services provides learning environments in seven states with integrative
technology including: SMART Board interactive whiteboards; multimedia
production services including training and sales videos, presentation
graphics, digital signage and commercial broadcast pieces; SecureLink, which
integrates video, voice and data for IP-based security systems; and
Design/Build Integrators, creating user-friendly meeting rooms, training
rooms and classrooms that integrate presentation technology with Creston
remote touch-panel control systems. For more information, visit
www.clevelandcorporate.com.
*SMART Ed Services is a service wholly owned and operated by Cleveland
Corporate Services and is neither an affiliate nor an associate of SMART
Technologies Inc.
About SMART
SMART Technologies Inc. is both the industry pioneer and global market
leader in easy-to-use interactive whiteboards and other group collaboration
tools. SMART products include the family of award-winning SMART Board
interactive whiteboards, as well as interactive pen displays, multimedia
cabinets and software. Using SMART products, groups can access and share the
information they need to meet, teach, train and present. SMART has been
issued and maintains a broad portfolio of patents with numerous U.S.,
Canadian and other foreign patents pending. SMART’s education customers
include Northern Kentucky University, Tennessee’s Rhea County Department of
Education, the Vermont Institute for Science, Math & Technology, Indiana’s
Carmel Junior High School, Virginia’s Chesterfield County Public Schools and
Harvard University.
SMART is a private company founded in 1987. Employing more than 500 people,
SMART is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with assembly facilities
in Ottawa and Calgary, and offices in Bonn, Tokyo, New York City and
Washington, D.C. In 1992 SMART formed a strategic alliance with Intel
Corporation that resulted in joint product development and marketing
efforts, and Intel’s equity ownership in SMART. SMART products are sold
through dealers across North America and distributors worldwide. For more
information, visit www.smarttech.com.
