Classrooms get a “SMART” upgrade thanks to book fair profits
Pictured above: Mrs. Phelan’s fifth grade class works on a writing lesson with one of the two SMARTboards purchased last year. The five new SMARTboards will beinstalled later this fall. The installation process will be completed with funds provided by the Buffalo Ridge Education Alliance, the school’s parent-teacher organization.
Submitted by Buffalo Ridge Elementary
Thanks to more than $10,000 in Scholastic Book Fair profits, Buffalo Ridge Elementary School (BRE) will soon have five new SMARTboards installed in classrooms.
The SMARTboards were purchased through a partnership with Scholastic and the company’s school book fairs fundraisers. When a school hosts a book fair fundraiser through Scholastic, the school has the choice to either take 25 percent of the sales in cash, or the school can choose to take 50 percent of the sales in what is called book profit that can in turn be used to purchase items from Scholastic.
BRE decided to take book profit following the 2009-2010 fall book fair. The school already has two SMARTboards that were purchased with part of a grant from the Morgridge Family Foundation last year. With the addition of the new boards, seven classrooms at BRE will be equipped with the high tech learning devices.
“Putting on a book fair is labor intensive. You essentially set up and run a book store in roughly a two-week time frame. It’s wonderful to see the fruits of our labor with the purchase of these SMARTboards,” said Carin Kirkegaard, former book fair chairperson. “Many thanks for the countless hours of volunteer time from all the parents, teachers and students who helped to raise this money,” Kirkegaard continued.
SMARTboards are interactive whiteboards that are used with a computer and a large video display. The surface becomes touch sensitive and controls the computer with the touch. The device allows teachers to physically manipulate information as they teach and involves students physically in the learning process.
The 2010-2011 Fall Scholastic Book Fair begins October 1 at BRE. Hours for the fair are:
Friday, October 1- 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Teacher/ Student Preview
Saturday, October 2 – 8 a.m. to noon – Waffle Breakfast
Monday, October 4 – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 5 – 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Conference Night
Wednesday, October 6 – 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 7 – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
