School System Invests in SMART Boards

Before the upcoming school year, any SMART Boards in Ridgefield's classrooms were gifts from the Parent-Teacher Associations at individual schools.

But over the summer, the school system bought 70 of the interactive, multimedia white boards, enough to fill all classrooms in grades three through five and all science classrooms at both middle schools. Eighteen were also installed at Ridgefield High School.

"It's not a 'nice to have;' it's not supplementary; it's important," said Technology Director Josh Smith, explaining why administrators say SMART Boards should be a district and not a PTA purchase. The boards are integrated with some of the school system's curricula, such as the math program used in the elementary schools, Smith said.

The school system did not have SMART Board money in the 2009-10 budget. But officials found $85,050 for the purchase thanks to a larger than anticipated state reimbursement for special education and by freezing expenditures last winter to help concretize year-end projections, schools Business Manager Paul Hendrickson said.

This fiscal year's budget also lacks money specifically allotted to buy more boards, though equipping the entire school system with them is the ultimate goal.

There is a staff-wide professional development day on August 30, where the teachers gaining SMART Boards will be trained to integrate the technology into their instruction.