Bobtown Elementary School receives technology grant
The Community Foundation of Greene County (CFGC), in partnership with CONSOL Energy, Inc., recently presented a grant to Bobtown Elementary School to purchase an Interactive Response System (IRS) to be used with their classroom Smartboard.
The IRS is a hand-held remote response device that students will use to respond to questions during a lesson.
The grant was made possible by a contribution from CONSOL Energy, Inc. to CFGC’s Educational Innovative Curriculum Fund.
“We are proud to support the EITC Innovative Curriculum Fund at the Community Foundation because we know that students will benefit from the use of these new technological advances in the classroom,” said Laural Ziemba, Community Relations Director for CONSOL Energy.
According to Scott Sinn, principal of Bobtown Elementary, the Interactive Response System will be used with students in the fourth and fifth grades, as well as the afterschool tutoring program.
“The IRS allows students to be constantly engaged during classroom instruction using an interactive remote. It is easy to hold and operate even for students who struggle with fine motor skills,” Sinn said. “The IRS will also enable teachers to deliver lesson content in an exciting way as opposed to traditional methods.”
Mrs. Michele Morgan, a fifth grade teacher at the school, is looking forward to using the system with her students.
“Students can answer questions, receive instant feedback, and stay engaged in daily lessons,” Morgan said. “As a teacher, I can use the information to know when the students need additional review on a particular lesson or concept.”
The Educational Curriculum Improvement Fund at CFGC was established by contributions from businesses participating in the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC). The grant was made possible by contributions to the fund from CONSOL Energy Inc.
The EITC Educational Curriculum Improvement Fund supports innovative educational projects that enhance the curriculum or academic program of a public school.
Established through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, businesses may receive Pennsylvania tax credits for their contributions – 90 percent tax credit if the business makes a two-year gift, or a 75 percent tax credit for a single year gift, up to a maximum of $300,000 in credits per taxable year, for the Educational Innovative Curriculum Improvement program.
For more information about grants from CFGC or the EITC program, contact the CFGC office at 724-627-2010, by email at cfgc@gmail.com, or visit the website www.cfgc.org.