New York State Senator George D. Maziarz (R-62nd District) visited the Holley School District on Thursday, February 13 to see how a new infusion of technology is enhancing instruction in both the Elementary School and the Middle School/High School.
Last December, the district received and installed 30 SMART Boards® thanks to a $67,800 Legislative Education Grant that Maziarz secured for Holley in 2013. As a result of the grant, 92 percent of all Holley classrooms now have the new SMART Board technology and that number is expected to increase to 100 percent by end of the school year, according to a district press release.
SMART Board® technology blends internet connectivity with intuitive tools and projection capabilities. Combined, these capabilities create a powerful instructional tool that gives teachers and students a level of interactivity with information that was never possible before.
Teachers throughout the district are working together to learn how to use the technology and are maximizing the use of special SMART Board® features to significantly enhance instructional presentations.
Among the many special features of SMART Board® technology is a sophisticated mouse function which enables teachers and students to use their fingers to write and erase digital ink. Other capabilities include a gesture capability which provides a natural and flexible way to interact with content. There is also a multi-touch technology for multiple users and more.
This is the second time that Maziarz has secured grant money for Holley schools. In 2012, the district received a $50,000 grant which was used to fund staff development training.
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