Planning for the Future:
PE TE RS TOWN SH I P S C HOO L D IS TRI C T NE WS
eters Township
NEW TECHNOLOGY AT
MCMURRAY ELEMENTARY
W
e love it when a plan comes together. And when the
construction plan at McMurray Elementary School
involved opening up the ceilings for heating and air conditioning
improvements, the District’s Technology Department jumped
at the chance to add some much needed improvements to the
school’s technology infrastructure as well.
“Our goal was to improve the wireless capabilities of the
classrooms and then maximize that potential with the addition of
new technology throughout the school,” said Adam Swinchock,
Director of Educational & Informational Technology. “The updated
wireless infrastructure designed for coverage, density, and speed
laid a solid foundation for our efforts for years to come.”
The second part of this new technology came in the form of
70-inch Sharp AQUOS BOARD interactive display systems th at
were integrated into 46 classrooms in the school. Each system
includes the display board, sound bar, dedicated computer, DVD
player, document camera, portable stand, and wireless mirroring
software.
“Despite having smartboards and projectors scattered
throughout the district, these technologies didn’t effectively
support collaborative learning,” adds Swinchock. Another
important element for Swinchock was leveling the playing field
and being able to provide the technology to every classroom
instead of a small roll-out with just a limited sample.
96 Peters Township
What makes these boards unique is their flexibility in the
classroom. As mobile units with their own computer attached,
they are no longer tied to the teacher’s laptop or to one area of
the classroom. The digital display also improves visibility over the
projectors, removing the need to dim the lights for maximum use.
Based on the lesson or activity, the Board can be reconfigured
within the classroom, or even moved to another classroom, with
minimal effort.
“We all work very hard to make our lessons interactive, because
those are the ones that have lasting meaning for the students,” said
Paige Seelhorst, a 6th grade teacher at McMurray. “The AQUOS
Board is a wonderful tool that facilitates these goals. With it, the
students can collaborate as a class and retain their work for future
reference.”
Work done on the boards can be saved and made available for
students who are absent or for later review work. With each board
having a dedicated computer attached, the capabilities have
impressed the teaching staff.
“The board is an incredible asset as I can change, with ease,
from showing writing examples, to reading Scholastic articles, to
showing Brainpop videos all with a swipe of my hand,” says 4th
grade teacher Erin Kennedy. “It allows me to multi-task with much
greater efficiency in the classroom.”
As the school year began, representatives from SHARP held
several sessions with staff to share the capabilities of the new
Boards and from there the creativity took over.
The boards also integrate with the building’s iPad carts that can
be used by teachers throughout the school. Teachers can share
an individual student’s work on the main board with the click of a
button.
“The improved technology has helped our staff take many of
our lessons to the next level,” said Principal Blair Stoehr. “We are
seeing the benefits in all grades and with students at all ability
levels.”
“If a student is absent, or needs extra help in an area, I am able
to pull up specific lessons for a few students to work on while I
continue on with the rest of the class,” adds Kennedy. “That’s a
function we did not have with the Smart Boards.”
The District is currently exploring an expansion of the AQUOS
Board initiative into the kindergarten and first grade classrooms
next year with plans to expand to all K-6th grade classrooms in
the coming years.