News release from Tucker School
Tucker Elementary School has become the first public elementary school in Milton to install SMART Boards in every classroom.
This accomplishment makes Tucker first in the district-wide push to make the interactive whiteboard technology available to all elementary students. According to Tucker principal Marcia Uretsky, the technology is a boon for teachers of today’s technologically-savvy learners.
“Children today have grown up in a visual society,” said Uretsky. “SMART Boards tap into their style of learning by helping to make complex concepts and concrete information immediately accessible.”
SMART Boards make sophisticated instruction with technology and internet accessible for teachers and students.
“Students can view videos of current events, history, science, and math,” said Uretsky. “Math and science concepts can be explained through manipulative visuals, and samples of student work can instantly be projected for editing and revision techniques.”
Tucker teachers have received initial training on using the SMART Boards, and additional training is being made available for more complex tasks. Teachers are also collaborating internally to share programs and techniques, according to Uretsky.
“Motivation is high so the learning curve is small,” Uretsky said.
During this past summer, the Milton Public Schools paid for and completed the installation of SMART Boards in five classrooms, including the Library and the Art/Music Room. The boards for the remaining seven rooms were paid for by contributions from the Milton Foundation for Education and the Tucker PTO.
“Some years back, when the Tucker School held its annual Fair, a significant fundraising surplus was set aside to be used in the future to support a then-undetermined capital improvement to benefit current and future Tucker students,” said Tucker PTO co-president Rachel Schewe. “After a great deal of consideration and the input of former board members, the board decided that the time was right to spend this money.”
The installations were complete as of November 4, and children in all Tucker classrooms are learning with technology, thanks to the support of a few key entities.
“We are grateful to the school district, The Milton Foundation for Education and the Tucker PTO for their support in completing the project,” said Uretsky.