SMART Idea Benefits Esperanza Teachers and Students

In January, community-minded GWTK members Diana Merriam and Kathy Tyler reached out to Esperanza Academy to share in a new SMART Board training program for Boxford educators. SMART Boards are sophisticated, interactive white boards increasingly used in today's classrooms. The training program was funded by a grant from B.E.S.T. (Boxford Elementary School Trust), of which Diana and Kathy are co-presidents. The program offered teachers at Cole and Spofford Pond Schools in Boxford an opportunity to participate in unique in-classroom training programs in October and January. The training grant offered one-on-one tutorials on integrating SMART Boards and the extensive software tools that come with the technology into the day-to-day curriculum. In January, B.E.S.T. teachers from Esperanza spent a day in Boxford with the Spofford Pond teachers exploring how to use SMART Boards to enhance curriculum. "Although Esperanza has SMART Boards that were donated, they do not have the resources to train their staff," noted Diana and Kathy. "We were delighted to offer them the opportunity to join our training session and network with our teachers."