TECHNOLOGY BOOST AT ROUND VALLEY ELEMENTARY
The MMCF Grant program is an amazing resource to programs throughout the Eastern Sierra that provide educational and athletic programming to our youth.
Because of your support, we are able to fund many programs throughout the year and our goal is to share their stories with you all so you can learn more about these programs and organizations.
This time the Round Valley Joint Elementary school in Bishop has been the recipient of some new, much needed, grant to fund technology throughout the school and in the classrooms.
We got a chance to chat with Superintendent / Principal Danielle Torrance about the grant that MMCF provided and learn more about how it has impacted the kids at their school.
Tell us about Round Valley Joint Elementary School.
Round Valley Joint Elementary School District is a small, frontier, single school district located twelve miles north of Bishop in Inyo County. Established in 1871, RVJESD serves families from Rovana, Mustang Mesa, Forty Acres, Paradise and Swall Meadows, as well as inter district transfers from Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. One of our goals is to prepare our students to become contributing members to both our local community and a global society. It is our hope that upon graduation from high school, our students will continue their education, and then return to our rural communities in the Eastern Sierra.
What did you get from the grant?
We were able to purchase six 85" Samsung dual screen collaborative display monitors and six motorized carts to make the screens accessible to all students in our Kindergarten - Fifth grade classrooms.
How did this grant improve the lives of the teachers and help them to better engage the students in regards to technology?
Until MMCF made the purchase of six 85" Samsung Dual Screen Collaborative Display Monitors possible, our teachers relied upon overhead projectors. The images from the projectors were difficult to view, requiring classroom lights to be out and shades to be drawn. Students had to sit directly in front of the projection screen in order to see the images. Our new, dual screen monitors provide captivating and interactive images with vivid color and clarity. Unlike a projector, images from the dual screen monitor can be viewed from any classroom location.
How did this grant improve the lives of the students and their educational experience?
The monitors are interactive, allowing students to engage in lessons by writing directly on the screen with either their finger or a stylus. Students enjoy competing in educational games while watching the leader board, demonstrating their work on overlays in front of peers and watching clear, crisp Mystery Science lessons. Teachers enjoy the engaging graphics, easy maneuverability and seamless interaction between their hover cams, computers and the dual screen monitors.
Did the technology purchased with the grant funds have the effect you were hoping for?
It definitely did! Our teachers and students are grateful to the Mammoth Mountain Community Foundation for providing this leap in technology.
