In its 54th anniversary, the
district implements SMART Board® interactive flat panels
CALGARY, AB and LAREDO, TX, May 2,
2016 /PRNewswire/ - SMART Technologies
Inc. (NASDAQ: SMT) (TSX: SMA), a leading provider in
collaborative solutions, is now the standard provider of classroom
Interactive Flat Panels, or IFPs, for the United Independent School
District (United ISD), in Laredo,
Texas. The district, which serves over 43,000 students, has
purchased 1,300 SMART Board IFPs that will be placed in
Kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms over the
next year. They will be in addition to IFPs for over one dozen new
campus construction and renovation projects slated through the end
of 2019, and approved by the passing of a $408.7 million school bond in November of 2013.
The SMART IFPs were selected after a comparison between top vendors
by a committee of over 50 members from across the district and
community.
"SMART was selected not only for their easy-to-use software, but
for their excellent hardware, which allows for natural interaction
for users of all ages," said Judith
Garcia, Director of Instructional Technology at United ISD.
"Teachers and students are excited about this new technology-driven
opportunity that allows them to use these awesome boards in their
classrooms with all the fabulous interactive lessons at their
fingertips. The IFPs are easy to use, minimizing the learning curve
and simplifying trainings for district and campus staff. Campus
instructional staff find it easy to tap into the vast resources
available through SMART Notebook software and create interactive
lessons using their amazing SMART IFPs," she said.
Additionally, Garcia commented on the integration of SMART's
software into classrooms. "We have also benefited from the
continuous upgrades with SMART's software, which continues to
evolve with our teachers' changing needs in the classroom," she
said. "The company truly keeps the academic focus of our teachers
at the forefront and has prioritized building the 21st
century instructional playground to enhance learning and engagement
in our students at heart. They consistently seek feedback and truly
listen to our comments and recommendations," she said.
All SMART interactive flat panels include SMART Learning Suite,
an integrated educational software platform designed to enable
natural and collaborative learning experiences that supports a
variety of instructional strategies and fosters active learning,
inside and outside the classroom. The SMART Learning Suite includes
the following programs:
- SMART Notebook®—This software facilitates engaging and
interactive learning experiences while providing the flexibility to
respond to the needs of learners in real-time.
- SMART lab™—SMART lab enables teachers to create lesson plans
and game-based learning activities in less than five minutes.
- SMART amp™—A web-based learning platform, amp enables student
co-creation of assignments and fosters student collaboration on
devices.
- SMART response™ 2—A formative assessment software for use on
student devices, SMART response 2 allows teachers to create
question sets to complement lessons in under five minutes.
"Educators are shifting from legacy interactive displays to
state-of-the-art interactive flat panels and we are pleased to
bring such advanced tools and capabilities into the classrooms of
United ISD," said Greg Estell,
President, Solutions of SMART Technologies. "Research proves that
when best pedagogical practices are supported by educational
software and connected devices, students are more likely to
collaborate, learn and engage in the ways that are most natural to
them," he said.
To learn more about SMART Board interactive flat panels for
education, visit education.smarttech.com/panels.
About United ISD
The 2015-2016 school year marks the
United Independent School District's (UISD) 54th Anniversary of
providing educational excellence and dedication to student academic
success. UISD's history can be traced back to the spring of 1961,
when trustees from three common school districts in Webb County met for the purpose of
consolidating into one district. The district's intent is to
continually seek ways to improve and provide consistent, quality
instruction for all students in a positive learning
environment.
The District takes great pride in the academic excellence they
provide for the community and surrounding areas. UISD has grown
from a few schools to 41 campuses, one DAEP and three residential
facilities. Since its inception the district has been recognized
for distinctions in academics, fiscal responsibility and most
recently garnered national recognition for the highest graduation
rates. The district and its board are confident that these
accomplishments are indicative of a future filled with the best
21st century ready students.
About SMART Technologies Inc.
SMART Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SMT, TSX: SMA) is a world
leader in simple and intuitive solutions that enable more natural
collaboration. We are an innovator in interactive touch
technologies and software that inspire collaboration in both
education and businesses around the globe. To learn more,
visit smarttech.com.
SMT – M
Reader's advisory
Certain information
contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking
information or statements. By their very nature, forward-looking
information and statements involve inherent risks and
uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks that
predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking
information and statements will not be achieved. We caution readers
not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of
important factors could cause the actual results to vary materially
from the forward-looking information or statements. We do not
assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the
forward-looking information or statements. Any forward-looking
information and statements contained in this press release are
expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
©2016 SMART Technologies. All third-party product and
company names are for identification purposes only and may be
trademarks of their respective owners. To view a list of SMART
trademarks please visit our Trademarks and Guidelines
page.
Please note that SMART is written in all capital
letters.
SOURCE SMART Technologies Inc.