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Infusing new technology into the classroom
Six SMART Boards and 3 Sympodia interactive displays have been installed at Hamilton Central School and 5 more have been purchased thanks to a $30,000 grant from the Hamilton Emerald Foundation. This is the second such grant from the Foundation.

SMART Boards are state-of-the-art whiteboards that allow teachers to present their lessons using multimedia that students can interact with in the classroom. Similarly, Sympodia are interactive panels that teachers use to present class lessons that are more interactive and make full use of new technologies.

High school math teacher, Susan Lehman is one of the teachers using the SMART Boards in all her math classes and, already, the impact is clear.

"We will finish our annual curriculum almost one month ahead of schedule with this technology," said Lehman, who is using the SMART Board in her AP Calculus class.

The SMART Boards are being used throughout the school. Pre-K teacher Althea Brooks has her students learning to recognize and form letters and numbers, as well as recognizing sound/letter correspondence. Other interesting lessons have involved organizing categories of healthy foods or hibernating vs. non-hibernating animals.

"The kids are excited about learning. Kids today are so technology savvy that the SMART Board supports their learning style," said Brooks.

The true measure of the impact of the SMART Boards is in how they enhance student learning.

"It takes much longer to do things on the blackboard than on the SMART Board because you can just move things around by touching them," said 4th grader Una Giurgea.

First grader Katrina Hale captured the excitement in the school around all of the new technology in saying "Math is fun on the SMART Board!"

Hamilton Central's Middle School Resource Room provides countless students with the books and materials they need to keep their reading skills strong. A $665 grant from the Emerald Foundation allowed the school to expand the collection for independent reading and enable students to participate in the Accelerated Reader Program -- giving students with a high interest in reading the books they need to sharpen their skills. This program is aimed at improving the learning culture at the school and providing engaged students the tools they need to succeed.

$30,000 grant allows for purchase of SmartBoards
A $30,000 Emerald Foundation grant allowed the Hamilton Central School District to get just a bit farther down the information superhighway through the purchase of smart board technology for classroom use. The new smart boards will allow teachers to present their course material in more engaging ways, drawing students into the material and truly bringing education to life.
 

Foundation receives first endowment gifts
The Hamilton Emerald Foundation has received $60,000 in gifts targeted at establishing the organization’s endowment. These gifts, made by Hamilton Central alumni Mary Catherine (MC) Eaton Martin ’66 and her husband Michael, and Jeff Clarke ’79, provide the foundation with a financial foundation to build upon for years to come.

“Gifts made to the endowment are an investment in the future of our community,” said foundation board member, Megan Morris Marshall. The current $60,000 endowment fund will provide the foundation with approximately $3,000 annually for grants, foundation-directed projects, and other initiatives. Any additional investment earnings, above the five percent, will be reinvested in the endowment.

Martin and Clarke each made their generous contributions because of their belief in supporting the mission of today’s Hamilton Central School faculty and staff in providing the finest education they can to Hamilton’s children.

“Since I am a native of Hamilton and my husband and three children all attended Colgate, we have returned often to visit my parents. During the past 40 years we have moved around the country and our children have attended many schools---none of which afforded a better education than the one I received here. I simply want to give something back.,” said Martin.

Since its founding in 2006, the Emerald Foundation has raised more than $110,000 and has already funded four grants for the school totaling more than $36,000 since October 2006.

Foundation supports Hamilton Central's "Touchstone"
The Hamilton Emerald Foundation's $1,000 grant for the school district's new “Hamilton Touchstone” initiative supports the school's focus on developing the social/emotional aspects of a holistic curriculum, the need for a common vernacular, and the creation of a statement pertaining to its guiding practice or “Touchstone.” The touchstone will help to guide the exchange of ideas throughout the building.