|
The
Laptop Preservation Fund
A Letter from our Principal, Mr. George
Jenkins, Bowdoin Central School
Dear Friend of
Bowdoin Central School:
When the new Bowdoin Central School
opened in 2002 we were able to purchase,
with construction funds, 4 mobile laptop
computer stations each containing 11
computers. The purpose was to bring the
integration of technology to
classroom-based instruction to levels
that previously had been impossible to
achieve. The success of this initiative
has gone beyond our wildest
expectations. Children in grades 4 and 5
use these computers on a daily basis for
word processing, research, and internet
related-learning activities. Children in
grade 3 are now using these computers
more and more as teachers learn how to
further integrate technology into
classroom practices.
The challenge now facing us is that
these computers are aging and, in the
next few years, will begin to breakdown
and become obsolete (in the computer
world a five-year life span for these
machines is about all we can expect for
them to remain viable). This situation
is made more complicated by the fact
that, although the district supports the
success of the curriculum integration
that has been achieved at Bowdoin
Central, it cannot afford to fund
computers that are beyond what the other
schools have deployed. In other words it
is up to us, within our school, to solve
this problem.
 This summer a group of parents and
school personnel, under the umbrella of
the PTC, came together to address this
problem and brainstorm ways to begin the
process of replacing these machines.
This group is called the “Laptop
Preservation Committee”. We have set an
ambitious goal of replacing 10 computers
per year (at about $1000 per computer).
The school has been able to transfer
some funds that have been accumulating
in various accounts (Toner Cartridge,
Box Tops from General Mills, and
Donations). This is a great start! But
the challenge will be maintaining a
level of funding that is relatively
painless and can be sustained over a
long period.
Aside from the fund raisers that have
already been tapped, we have targeted a
couple of other ideas that will help us
with our task. Some of those ideas would
be to: enlist the aid of corporate
sponsors, utilize the collection box in
the lobby, expand the Box Tops and toner
cartridge programs, set up a system
where cans and bottles can be dropped
off at redemption centers for credit to
Bowdoin Central, Power Pennies and
Sabotaging Silver contests, Bottle
Drives, etc.
It is also important to the committee
that children be involved in some of the
fund raising efforts as they are the
ones who will ultimately benefit from
this effort.
We have established levels of donations
if people want to contribute on an
individual or corporate level. Those
levels are:
Individual:
Friend: $25-$99
Bronze Level: $100-$199
Silver Level: $200-$499
Gold Level: $500+
Platinum: Total cost of the computer
Corporate:
Bronze Level: $50-$249
Silver Level $250-$499
Gold Level: $500-$749
Platinum: Total cost of the computer
Please remember these donations are tax
deductible. We are asking companies and
corporations for any help they can
provide us so that we can continue the
dream of seamless computer integration
in our school.
Thank you for your consideration of our
project.
Sincerely,
George W. Jenkins
Principal
|
Bowdoin Central School Auction
to Benefit the Laptop
Preservation Fund
