On May 19, 2010, The Somerset Hills Education Foundation (SHEF) presented The Somerset Hills School District with a check for $90,000 to fund the entire cost of materials required to provide wireless capability throughout the school district.  SHEF is excited to make this grant because it will complement our previous technology gifts and will impact all students, staff, and parents.

Once installed, every Computer on Wheels (COWs) will be usable throughout the district’s campuses.  A Wireless District will also provide the opportunity for future technology to be integrated more readily.

With wireless access from every part of every building, students, teachers, and parents will be able to use their own laptop computer connected through the district network during and after the school day.

This grant continues SHEF’s drive to provide enhanced technology for the benefit of district students and staff.  When our $90,000 technology grant is combined with earlier classroom grants, it brings SHEF’s support of the district to $119,000 for the year, the largest single funding year in SHEF’s history.  We are pleased that we have been able to deliver $545,000 over the last 5 years and $660,000 during our 13 years of existence. 

A Little Bit of History....

Over the last 13 years, SHEF has contributed more than $660,000 to both teacher initiated mini-grants that have gone directly to fostering creativity and promoting excellence in our community’s classrooms and  continuing to drive to place technology directly in the hands of district students with targeted technology initiatives.

Since 2006 SHEF has spearheaded the Computer on Wheels (COWs) initiative, ensuring that each school has multi-level mobile carts containing laptop computers. SHEF’s  newer technology initiative, GetSMART!,  assists the district in the implementation of SMART technology. SHEF helped to outfit classrooms with LCD projectors, SMART boards, and related technology.

SHEF was pleased to partner with both Bedwell and BMS Home and School Associations.

SHEF Technology Initiatives 

SHEF is very excited by its, GetSMART! initiative to assist the district in the implementation of SMART technology. SHEF’s donation to the district outfitted classrooms with a “SMART” set up, which includes LCD projectors, SMART boards, and related technology. Providing district classrooms with a consistent “SMART” set up will lead to endless possibilities for instruction and student learning.

Computers on Wheels (COWs) are mobile carts that contain 24 laptops, a printer and accessories for wireless connectivity to the district’s network. The COWs can be wheeled into any classroom and instantly be available for student use.

Education research has shown that the use of laptops helps improve students writing and reading skills, enables collaboration, and becomes a means for addressing low achievement and equal access to technology. Additional studies show that technology can dramatically improve learning and student achievement, particularly when it is integrated into curriculum to achieve clear and measurable educational objectives.