Diamond Lake schools creating digital classrooms

They would have gotten around to it eventually, but an opportunity in a tough time has led supporters of Diamond Lake Elementary District 76 to jump start its use of social media.

The impetus is a push for a $25,000 grant the district would use to create five digital classrooms to help struggling readers at West Oak Middle School.

"This kind of took it to the next level. We've never had a district Facebook page," said Cindy Ruesch, curriculum director for three-school district near Mundelein.

Ruesch learned of the Pepsi Refresh project, which is awarding grants of all sizes in several categories, and thought it would a possible outlet to buy Promethean boards for classrooms. West Oak has been selected as one of the nominees to win a $25,000 grant in the national contest that will be decided by online voting. Supporters have begun a campaign to get the electronic ball rolling.

"I've put it on Twitter and any of the other social network sites you can put it on," Ruesch said.

Also referred to as smart or white boards, the equipment is a large display that connects to a computer and a projector. The computer desktop is displayed on the board's surface and can be connected with users in a variety of ways.

Students, for example, take a quiz and teachers can receive nearly instant responses.

"You can tell within minutes who is getting it and not getting it," Ruesch said.

The district late last year was able to get a special half-price discount on six white boards purchased for about $18,000 through other grant funds. Two were put in each school early this year as a test project.

Students and teachers are said to have taken to the interactive features, but buying more of the expensive technology is not in the cards at the moment because of budget concerns.

Although no teachers were cut, two who are retiring will not be replaced as part of recent district action to trim about $400,000 from its budget. That makes technology a premium item.

"We can't do it. That's the whole reason we're going after this thing," Elise Hauptman, public relations coordinator for the district, said of the grant push.

Voters can log on to www.refresheverything.com/boardsforwestoak. The district also is seeking up to $1,500 from a second grant source for the reading program at Fairhaven School. Visit www.appersonedu.com/vote.

"Every resource that's available, we're trying real hard. You have to be creative in these times," Ruesch said.