The Village Bank commits $45,000 to innovative classroom technology

Shown (from left) are: Kenneth Brennan, president and CEO of The Village Bank, with Newton Schools Foundation board members Lisa Halm and Judith Malone Neville, and Eva Thompson, Oak Hill Middle School principal.

Newton, MA Students in three Newton middle schools are the first to benefit from a three-year, $45,000 commitment by The Village Bank to provide funding for three 21st Century Classrooms per year through the Newton Schools Foundation.

The 21st Century Classroom consists of an interactive white board, individual student response systems, interactive teacher tablets and professional development software. The new technology adapts to varying learning styles, and allows students to access core curriculum in an innovative, visual and tactile manner. It also matches the foundation's "21st Century Classroom" initiative to advance the learning experience through technology to ensure that students develop 21st Century skills and that teachers have the necessary tools and training to make this possible.

The Village Bank's three-year, $15,000 annual gift to the Newton Schools Foundation is specifically earmarked for the interactive suites, to include hardware, software, and training. The new technology made possible by The Village Bank was introduced this school year at the Oak Hill, Brown and Bigelow Middle Schools.

"We are excited and genuinely pleased to be frontrunners in providing the funding to help make this new technology available for today's students," said Kenneth Brennan, president and CEO of The Village Bank. "Our schools are training the future leaders of our community; the investment we make today will be long-lasting and far-reaching."

The Newton Schools Foundation directs funding for innovative and challenging programs in the Newton Public Schools. Funding decisions are made through a grant application process. The Village Bank's gift to the foundation ranks in the highest category of givers.

At the Oak Hill Middle School, fifth-grade team teachers Russell Hunt and Paul Lyons share a SMART Board system for classes in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. They are able to supplement their on-screen topics and notes with Internet resources, and can save all classroom SMART Board activity to a computer for hard-copy printouts or for Web site application for student review following the class. Supplemental equipment used by the teaching team allows students to interact with the SMART Board remotely and also adds audio capability.

The Newton Schools Foundation's goal is to outfit all Newton public school classrooms with similar 21st Century Classroom technology over the next three to five years.

The current school year is a pilot year for the project, and each middle school currently has installed at least one such classroom, according to Tori Filler, executive assistant for the Foundation.

The Village Bank, chartered by the state in 1910, has seven full-service offices in Newton and Wayland and a Village Loan Center in Auburndale. The Bank also offers online banking services at village-bank.com.

The bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and a member of the Share Insurance Fund (SIF). All deposits are insured in full.