10/27/2011 7:30:00 PMBookshelf Project Brings Color Nook® Readers to CMSD students
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 27, 2011
Cleveland, Ohio— A pilot project, designed to allow Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) students the opportunity to use modern technology to take home text books and complete homework assignments is being launched in two CMSD schools, Mound K-8 and Washington Park High School.
The official launch of the Bookshelf Project will take place, Wednesday, November 2, at 10:00a.m., at Mound K-8 School in Slavic Village and will include major partners of the project: Eric Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District; The City of Cleveland; Kurt Karakul, President, Third Federal Foundation; Steve M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; Barnes and Noble; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and other partners.
Because of the expense of hardbound books, many students were unable to take home textbooks, which, in many cases, were older than the students themselves. “We saw this as a significant opportunity to help our students and our teachers embrace the technologies they had already been using outside of the classroom,” said Eric Gordon, CEO of The Cleveland Metropolitan School District. “By using current technology, the students have the most updated information available and we can further improve our use of both classroom and homework time.”
Nearly 400 Nook Color Readers were purchased at a discount from Barnes & Noble through a major grant from The Third Federal Foundation. Educators have been training with the Nook devices for nearly a month. Now, students at Washington Park and 6th to 8th grades at Mound will receive the readers to use both in and out of the classroom.
The wifi-enabled e-reader Color Nook provides students with class–leading digital content provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, as well as current textbooks, a built-in touch-word dictionary and encyclopedia, access to hundreds of on-line video tutorials, book assignments and the ability to create electronic notes.
The Bookshelf Project is a pilot venture to secure a $3 million Investing in Innovation Development Track grant from the US Department of Education. In Phase II, if awarded, approximately19,932 e-readers would be distributed district-wide to all 6th – 12th graders, teachers, principals and assistant principals. The Department of Education grant winners will be announced by December 31, 2011.
The media and public are invited to Mound K-8 School, 5935 Ackley Road, Cleveland, OH 44105 at 10:00a.m., Wednesday, November 2, for the official launch of this project. Students and educators will be on hand, along with the partners for a special launch and reception. The partners listed in this release will be available for media interviews.
For More Information Contact:
Charisse Ausbrook: 216-574-8143
Bookshelf Project Partner Contacts:
Jennifer L. Rosa
Third Federal Savings & Loan
Public Relations Mgr.
216.429.5037
Mike Tobin
US Attorney Northern District Office
Public Affairs Specialist
216.622.3651