NewsPress Release - 12/15/99
BRATTLEBORO, VT - The Persons School of Marlboro College
is donating eleven Macintosh clone computers to eight local elementary
schools - two each to Marlboro, Halifax, and Readsboro and one each
to Academy, Canal Street, Green Street, Guilford, and Oak Grove.
The computers, which Marlboro will make ready for schoolchildren
to use right away, will fit nicely into existing networks - an important
factor since technical support is often at a bare minimum in small
schools.
"It's gratifying that Marlboro's Persons School recognizes
local schools as worthy recipients of this gift," says John
Donaldson, technology coordinator for the elementary schools of
Guilford, Halifax, and Readsboro. "Town school boards are in
constant conflict between doing what's best for their students and
their taxpayers. While most boards would like to add more money
to their technology budget, realistically they must depend on state
grants, federal rebates, and the largess of institutions like Marlboro's
Persons School to supplement their infrastructure."
The Persons School is in the position to donate these computers
since it must continually invest in the newest technology available
in order to maintain its position at the cutting edge of the Internet
field.
"We are pleased that this investment enables to free up some
of our earlier purchases from just one-and-a-half years ago to contribute
to the community, and to support our colleagues in education,"
says Maria Basescu, director of marketing and special programs at
the Persons School.
The selection of schools to receive the computers was made in consultation
with area educators and technology coordinators.
Marlboro College established the now nationally renowned Persons School in January 1998 to offer first-of-their kind programs: the
Master of Science in Internet Strategy Management (ISM) program
and the Master of Arts in Teaching with Internet Technologies (MAT)
program. The graduating class of 1999 -- numbering 56 -- was more
than double the size of the pioneer class in 1998. Currently, for
the class of 2000, The Persons School has matriculated 50 students
for the ISM program, 11 students for the MAT program, and 16 students
for the new Master of Science in Internet Engineering program.
