Education Foundation of Little Silver Announces Technology Donations From 2014 Fundraiser

Photo: From ”Little Silver’s Got Talent” last spring. Courtesy of the Education Foundation of Little Silver.

The Education Foundation of Little Silver (EFLS) today announced the purchase of state-of-the-art technology items, including Chromebooks, SmartBoards, camcorders and more, for the Little Silver public school system thanks to the “Little Silver’s Got Talent” fundraiser held last spring. In addition, the parent-based foundation announced that the 2015 campaign will feature a newly-revised grant-submission process that will enable community members to directly fund teacher-submitted technology grant requests.

“It’s the goal of the EFLS to enrich the lives of our Little Silver students by providing hands-on learning experiences through technology and other resources, and the products we were able to purchase this year will greatly enhance the way our kids learn, including those with different learning abilities,” said Kelly Cullen, EFLS President. “It is vital that we empower our teachers to request the resources that will help the students remain competitive and we greatly appreciate their input. We also cannot emphasize enough how important the support of our community is -- from the volunteers who help put the event together, to our sponsors who make up the lion’s share of our fundraising, as well as attendees who bid on auction items, including one-of-a-kind teacher experiences and children’s artwork.”

The $65,000 raised in 2014 will be used to purchase SmartBoards and styluses; Chromebooks; digital voice recorders; camcorders; wireless mice; NXT Intelligent Bricks (used to build intelligence machines or robots), as well as to replace theater and performing arts equipment that is many decades old.

Dr. Pamela Albert Devine, Principal at Point Road Elementary School said, “The use of technology in the classroom enhances both student engagement and motivation and enables students to take a more active role in their learning. In addition, technology tools allow families to become more involved by having greater access to what is going on in the classroom. However, with current budget constraints, school districts have great difficulty staying on the cutting edge of technology and rely upon groups such as the Education Foundation of Little Silver to assist with achieving our mission.”

New technology demands such as repairs, upgrades, infrastructure, and external pressures – like the upcoming PARCC exams – have created a funding gap for the Little Silver District. As such, the main goal for the EFLS in the 2014-2015 school year is to substantially increase community fundraising. A component of this effort is a revised grant process where the teachers are being invited to submit proposals for funding earlier in the school year. Teacher applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis without set quotas for school, grade level, or subject matter. Once the grant submissions have been vetted, in collaboration with the Little Silver School Administration, the community will be invited to directly fund requests as part of the EFLS fundraising event this spring. This year’s event celebrates the 20th anniversary of the EFLS. It will be held on Friday, March 6th at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch.

About the Education Foundation of Little Silver (EFLS)

The mission of the Education Foundation of Little Silver (EFLS) is to enrich the education of students in the Little Silver Public Schools through community fundraising efforts. In recent years, those efforts have yielded between $50,000 and $65,000 annually. The EFLS values the support of the Little Silver school community as well as the support of its generous sponsors – local businesses who appreciate the importance of keeping our schools competitive. To learn more, visit efls.org.