"At Citizens Deposit Bank, we know how important it is to maintain a competitive environment," Clark said. "That’s why we felt the children, faculty, and staff of this school deserved a new computer." This technology will serve everyone well and help complete a successful school year. We are proud to contribute to the Hickman county Elementary School and this community."
Richard Todd, principal at HCES, said, "Our classrooms are now in need of computers for student work stations to do reading and math assessments, the primary teachers use them for centers, and they are just used for a multitude of things."
This past summer, most all of the computers were removed from the classrooms, mostly because they had outdated Windows XP operating systems, no longer supported by Microsoft.
"We are trying to replenish the technology we had in the classrooms," he said.
The school does have an all new computer lab, where all of the computers are in one designated room, but most all of the classrooms are without computers now.
"We do have an all new computer lab, which is super, but now we’re trying to restock the supply for the classrooms," Todd said.
"We’re trying to do some creative things to get those computers back in the classrooms," he said.
PTO is spearheading the effort to get the community involved with donations through organizations, clubs, churches and individuals, who either sponsor a computer in full for $443.16 or partially sponsor a computer. Some type of sticker or other marker placed on or near the computers will show the sponsor’s name.
The elementary school is also taking a pro-active approach to make computers in the classrooms possible.
"We’re doing Technology Two-sday where teachers can pay $2 to wear jeans on Tuesday," Todd said. "You wouldn’t think you would raise a lot of money that way, but last week alone, we had something like $70 come in."
Todd said on Fridays, they have Cake for Computer Fridays, where a couple of teachers will purchase or bake a cake and bring it to school. Staff pays $3 for a piece of cake. With the two fundraisers combined, they’ve almost got half the money needed to purchase another computer.
Todd said, "We could do this slowly, over time, but what we’re trying to do is expedite it because teachers need the computers."
"Everything we do is for the kids," he said.
Todd has formed a new technology committee at HCES to look at ways to raise money and to prioritize, as money comes in, which specific classrooms they should go in and what specific types of technology should be purchased- desktops, iPads, etc.
"There is some school funding, but there’s only so much," Todd said. "We are trying to speed up the process, because they are needed, and we are in the 21st Century."
PTO Co-Chairs Crystal Russell and Tiffany Ray encourage individuals and groups to "adopt" a computer.
The PTO isn’t limiting its drive to the purchase of new computers. If anyone has a computer they would like to donate to the school, it must have Windows 7 or newer operating system, and it would gladly be accepted!
For more information, you may contact Richard Todd at Hickman County Elementary School at 270-653-4067.