Rumson Schools Get Technology Upgrades Thanks to Education Foundation

Keeping up with technology is a challenge for any school district. Lucky for Rumson students, the Rumson Education Foundation (REF) raises money for that exact reason.

“Technology is constantly changing and raising in cost,” said Jill Healey, the REF President. “Even the best districts have trouble keeping up.”

Founded over 15 years go, REF is a not-for-profit organization that fund raises to provide educational needs that could not be funded through school budgets. On May 25, the REF president presented the Rumson Board of Education a check for over $106,000 at the recognition ceremony in the Forrestdale Eighth Grade Commons.

Last year, REF funded a state-of-the-art science lab in the Forrestdale School. The organization fund raised for over 2 years to raise the monies needed for this essential lab.

REF looks to the teachers, parents and students for suggestions on what the school needs every year. Healey said they do this to “get to the root of what they really need and then get it to them as soon as possible.”

REF receives suggestions and requests through a grant process. This year they were able to award 89 percent of the grants applied for, which will provide technology upgrades for students at both the Dean Porter and Forrestdale Schools.

This year the check is going towards the following technology upgrades and classroom equipment:

• Deane Porter Computer Lab
• Deane Porter Computer Lab Monitors
• Earobics Reading Specialist Program
• Kindergarten ELMOs
• First Grade ELMOs
• Second Grade ELMOs and equiptment
• Third Grade laptop upgrades
• Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Grade computers
• Fourth Grade ELMOs, laptops and accessories
• Fifth Grade ELMOs, laptops and equipment
• Sixth Grade ELMOs, laptops ad equipment
• Seventh Grade ELMOs and equipment
• Eighth Grade ELMOs, laptops and accessories
• Forrestdale Art Room Pottery Wheel
• Forrestdale Music Room television monitor
• Forrestdale defibrillator and CPR training

For more information about the REF, visit www.rumsonedfoundation.org.