MIDLAND, Michigan – Midland Public Schools received $ 280,760 in gifts from five different donors, with much of that money going towards new technology. The Education Committee approved these donations on Monday June 21st.
The Alden & Vada Dow Family Foundation contributed $ 165,308 to the purchase of new Samsung Tab S6 Lite devices for MPS faculties and Swivl robot training packages for classrooms. 467 Samsung tablets are being ordered from Sehi Computer Products of Rochester Hills for US $ 146,325.11, with one going to each teacher.
Swivl Robot devices, manufactured by Swivl of California, are designed to make virtual learning easier for students who stay at home. The device follows the teacher as he moves around the classroom, unlike stationary cameras that cannot record all of the action. The Swivl devices work with tablet computers, including the Samsung tablets, which are passed on to the MPS faculty.
A total of 17 Swivl devices have been ordered for $ 1,286 each. MPS Superintendent Michael Sharrow told the City Paper that each school will have 4 or fewer of these devices. Mr. Sharrow said that more equipment will be purchased in the future as the teachers get used to the new technology.
In addition, MidMichigan Health donated $ 85,000 to the HH Dow High School Turf Project to receive the scoreboard for the new turf complex. The lawn project also received an additional $ 20,452 from individual donors through the Midland Community Foundation.
AG Financial donated $ 5,000 to HH Dow High for the Maxwell R. Muessig Memorial Scholarship. The Midland Lions Club donated $ 5,000 to the district to provide summer books for students.
Michael Piwowarski covers the field of education, including colleges and Midland Public Schools, for the City Paper.
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