Sunday, March 26, 2023
Subscriber Login
My Profile
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home Towns Bethlehem

Elsmere Elementary gets new 21st century tools

Diego Cagara by Diego Cagara
January 15, 2020
in Bethlehem, News, Schools, Towns
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Elsmere Elementary’s school library media specialist Jaimee Meyer said many students enjoy coming to work with the new tech sets and tools during recess. Photo by Jaimee Meyer

Elsmere Elementary’s school library media specialist Jaimee Meyer said many students enjoy coming to work with the new tech sets and tools during recess. Photo by Jaimee Meyer

BETHLEHEM — Elsmere Elementary School has received a $3,500 grant to provide a special cart full of electronic tools to augment students’ learning experience.

The cart contains sets and tools to help introduce K-5 students to robotics, coding, circuitry and design and it includes two Ozobots, two Dash robots, two Snap Circuits 300 projects, lesson plans, and more.

“It’s a way in which students can get hands-on learning, use their critical thinking skills, collaborate, work together and solve problems — these are things they really are expected to have in the 21st century,” said Jaimee Meyer, Elsmere Elementary’s school library media specialist. “To be creative, think outside of the box. We’re constantly telling them what sort of things are expected of them in the future so it’s a great way to do all of that in a setting.”

Photo by Jaimee Meyer

The cart is the result of the INNOVATION! Grant, first announced last year by the Capital Region BOCES and it caught Meyer’s attention. After she applied that fall, she found out that she and 15 other schools in the Capital District won the grant and a respective cart each in November. She said she was excited when the cart also came in that month and Capital Region BOCES trained her and the other schools in how to use the carts and make the most of it with students.

Elsmere Elementary Principal Kate Kloss wrote in an email to Spotlight News that “we are so fortunate to have the dedicated Mrs. Meyer as a part of Elsmere.” She added that the cart’s tools complement the materials and resources the library already offers and “students clearly enjoy combining their creativity and curiosity with technology.”

Since then, Elsmere students — fourth and fifth graders for now — can come to the library on Mondays during recess to play and learn with the cart’s tools and sets. “The sessions during recess are always full and they spend the time with me,” Meyer said. “They know the rules like cleaning up after themselves and everything is labeled in the cart. They now know the drill.”

She added that she likes not giving the students too much instructions when handling the cart’s contents. Instead, she makes herself available if any student has questions or needs help, and she likes giving them some independence and space to explore, troubleshoot and learn with the cart.

Meyer brought up plans of having an open house soon for Elsmere teachers to get to know the cart better and learn how it could benefit their students’ education. “I don’t know if teachers quite know what we have here yet,” she said. “There are some teachers that I can immediately think of who would love to use this cart but there are some others who might need a little more prodding. But everyone here is open to learning and collaborating.”

The cart’s tools and sets add to how Meyer had already begun her own cart of materials in the library for students. She said she started collecting materials for an older cart three years ago and it includes materials and items like cardboard, duct tape, buttons, beads, wood skewers, popsicle sticks, yarn, string and more.

“Since we’ve had this set up already and I knew the kids were already excited about those materials, now having the cart and adding on to that is really exciting,” said Meyer. “Students can continue to learn to build, team up if they want and more.”

Both carts help students be more well-rounded, Meyer added. “The library still has tons of books too and I haven’t given up on them. In fact, when I read to my students, I don’t use tech at all,” she said. “So, I don’t think anybody has the idea that libraries are getting taken over by tech. On the contrary, the kids still love the books and so do I. It’s great as long as you’re well-rounded and that tech isn’t our entire focus.”

Tags: Elsemere Elementary School
ShareTweetShareShare
Previous Post

Matt Quatraro whispered to manage MLB team

Next Post

LETTER to the EDITOR: In deep gratitude

Leave Comment

Stay Connected with Us

Recent News

Colonie Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch 15th – March 22nd

March 26, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter March 15th – March 22nd

March 25, 2023
The Rail Trail bridge over Route 85 March 2023. Photo by Scott Anson.

Route 85 to close Monday for bridge replacement

March 25, 2023
Spotlight News lists calls from Delmar, Elsmere, North Bethlehem, Slingerlands and Selkirk fire companies. These department are comprised of local volunteers. Please consider serving your neighbors as a volunteer firefighter. This data is compiled from the Town of Bethlehem Communications Center.

Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Log March 10 – March 16

March 25, 2023

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Colonie Area Weekly Police Blotter March 8th – March 15th

March 19, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch 15th – March 22nd

March 26, 2023
The Rail Trail bridge over Route 85 March 2023. Photo by Scott Anson.

Route 85 to close Monday for bridge replacement

March 25, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter March 8th – March 15th

March 18, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police BlotterMarch 15th – March 22nd

March 26, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter March 15th – March 22nd

March 25, 2023
The Rail Trail bridge over Route 85 March 2023. Photo by Scott Anson.

Route 85 to close Monday for bridge replacement

March 25, 2023
Spotlight News lists calls from Delmar, Elsmere, North Bethlehem, Slingerlands and Selkirk fire companies. These department are comprised of local volunteers. Please consider serving your neighbors as a volunteer firefighter. This data is compiled from the Town of Bethlehem Communications Center.

Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Log March 10 – March 16

March 25, 2023
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Legal Notices Portal

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Election 2022
  • News
    • Crime and Police
    • Fire Departments
    • Milestones
    • Real Estate and Housing
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Theatre
    • Music
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Fitness
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login
    • Service Directory
    • Hire Power – Employer Spotlight
  • Capital District Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
  • Log In
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949