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KINNELON - School fundraising group buys $35K printer for KHS
(by Deborah Walsh - Staff Writer - September 10, 2008)
KINNELON - The Kinnelon Education Foundation (KEF) has once again come up big for students attending Kinnelon public schools. The KEF will provide $35,000 for the purchase of a three-dimensional printer for Kinnelon High School (KHS).
At a recent school board meeting, James Opiekun, superintendent of schools, announced that the KEF allocated $35,000 for the three-dimensional printer. Additionally, the KEF, on behalf of the district, submitted a grant application to the Ringwood-based Fred J. Brotherton Charitable Foundation, which was established to help support the missions of other charitable organizations. The Fred J. Brotherton Charitable Foundation, which primarily focuses on education, religion, historic preservation and medical programs/scientific research, awarded the district $15,000 for technology upgrades.
Back in March, Brian McDonald, technology teacher at KHS, and other staff members met with KEF members to showcase equipment that KHS wanted to acquire for technology classes. One of the pieces of equipment displayed was a three-dimensional printer, which costs approximately $35,000.
The KEF has raised and provided more than $800,000 for educational projects in the school district, including the funding of science and technology labs at Pearl R. Miller School and KHS and improvements to the KHS TV studio. The KEF has also purchased books for the Stonybrook School Library and an intercom system linking the Kiel and Sisco schools.
McDonald said students will be able to design a part such as a gear and bring the design from a CAD (Computer Assisted Design) file to life with the three-dimensional printer, which will generate the designed plastic gear.
"Technology education is completely different from industrial arts. We look at new and different processes. We look to create and invent, and in industrial arts, you look to produce," said McDonald.
The other piece of equipment that was exhibited in March was a laser cutter, which costs about $20,000.
Opiekun said he would discuss how the $15,000 grant from the Brotherton foundation should be spent with the technology staff. The three-dimensional printer has been ordered, he said.
"The whole premise is being shifted from the traditional shop classes to make it more in line with engineering, problem solving and computer assisted design," said Opiekun.
In addition to acquiring the new equipment, the district is revamping its technology classroom space at KHS. Room 107 is being expanded and will take in a small classroom next door. Room 102 is being expanded to include a full size classroom next door. The construction of the new wing at KHS, which will open at the start of school on Sept. 15, facilitated the expansion of the technology area at its existing location. The technology rooms will be outfitted with sinks, a multitude of electrical outlets and new impervious (non-porous) flooring.
The $12.6 million referendum approved by voters in September of 2006 is funding the construction of the 28,000- square-foot, two-story wing at KHS, plus paying for renovations to the existing high school including the upgrades to the technology area.
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