Zurich International School recognized for demonstrating benefits of SMART education solutions
CALGARY, Alberta --- June 5, 2009 --- SMART Technologies announces that Zurich International School (ZIS) in Switzerland is SMART’s first international Showcase School. Located on the outskirts of Zurich, ZIS exemplifies the qualities of all SMART Showcase Schools by demonstrating the benefits of using SMART education solutions to create an engaging technology-enabled learning environment, with a staff that is committed to sharing results with the European education community. There are now more than 100 SMART Showcase Schools located in North America. They act as host sites for other school administrators and teachers interested in learning how SMART education solutions can improve teaching and learning. As the first international Showcase School, ZIS will do the same for educators in Europe.
ZIS began installing SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards in 2004. Now, there is a board in every classroom from grade 6 to 12 and in many of the classrooms from kindergarten to grade 5. With five campuses offering a comprehensive education program for students aged 2 to 18, 99 SMART Board interactive whiteboards are helping to provide a highly interactive learning environment. ZIS uses the SMART Board 600i interactive whiteboard system primarily because of its ease of use and the quality of the support offered by SMART and its Swiss distributor, Novia. The SMART education solutions at ZIS also include SMART Notebook software, which helps teachers create engaging lessons, and SMART Sync software, which makes it easy for teachers to guide learning while monitoring and controlling student computers.
“With SMART Board interactive whiteboards, we are able to bring technology into most of our classrooms, integrating it into the kids’ everyday life,” says Will Kirkwood, ZIS IT curriculum coordinator. “The boards and SMART software allow students to interact with lesson content while allowing teachers to integrate a range of different resources into their lessons.”
“We welcome Zurich International School into our SMART Showcase School program,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO. “Naming our first international school is a significant step for SMART as it helps us highlight the growing number of schools worldwide that are maximizing the use of our solutions to improve student outcomes.”
About Zurich International School
Zurich International School is a leading non-profit day school offering a comprehensive education program for students aged 2 to 18. Over 1,300 students from more than 45 countries attend one of the school’s five campuses. An International Baccalaureate Organization World School, ZIS is committed to excellence in education and the personal growth of every student.
About SMART Showcase Schools
SMART Showcase Schools use classroom technology in outstanding ways. These schools have become resources for other educators who want to learn more about the benefits of implementing SMART education solutions. SMART selects schools and districts that demonstrate commitment to transforming their classrooms into centers of interactive learning. Visitors to a SMART Showcase School can expect to see how SMART solutions are used to engage students and enhance lessons every day. To learn more about SMART Showcase Schools, visit www.education.smarttech.com/showcase.
