Dr. Lisha Cabral, Superintendent
50 Oliver St.
North Easton, MA 02356
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Easton Middle School Receives $10,000 Anonymous Donation for New Technology and Equipment
EASTON — Superintendent Lisha Cabral is pleased to announce that a generous anonymous donation has funded the purchase of new technology and equipment at Easton Middle School.
Easton Middle School received an approximately $10,000 anonymous donation in December, and has used the funds to purchase six Breakout EDU kits and an “innovation” cart equipped with 30 Chromebook laptop computers.
“Thank you to the anonymous donor who has made it possible for us to purchase this new equipment,” Superintendent Cabral said. “With this new technology, our teachers have a great opportunity to compliment and fortify their lessons through engaging, multidisciplinary challenges.”
Breakout EDU uses boxes, locks, clues and an immersive game focused around cross-curricular concepts to engage students in solving problems to “break out.” As students work together to solve different Breakout EDU challenges, they also develop critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication skills.
There are pre-designed games for Breakout EDU for all content areas including the arts, computer science, world languages, math, physical education, science, and social studies. It also allows educators to create their own game designs.
“Breakout EDU is inquiry-based learning at its best, where students have an authentic setting to practice communication, perseverance, problem-solving and inference skills,” said Suzana Somers, director of instructional technology at Easton Public Schools. “Breakout EDU is a highly engaging and fun experience for student learning.”
Easton Middle School launched its new Breakout EDU classroom programming late this March. Jeannie Baxter, English Language Arts Curriculum Leader and sixth grade teacher at Easton Middle, recently had her social studies students complete “The Riddle of the Sphinx” Breakout EDU task as a culminating activity to their Ancient Egypt unit.
“My students and I loved using Breakout EDU,” Baxter said. “The game was engaging, challenging, interactive and fun.”
The district also purchased an innovation cart that allows educators to sign-out Chromebooks for a longer period of time than they were able to before. The new Chromebooks can also be used to compliment the Breakout EDU kits, which can require devices to breakout.
“We are excited to offer a new opportunity for teachers to integrate technology purposefully in the learning experience that would not have been possible without the donation,” Somers said. “Thank you to the anonymous donor who made this new programming possible for our students.”
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