-
November 17, 2020By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press
You might call it perfect timing. Grand Knight Devin Graham of the Knights of Columbus Mumford Council 365 did.
“We do a lot of different events to raise money,” the grand knight explained. “Our calling is just to do service in our community. … It’s a team effort. A lot of people put in a lot of hard work.”
One of their goals is to give to the next generation, he said, and a council member had heard that Our Lady of the Valley was trying to update its technology.
“We had saved up the money – it was perfect timing,” Grand Knight Graham said. Given coronavirus restrictions, he just dropped the gift off at the school. The Knights had raised the money through BINGO games, which drew about 100 people to their hall in Northbridge each week.
Because of the virus, BINGO was shut down in March, the grand knight said. And schools shifted to remote learning for the rest of the academic year.
“The monies were used to purchase smart TVs, iPads and Chromebooks” that enabled the school to offer remote learning last year, said Edward Reynolds, who became principal July 1, several months after that switch.
“Now … (the money) allows us to deliver … instruction to those students who have chosen to learn from home this year,” he said. “We have about 23.”
The school loaned some Chromebooks to these students, and students at the school use the other Chromebooks and the smart TVs, he said. Teachers use the iPads to livestream their classes for students learning from home.
“We also used some of the money to purchase tripods” that the iPads sit on, Mr. Reynolds said.
He said there was money left, so a technology inventory was being conducted, and faculty consulted, to see what else the school could use.
“It’s been extremely helpful, especially in terms of delivering a robust remote learning experience,” he said, in reference to the Knights’ donation.
On Oct. 24 school personnel showed the Knights the technology their donation had purchased.
“The tour was fantastic,” said Grand Knight Graham. “They were very welcoming. … They gave us breakfast and a little gift.” Even though it was a Saturday, some of the teachers came in and demonstrated how the equipment is used, he said; “everybody thought it was fantastic to see it in action.”
