Ten public schools in the Bronx will get a much needed technology upgrade thanks to $500,000 awarded to them as a result of their collaboration with Fordham University Graduate School of Education’s Partnership Support Organization (PSO). This home run is the result of teamwork between Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education, the Bronx Borough President and a Bronx City Councilmember.
The half million dollars, drawn from the capital funding coffers of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and City Councilman Joel Rivera, will allow for each Bronx school in the PSO to purchase Smartboards, mobile computers and specialized technology equipment.
“This is an example of the good that can come when a university partners in meaningful ways with local schools,” said James J. Hennessy, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Education.
Thousands of public school students will benefit from the technology upgrades, said Anita Vazquez Batisti, Ph.D., associate dean for partnerships and director of the Center for Educational Partnerships, which oversees the PSO.
“One of the schools serves international students and another serves as a transfer school supporting students up to the age of 21 to graduate from high school,” she said. “These schools are in challenging areas of the Bronx that are doing very well despite having little technology and Fordham went to bat for them.
“This is wonderful news and we have to thank Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., and Councilman Joel Rivera for their support. Our elected officials are always there for us,” Batisti added.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said he was very pleased to address the technology needs at these schools.
“The education and well being of our youth is a high priority of my administration, and I will do all I can to help our schools address their many needs,” Diaz said. “I thank my colleague in government, Council Member Joel Rivera, for his strong partnership in this effort, and applaud the work of the Fordham Center for Educational Partnerships and the Partnership Support Organization. I encourage all our borough institutions of higher education to have strong ties and collaborations with our public schools.”
Fordham’s Graduate School of Education is one of two university-based schools of education that has a contract of partnership support with New York City. More importantly, Fordham’s PSO is the only one to offer services for pre-K through twelfth grade levels.
The mission of the Fordham PSO is to engage partner schools, districts and governmental agencies in the process of helping teachers teach more effectively and have all students, regardless of background, learn at higher levels. There are 25 schools from the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn in the Fordham PSO network.
