Promethean Projector Replacement Project
Greenville County Schools will soon complete the installation of 2,640 classroom projectors in schools across the district. The new projectors replace aging Promethean Board projectors that are beyond repair and have exceeded their warranties. The cost of approximately $1.9 million for the new Epson 520 projectors is funded by State Technology Lottery Funds, according to Bill Brown, Executive Director of Education Technology Services.
Matt Semberger, a representative from Encore Technology Group, is coordinating the effort to replace the projectors. “The Promethean Boards are in great shape and are still under warranty, but in order to use the old projectors, teachers had to turn the lights off to see the image. Students were taking notes in the dark,” he said. “The new projectors use LCD technology, which provides crystal clear images and vibrant colors.”
Replacement bulbs cost $79 and are guaranteed for at least three years. The old Promethean bulbs cost $300, if you can still find them.
Teachers love the new Epson projectors. Read on:
“Before receiving our new projector, my class needed all of the lights off to see videos and take notes from the Promethean Board. They could either see the board or their notebooks, but not both, so we were continually turning the lights on and off again. With our new projector, we can keep half or even all of the classroom lights on, and students can easily view the projector AND their notebooks.” - Jessica Rahn, Fifth Grade, Buena Vista Elementary
“With the Epson projector’s display of vivid colors, students are able to remain captivated throughout any daily lesson. Many of my students have commented on the brightness of the board and how excited they are that they no longer have to squint their eyes to see. These projectors have played a vital role in not only classroom instruction but also motivating the students in actively participating in class by having the opportunity to come to the board to show the class what they have learned.” - Kristen E. Dodd, Fifth Grade, Buena Vista Elementary
“We can clearly see bats flying at night or a volcano erupting on video. The mute and freeze feature allows me to bring up the next screen of information while the students are working on the current screen information. An added bonus is that I no longer have to climb on step ladder to clean a filter every month.” – Katherine Hawkins, Third Grade, Buena Vista Elementary
“My students and I feel like we are looking at our Calendar Math flipcharts for the first time because they are so vibrant! Talk about a cool way to ‘brighten’ up the day!” - Lauren Thompson, Kindergarten, Fork Shoals School
“Keeping children engaged in this day and age is a challenge; however, the use of this new technology allows for student interaction and video integration that brings learning to life.” - Jennifer Weishaar, Third Grade, Fork Shoals School