School Furniture Blog

U.S. First Lady Laura Bush announced Wednesday that her foundation is awarding some 1.3 million U.S. dollars to help 263 school libraries update their book collections this year. Accompanied by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the city’s education Chancellor Joel Klein, the former school librarian made the announcement at The Island School in Lower East Manhattan.

"Great books provide students with knowledge and encourage creativity," said Mrs Bush. "These grants will help stock libraries with new and exciting books that will challenge and inspire young people."  Worthington Direct sells a variety of bookcases at great prices for all of you book storage needs.  Visit their website today, www.worthingtondirect.com, and browse through the Library Furniture catagory.

More than 129,800 students will benefit from new books in their school as a result of this year’s grants from the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries. The 2007 awardees include 234 public schools, 11 charter schools, 14 private schools and four alternative schools. Grants were made in 48 states plus the District of Columbia. In addition, an award was made to Spangdahlem Elementary School, a school serving 463 children of military personnel at Spangdahlem Air Force Base in Germany, for books for their school library.

The Laura Bush Foundation was launched in 2002 as a fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region. Since its inception, the Laura Bush Foundation has awarded more than 4.3 million dollars to 897 schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The foundation’s grants come from donations from other foundations, companies, and individuals. continue reading

Bretford Announces New Technology Furniture Solutions at InfoComm International 2007

New Digital Kiosks, Technology Presentation Carts, Flat Panel Mounts, Training/Conference Room Tables on Display

Bretford, Inc. (InfoComm Booth #2013), the leading supplier of high quality technology and media furniture that improves how people work and learn, will showcase a multitude of savvy new products during InfoComm International, June 19-21 in Anaheim, Calif. Developed to support the latest audiovisual technologies, Bretford’s fresh offerings range from digital kiosks to technology presentation carts and other intelligently-designed furniture for corporate, education, government and other professional market applications.  Worthington Direct can provide you with all of Bretford’s great products at wholesale prices.  Visit www.worthingtondirect.com today. 

Flat Panel Digital Kiosks (FPDK01 and FPDK02):

The new digital kiosks allow for secure and convenient network data access of information to people in virtually any public location. The FPDK01 is ideal for information gathering and general navigation in a hotel lobby or mall. The FPDK02, which includes a CPU holder, can be used for critical access to information from a secure data system, such as in a hospital or corporate office. Both are VESA 75mm and 100mm compatible for use with essentially any 15”-19” flat panel monitor. They include an expandable tray for various keyboard sizes with an integrated, ergonomic wrist rest and mouse pad. The kiosks are available now at list prices starting at $520.00.  Save up to 50% off of the list price when you order through Worthington Direct!  www.worthingtondirect.com

Presentation Technology Carts (TC12, TC15 and TC35 Series):

Named one of Rental and Staging Magazine’s InfoComm Product Award finalists, the sleek new carts enable users to store, share and move flat panels, projectors, laptops and other technology tools from a single device. Office and education environments will especially benefit from the wide variety of shelves, cabinets and racks available with the carts. They are available with an optional flat panel mount that supports up to a 42” monitor with a 200mm VESA hole pattern and are the first to include an aluminum extruded pole that extends up to 28” for dynamic flat panel viewing from further distances. The carts are available at list prices starting at $475.00.  Save up to 50% off of the list price when you order through Worthington Direct!  www.worthingtondirect.com

Flat Panel Flush Mounts (FPLM-FFP, FPLM-FFP2):

The next-generation flush mounts are the newest additions to Bretford’s expansive family of flat panel mounting products. The FPLM-FFP can accommodate flat panel monitors ranging in size from 30”-46” with a maximum weight capacity of 120 lbs, while the FPLM-FFP2 supports 46”-61” monitors with a weight capacity of 200 lbs. Both mounts include a tilt adjust of +/- 15 degrees, which can be achieved using a one-handed adjustment without tools or knobs. The new mounts are shipping now at list prices starting at $169.00.  Save up to 50% off of the list price when you order through Worthington Direct!  www.worthingtondirect.com

KR Series Training and Conference Room Tables (Rectangle, Trapezoid and Half-Round):

The three new flexible tables are can be used individually for training applications or positioned together into conference room or small meeting room configurations. All three feature grommet holes and a perforated modesty panel that doubles as a cord management bin to easily accommodate laptops and other technology products while keeping the work surface clean and clear. The new tables fold flat and lock in the folded position for convenient and safe transport and storage. The new KR Series tables ship ready to assemble and will be available in Q3 2007 at list prices starting at $650.00.  Save up to 50% off of the list price when you order through Worthington Direct!  www.worthingtondirect.com  continue reading

I do want to thank you for being most helpful and patient.  This was my first time getting quotes, finding specifications, researching quality, etc.  I made several phone calls and internet inquiries.  They were all answered quickly and thoroughly.  I felt no question was too silly to ask.  You even found products that matched what I needed that were not listed on the internet site.

Thank you very much!

H.K.

Claremont, NH

A few years ago, when she was a Catholic school teacher in the city of Cebu, Philippines, Juditha Capa started looking for a change. She loved her work, but she had grown restless after 13 years in the same locale. So when she heard about the opportunity to move to the U.S. and become a teacher in the New York City public schools, she jumped at the chance.

"Since I was small, I had a longing to mix with other cultures, and to have adventure," says Capa. "So the moment I heard I could go to New York, I applied immediately. It was very competitive, so for me it was a sign of God when I was accepted." Capa came to the U.S. on what is known as an H-1B visa, a temporary work program for people with hard-to-find skills. Most of the visas go to tech workers who end up at companies like Microsoft (NasdaqGS:MSFT – News), Oracle (NasdaqGS:ORCL – News), IBM (NYSE:IBM – News), or Intel (NasdaqGS:INTC – News).

The New York City public schools is the most active user of the visas among educational institutions, receiving 642 H-1B visas in fiscal 2006. Like many schools and universities, it has a hard time finding Americans to teach certain topics, including math and science, at the salaries it is offering. People with those skills usually can earn more in technology, engineering, or consulting. The city’s public schools now employ 1,700 foreign nationals on H-1Bs.

You won’t have to search far to find great educational furniture, Worthington Direct is just a click away.  Come see what’s new at www.worthingtondirect.com.

For Capa, 37, the chance to teach sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students at the Joseph Lamb School, located in a multiethnic neighborhood deep in Brooklyn, presented the perfect opportunity. As a single woman, she says she felt unencumbered and ready for a new adventure in teaching, a profession about which she remains passionate. Capa started teaching in September, 2004, and says she now feels comfortable with–and energized by–her students. "I’m very happy and my students are excelling now," says Capa. "I’ve (not only) been able to instill in them values of discipline and hard work, but also show that I think highly of them and believe in them. Once they feel you are sincere in what you’re saying, the students come to respect and respond to you."

Not that it was always easy. Before Capa arrived, she admits to being a bit intimidated by what she had heard about New York City. "People at home would say, ‘You’re crazy to go there. The students can be wild and could kill you,’" she says. And she did have trouble disciplining the students, who would sometimes talk during her class and throw paper balls at each other. continue reading