The RVF and RVCSD are stepping up to the fight against COVID19, thanks to a 2015 grant that helped to launch a 3D-printing curriculum in K-12 tech and art classes.
When Ulster County Schools made the decision to move to online instruction due to concerns over the coronavirus, the 3D printing was put on pause while students and teachers were working and learning from home. That pause ended on Tuesday, March 24th, when Lisa Pacht, Assistant Superintendent of Schools at Rondout Valley received a request from Daniel Freedman, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering at SUNY New Paltz’s Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center, for local “makers” to create face mask shields for medical facilities.
First, Lisa Pacht sent out a request to all RVF members for unused transparency film for use in the facemasks. Then, teachers were given permission to get their printers from school and begin printing the mask shield, using design files created by SUNY New Paltz. Technology teachers Nick Bodnar and Adam Countryman and art teachers Jake Maloney and Stephen Protoss jumped at the opportunity, quickly setting up their home print labs. After some testing and fine-tuning, the teachers are currently printing nearly 50 mask frames per day. Lisa Pacht and school nurse Krista Kelly are assembling the masks and delivering the supplies directly to Ellenville Hospital as they are completed.
Other community groups and businesses have stepped up to help with supplies. SUNY New Paltz has received donations from NoVo Foundation and Central Hudson for more print filament. IBM is gearing up to create the face shields from a higher quality plastic than transparency film and the Arlington Teachers Association donated 5000 transparency overhead sheets to help with the cause. Thank you to NYSUT PAC representative Melissa Servant and Arlington Teachers Association President Bob Maier for working with us.
If you can donate any supplies, please contact:
Lisa Pacht
Assistant Superintendent of Schools & Operations
Rondout Valley Central School District
Ph: 845-687-2400 press 4 ext 4102
Daniel Freedman
Dean, School of Science and Engineering
Director, Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center
SUNY New Paltz
Ph: 845-257-3728
https://www.newpaltz.edu/hvamc/covid19faceshields/
