2008 Top Products

Throughout the year, every product we cover in the magazine is there because we think it’s something that you will find useful, so we’re excited about each and every one in all of our issues. Our sole mission is to help you make purchasing decisions, so we’re all about products, all the time. Here are some of the new products that stood out to us this year.

TransFold Portable Stage from Midwest Folding Products
Midwest Folding Products’ new TransFold portable stages will give you the freedom to configure the stage to create any performance environment you can imagine. Imagine the flexibility to build the exact size and shape stage that you need to accommodate your event. New arc=shaped and triangular sections let you design stage sets that stand out in a crowd. Stage setup is easy and can be accomplished quickly with only one person. Built-in height adjustment gives you the option to create the ideal configuration for every event. 
www.midwestfolding.com

Digital Identification Solutions
Digital Identification Solutions has announced the release of its Card Management Software (CMS) version 3.1 and new IDExpert line of software developer’s tools for identification applications. CMS 3.1 includes new features for UV printing, plus updated database tools and image enhancement options, and is available in nine common languages. The IDExpert family includes ToolACT, SmartACT and ProACT, which contain groups of Web-based applications for incorporating image capture, chip encoding, and database management into your very own software programs. www.digital-identification.com

Dolphin Wireless Stopwatch Timing System from Colorado Time
Colorado Time Systems has introduced a fully wireless swim timing and scoring system. Dolphin provides wireless, synchronized, stopwatch-style timing for swimming competitions. It significantly reduces the amount of effort required to run a meet and manage data. By synchronizing all the stopwatches to the same start signal, the system has improved accuracy compared to manual stopwatches. The Dolphin system can also be used to collect backup times at major events, and it is compliant with all swimming ruling bodies’ requirements for backup timing.
www.coloradotime.com

TEXT by Virco
Designed by the award-winning team of Peter Glass and Bob Mills, TEXT classroom tables combine heavy-gauge tubular steel and proven Virco construction for extended product life with elliptical legs, swooping yokes, and arched feet for exceptional elegance. As a complement to their design attributes, all TEXT models are GREENGUARD certified for indoor air quality. TEXT tables feature high-pressure laminate work surfaces with 20”, 24”, 30” and 36” widths; selected sizes are available with 7/8” or 1-1/8” thick tops. TEXT models also accommodate many of Virco’s popular wire management and computing accessories.
www.virco.com

EarthBox
The EarthBox and its Pre-K to12th grade instructional gardening and standards-based curricula and guide make teaching easy, exciting, and fun. Hands-on lesson plans and activities teach students with multiple learning styles the science behind plants, water, light, soil nutrition, conservation, and sustainability. When teachers combine the standards-based curricula with an EarthBox Garden, test scores soar and eating habits improve. EarthBox Education Products grow minds and bodies. Visit the company’s Web site to download an Education Product Guide.
www.earthbox.com/education

Astaro Web Gateway
Astaro Corporation has announced the availability of its new appliance line, Astaro Web Gateway. Available as a software, hardware, or virtualized appliance, the Astaro Web Gateway provides educational institutions with a comprehensive solution for securing Web traffic. Using Astaro’s award-wining technology, the Astaro Web Gateway allows administrators to block students from viewing Web sites that contain inappropriate content, such pornography, weapons, gambling, and drugs. The appliance also provides malware detection of viruses, spyware, and active content.
www.astaro.com

Science Detective from Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking’s Science Detective uses topics and skills drawn from national science standards to prepare students for more advanced science courses and new assessments that measures reasoning, reading comprehension, and writing in science. Students can't just scan the activity for answers—they must carefully analyze and synthesize the information from the text and the charts, tables, and graphs to explain and support their answers. Two titles are available for Grades 3-6. Interactive software is also available.
www.criticalthinking.com

Daktronics Outdoor LED Video Displays
Daktronics is offering a new line of affordable video displays. The new outdoor LED video displays show animations, statistics, advertisements, and live video in full color. Video displays provide many advertising opportunities for schools with the ability to promote local sponsors. Displays also provide opportunities to communicate recent and upcoming events to the crowd. Entertaining the crowd with animations, informing fans and displaying the next game date and time is possible with the new Daktronics video displays. These video displays are an excellent complement to Daktronics scoreboards.
www.daktronics.com

Grounds For Play’s Adventures in Growing
Perfect for the under two crowd, the varied physical activities of the Adventures in Growing series develop a wide-range of physical skills and stimulate active play. The high sidewalls and narrow slide bed allow even the youngest users to safely enjoy sliding. With multiple 2-sided, 3-sided, or 4-sided combinations available, the Adventure Tower, Adventure Challenge, Alpine Adventure, and slide fit the needs of your crawlers, climbers, steppers, and sliders. They can even link multiple units together for more complex play.
www.groundsforplay.com/infantstructure

Commercialite from McCourt Manufacturing
McCourt Manufacturing is proud to offer The Commercialite, the industrial-strength blow-molded plastic folding table. This table is one of the strongest, lightest, most affordable indoor/outdoor folding tables on the market. The polyethylene plastic top resists damage, stains, weather, and chemicals. The steel frame bolts through, not just into, the tabletop, allowing the Commercialite to support more than 3,500 pounds. It accepts skirting clips, too.
www.mccourtmfg.com

PermaLife Products with Microban
Now PermaLife Products come with Microban antimicrobial protection so there's no worry about microbes. Microban protection works continuously to inhibit the growth of microbes, so PermaLife colored products stay cleaner. Microban protection is added during the manufacturing process to fight the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause stains and deterioration of the coating. And, because Microban protection is built-in, it won't wash off or wear away, offering an added level of defense that lasts for the life of all PermaLife colored products.
www.permalife.com

Hertz’s Teachers Desks
Hertz’s Teachers Desks are definitely at the head of their class. Give your classrooms a designer look at a very affordable price with Hertz’s Teachers desks. Contemporary two-tone design and desktop color pallet match the design and colors of popular student desks. Wood drawers (instead of metal) help minimize classroom noise. Durable 3MM edge banding is both shock-absorbing, and contoured for safety (no sharp edges).
www.hertzfurniture.com/csp

Artco-Bell's Discover Chair
Finding a stylish classroom chair that is ergonomically correct, durable, and affordably priced is a challenge for schools. Artco-Bell solves the dilemma with its new Discover chair and desk line, now available to the K-12 market. Artco-Bell's Discover combines thoracic and lumbar support with flexibility so that students can sit comfortably in ergonomically correct positions. With its sleek and contemporary good looks, choice of frame finishes, and comprehensive color palette, Discover is also a style leader in its price category.
www.artcobell.com

HighSchoolBlanket.com
HighSchoolBlanket.com is proud to present one of the best fundraiser/school spirit products of the year, “Spirit Wraps.” Stand out in a crowd with your school’s custom-printed, ultra soft Nubay Plush blankets. These fun blankets are fast hits with students, teachers, alumni, and fans. Spirit Wraps are high quality and 100% machine washable. Vibrant school colors and your very own mascot or school logo memorialize your experience. They provide all the tools you’ll need, such as full-color posters and student order forms. Be sure to plan ahead, as new orders take 8 to 12 weeks from design to delivery. 
www.HighSchoolBlanket.com

Whacky Music
Whacky Music is now shipping Whack-a Boom!! - Boomwhackers Card Games, featuring two card decks, one with colored cards corresponding to the C Major Diatonic scale and the other with different rhythmic patterns of varying degrees of difficulty. An instruction booklet details more than 20 fun games that can be played using Boomwhackers musical tubes. Also coming soon is Whacky Chroma-Notes Composer, music composition software featuring virtual Boomwhackers Tubes, which, when played, result in Chroma-Notes-colored notes appearing on a musical score.
www.boomwhackers.com