The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation (HPELF), in partnership with the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB), is thrilled to announce the conclusion of the Have You Heard? soundfield fundraising campaign, which is now entering a new phase.
Thanks to the overwhelming local community support from across Hastings and Prince Edward counties, the campaign has officially surpassed its fundraising goal of $550,000. Reaching this milestone and raising $585,887will equip every Kindergarten to Grade 3 classroom and an additional 24 Grade 4 classrooms across the district.
However, the momentum isn’t stopping there. Thanks to overwhelmingly positive feedback from school staff and students who have seen the immediate benefits of soundfields in their classrooms, and because donations continue to generously roll in, extra funds raised beyond the original goal will be directed right back into schools. These additional dollars, along with any future donations, will go toward equipping the district’s Grade 4 classrooms. The community’s continued generosity will help equip these spaces next.
A triumph of local collaboration and community
This milestone was made possible through a collaborative effort between HPELF and HPEDSB. Working hand-in-hand, the two organizations identified that an area of greatest need was to build more inclusive learning environments for students.
“Reaching this goal is a profound testament to what we can achieve when our community works together for our children,” said Kellie Brace, Executive Director of The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation. “Our partnership with the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has been seamless, anchored by a shared belief that every child in our region deserves an equal opportunity to succeed. To our incredible local donors—whose generosity spanned from individual or family contributions, local social clubs, to regional small businesses and corporate sponsorships—thank you! You recognized a need right here in local schools and answered the call. Because of you, we are removing barriers to learning and giving our youngest students the best possible start.”
Transforming the Primary classroom experience
The implementation of soundfields in all K–3 classrooms fundamentally transforms the learning environment for Primary students during their most critical developmental years.
“The entire classroom dynamic shifts when a student doesn’t have to struggle to hear and an educator doesn’t have to strain their voice to be heard,” said Katherine MacIver, Chief Executive Officer of Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board. “This technology directly contributes to improved learning by fostering calmer, more focused and engaging classroom spaces. By improving the acoustics, we are reducing mental fatigue for our youngest learners, allowing them to focus on developing their literacy and numeracy skills. We are inspired by the long-term positive impact this equity-focused initiative will have on student achievement and well-being in classrooms.”
The Have You Heard? campaign was launched in September to address classroom acoustics, a critical but often overlooked barrier to early learning.
Soundfields solve these challenges by using a lightweight microphone worn by the educator and a tower speaker system that distributes their voice evenly throughout the entire room. The result is that every student, no matter where they are seated, has a front-row listening experience.
What do soundfield systems do?
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Enhanced speech recognition: By filtering out natural classroom background noise like shuffling papers, heating systems, or outside traffic, the technology enables every child to hear the teacher’s voice at an optimal, clear level.
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Boosted literacy and phonics: For early learners, hearing the subtle ifferences in letter sounds like “sh” versus “ch” is vital for learning to read and spell. The soundfield system has advanced speech clarification technology to make these phonetic nuances clear.
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Reduced cognitive fatigue: When children don’t have to strain to hear, they can focus more mental energy on understanding and retaining the lesson material.
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Increased engagement and inclusion: Soundfields create an equitable listening environment, benefiting all students, including English and French language learners, as well as those with mild or undiagnosed hearing loss.
Installations are underway now
Installation of the soundfield systems began early in the school year as funds became available. This phased approach allowed hundreds of students to benefit from improved classroom clarity right away. With the fundraising goal now officially met, installations will continue, with all K–3 classrooms scheduled for completion by the end of the summer.
With the campaign’s expansion, any additional funds raised moving forward will directly support purchasing and installing systems for HPEDSB’s Grade 4 classrooms. Community members looking to support this next phase can continue to make donations through the HPELF website, hpelearningfoundation.ca.
About The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation
The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to providing programs and resources that support student achievement and well-being within the local community. Through partnerships and community support, the Foundation helps students overcome barriers to fully participate in their school experience.
