Digital Signage | News

Philadelphia District Pilots Digital Nutrition Boards

• By David Nagel
• 02/16/11

Horizon Software International and Touchtown have partnered to launch a new digital signage system for displaying nutrition information in schools. The system is currently being piloted in the School District of Philadelphia.

Touchtown provides communications technologies for educational institutions, including messaging and emergency response tools. Horizon is a technology developer geared exclusively toward food service operations.

The joint product, SourceBoard, allows schools to broadcast nutrition information, menus, tips, and other food service-related announcements in high definition using Horizon's point of sale and back office software and Touchtown's Web-based content management system. SourceBoard also includes a library of nutrition education information and a menu planning system that integrates tools for nutritional analysis.

According to information released Tuesday by the two companies, the School District of Philadelphia is piloting SourceBoard in three schools, with plans to roll it out in 100 schools this year.

Wayne Grasela, Philadelphia SD's senior vice president of Food Service, said the district is exploring the technology "in order to expand our abilities to promote good nutrition and lifelong habits to our students."

SourceBoard is available now. Further information can be found here.

About the Author

David Nagel is editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Technology Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal and STEAM Universe. A 25-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art and business publications.

He can be reached at dnagel@1105media.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at or follow him on Twitter at @THEJournalDave (K-12) or @CampusTechDave (higher education).