Alexandria, Va. (October 12, 2010) – The National School Boards Association (NSBA)’s Technology Leadership Network (TLN) has named its “20 to Watch” list for 2010. These educators are recognized for promoting the incorporation of innovative technology into high-quality classroom learning and district operations.
“These individuals do not just believe in technology for technology’s sake. They are finding different, effective and exciting ways to engage students through the use of technology,” said Ann Flynn, Director of Education Technology for NSBA. “We recognize these innovative educators as role models who can inspire their colleagues to embrace tools that help make learning more relevant for their students and more transparent for parents and community members.”
The “20 to Watch” will be recognized at NSBA’s annual Technology and Learning Conference, T+L, which will take place October 19-21, in Phoenix. They also will be showcased in future NSBA education technology publications. For more information, please visit http://www.nsba.org/t+l.
The 2010 honorees are:
Paul Andersen, teacher, Bozeman Public Schools, Bozeman, Montana
To date, Paul Andersen’s “Bozeman Biology” podcasts have been viewed more than 280,000 times. Anderson also shares his knowledge by holding weekly “Tech Junkies” meetings for teachers and students who want to learn more about technology. Teachers who previously were intimidated by e-mail now are creating Moodle pages, Wikis and podcasts after working with Andersen. Dr. Kirk Miller, Superintendent of Bozeman School District #7, says, “He has the ability to think broadly, ask questions, and to not be constrained by traditional practices when seeking solutions to problems.” He recently was named the 2011 Montana Teacher of the Year.
Gretchen Breon, sixth grade teacher, Spencerport Central School District, Spencerport, New York
Gretchen Breon builds a strong rapport with her students and their parents through the use of her classroom Wiki. Students use the Wiki as a virtual “kitchen table” to discuss literary works, post writing samples and offer immediate feedback to classmates. Her sixth grade class also employed Windows Moviemaker to create digitally animated stories of several Greek myths. Breon focuses her use of technology on concepts that promote creative thinking, incorporate problem-solving and are quick for children to pick up. She uses every opportunity to connect student learning with meaningful, technology-filled instruction.
Cheryl Capozzoli, educational consultant/ instructional technology specialist, Capital Area Intermediate Unit, Newport, Pennsylvania
Cheryl Capozzoli, a leader in incorporating Web 2.0 technologies into the classroom, has developed a Wiki called Web 2.0 Guru aimed at providing educators up-to-date research and best practices for effective and relevant instructional technology integration. She has created Facebook Community pages for teachers, parents and students that keep them informed about school issues and initiatives and provides timely educational technology training and support for school leaders and colleagues. She has created a sustainable learning environment in a rural school district, and promotes collaborative, innovative learning throughout a three-county region. She is an advocate of Open Educational Resources, Social Networked Learning and seeks to improve equity in education with these innovative instructional tools.
Julie Carter, executive director of technology, Minnetonka School District, Minnetonka, Minnesota
During the past year, Julie Carter implemented a district-wide, single sign-on portal for students, staff and parents, allowing them to collaborate and share important information online with a single login and password. Students collaborate internationally via the Web, and have access to free online storage, e-mail and file sharing. Carter also launched guest wireless access at the high school campus allowing students to bring their own laptops, smart phones, iPods and other devices to school and began a pilot program exploring the incorporation of iPads into classrooms.
Audrey Cucci, mathematics educator, Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District, Frankfort, New York
Audrey Cucci has been an innovator in introducing technology to her school district. For example, she records her daily lessons and posts them on School Tube for students to review at home. Each lesson with notes included are posted daily to her website. Many of those lessons have been adopted by other teachers across the state. In addition, she has her high school students create online tutorials (Wiki) for students in middle school math classes. She has adopted TI-Nspire and TI-Nspire Navigator Technologies to create a paperless classroom. Cucci also is a leader among her peers, as she has created a Math/Science Technology User Group for the Central New York Region.
Steve Dembo, director of education social media strategy and online community, Discovery Education, Chicago, Illinois
Steve Dembo has been a champion of educational technology, constantly pushing school districts to try new ideas. He was one of the first educators to use Twitter and also was one of the first educational podcasters. His blog, www.teach42.com, is frequently listed as one of the top educational blogs. As director of the Silver Spring-based Discovery Educator Network’s online community, Dembo oversees online activities for thousands of educators. He has hosted hundreds of hours of professional development seminars for teachers, both online and in person.
Camilla Gagliolo, instructional technology coordinator, Arlington Public Schools, Arlington, Virginia
Camilla Gagliolo has promoted digital portfolio creation, multimedia integration and the use of emergent and handheld technologies in Arlington’s classrooms. Recently, she led efforts to create the Capital Region Society for Technology in Education, a group that brings together like-minded educators from across the D.C. region. Having grown up in Sweden, she is comfortable in connecting to educators and students worldwide. Gagliolo is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Class of 2007, and has extensive leadership experience in education technology organizations.
Darren Gunderson, instructional technologist, Geary County USD 475, Junction City, Kansas
Darren Gunderson helps students and teachers integrate technology into real-world situations. For example, one project involves teachers taking students to the Kansas Konza Prairie, where they assist researchers by documenting wildlife and plant life and their data is contributed to a database when they return to the classroom for all researchers to access. Gunderson is not just an instructional technologist – he is a teacher first. He also has helped the school district save more than $60,000 by using SharePoint for internal communications, not to mention the positive impact on the environment of reducing paper consumption. Currently, he is working on bringing 3D video to Geary County’s schools.
Buffy Hamilton, media specialist/teacher, Cherokee County School District, Canton, Georgia
Buffy Hamilton uses a wide range of Web 2.0 tools to engage students at Creekview High School in literacy activities. Her school library, which she has named The Unquiet Library, emphasizes inquiry and a participatory approach to learning. The library also has an active presence on social media sites and her Unquiet Library blog is widely read, not just in Georgia but across the country. Hamilton provides an example of how school libraries can drive the use of technology and create conversations about learning within a campus. For her efforts, Creekview has been honored as the Georgia High School Media Program of the Year for 2010.
Dr. Debra Howe, superintendent, Rochester Community Schools, Rochester, Indiana
Dr. Debra Howe spearheaded the creation of the first New Tech High in rural Indiana. Not only are high school students learning in a 1:1 technology rich environment, but all K-12 classrooms have interactive white boards, SMART document cameras, laptop computers and digital cameras. Howe drives true technology integration into the instructional process through curriculum, professional development and purchasing decisions. She recently pursued and secured a federal Distance Learning Grant to bring video conferencing equipment to Rochester, which allows entire classes to engage in distance learning opportunities.
Ryan Hurley, English teacher, Warren County Schools, Warrenton, North Carolina
Ryan Hurley has turned his classroom into a paperless learning community using a wide variety of free online resources. For example, his students use writeboard.com to discuss literature and share ideas, and books.google.com to access libraries full of free, public-access digital documents and literature. Working with a high number of impoverished high school students – 80 percent do not have home Internet access and many lack transportation to public libraries – Hurley goes beyond his curriculum to teach students how to use classroom technology.
Jeffrey McMahon, academic technology officer, Indianapolis Public Schools, Indianapolis, Indiana
Jeffrey McMahon led the development of a 1:1 laptop model, which put laptops into the hands of more than 2500 students. The program involved a Problem Based Learning Curriculum, in which students had to use their laptops to identify and solve real and significant problems in their communities. In addition, McMahon brought CISCO Academies to Indianapolis, and is spearheading virtual learning opportunities for students. He is an advocate for cloud computing opportunities, wireless connectivity, continuous professional development for educators and educationally sound programs that incorporate social networking and classroom technology.
Shelley Patterson, teacher, Alexander City Schools, Alexander City, Alabama
Shelley Patterson launched a “Podcasting Camp” for teachers at Stephens Elementary School, creating podcasts that are aligned with state and national standards. Now, teachers, students and parents have access to these lessons. Her daily lessons are enhanced through the use of a digital camera, tablet PC, Mac, iPod, blogging, video streaming, interactive PowerPoint presentations, Internet research and computer games. Patterson believes that technology can be a great equalizer in education, as students who lack certain experiential knowledge can be afforded that experience virtually through technology.
Adina Popa, technology resource teacher/international ambassador, Loudoun County Public Schools, Ashburn, Virginia
Adina Popa is a champion of shrinking the classroom walls through online collaborations. She has spearheaded videoconferencing and Web 2.0 initiatives in her school district. This past year alone, the Loudoun County Public Schools held more than 500 videoconferences and established partnerships with schools on three continents. For example, first-graders connected with Alaskan mushers preparing for the Iditarod, while fifth-graders discussed the connections between music and math with professional musicians. Educators from as far away as Pakistan and Singapore have visited Loudoun County to study her innovative approaches.
Jamie D. Ramos, information & technology services coordinator, Tippecanoe School Corporation, Lafayette, Indiana
Jamie Ramos put wireless tablet PCs into the hands of all 800 classroom teachers in the district and rolled out wireless access in all 20 buildings. This enables teachers to be on the network anywhere in their school. He also led efforts to give parents online access to grades, attendance and registration information, and feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive. Ramos also helped plan and implement two student technology centers, featuring courses of study such as engineering, robotics, forensics and medical technology.
Stephanie Rick, third grade teacher, Avoca School District 37, Glenview, Illinois
Stephanie Rick has championed many technology-based initiatives, including “Blog Wild,” a district-wide student blogging campaign. Even students in third grade are participating in blogging and are thrilled to be sharing their schoolwork with people around the world. Students also create videos and podcasts. Rick also has established an “e-pal” relationship with a class in England and is always looking for ways to connect her students to ideas from around the world. Every day is a learning adventure in her classroom.
Brad Sandt, director of technology, Park Hill School District, Kansas City, Missouri
As Director of Technology, Brad Sandt has been focused on continuous improvement. He has implemented process changes that include self-service software deployments, a service agreement to improve and clarify service for technology users in the district, and a process for upgrading and replacing district technology. During the past year, these improvements led to a work order reduction of 44% during back to school time and a sustained drop of 34%. Sandt also has implemented a centralized network that gives students and staff members home access to technology resources. Students can pause a project at school and then resume it at home.
Eric Sheninger, principal, New Milford School District, New Milford, New Jersey
Eric Sheninger has instituted a school-wide program at New Milford High School to employ social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Animoto, Wordle, Voicethread and Delicious. Using a recent award, he purchased a mobile iPod learning lab for the school. Working with the Apple Corporation, company instructors provided on-site training on podcasting in school. While other schools have put boundaries on Web 2.0, Sheninger has promoted cutting-edge technology to students and staff. He has been a keynote speaker at conferences on using Twitter and Google Apps in the classroom.
Terri Simpson, teacher, Calcasieu Parish Public Schools, Sulphur, Louisiana
Terri Simpson is a 21st century teacher who believes in diving fearlessly into new territory. She has led efforts to incorporate GoogleDocs, iPods, Palm hand-helds, digital cameras, iPads, student-response systems and one-to-one computing at Maplewood Middle School, and has secured grants and other funding to help bring this technology to the school. Her most recent grant was used to purchase classroom iPads to promote reading, with the idea that tech-savvy middle school students might embrace handheld digital readers more warmly than books. She has also used Skype to collaborate with the Beatrix Potter School in Wandsworth, London, UK. Simpson offers a monthly parent technology night to help parents improve their technology skills so they, in turn, can better understand what is taking place in their child’s classroom.
Ellen Stubblefield, K-first grade teacher, Hoover City Schools, Hoover, Alabama
Technology doesn’t scare Ellen Stubblefield, and her students benefit as a result of her willingness to experiment. She uses a Wiki as her classroom Web page, where she posts all kinds of examples of student work, from pictures to podcasts. She has her kindergarten and first grade students micro-blogging via Twitter, and uses Skype to connect them with experts outside of the school. Stubblefield also uses eight laptop/tablet PCs to help students with art and math lessons.
Since 1987, NSBA's Technology Leadership Network (TLN) has served local district leadership teams that establish policy and implement technology decisions to enhance teaching and learning, administrative operations, and community outreach.
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Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) is a not-for-profit organization representing state associations of school boards and their 95,000 local school board members throughout the U.S. Working with and through our state associations, NSBA advocates for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership. www.nsba.org
Winners by state:
Shelley Patterson, Alexander City Schools, Alexander City, Alabama
Ellen Stubblefield, Hoover City Schools, Hoover, Alabama
Buffy Hamilton, Cherokee County School District, Canton, Georgia
Steve Dembo, Discovery Education, Chicago, Illinois
Stephanie Rick, Avoca School District 37, Glenview, Illinois
Jeffrey McMahon, Indianapolis Public Schools, Indianapolis, Indiana
Jamie D. Ramos, Tippecanoe School Corporation, Lafayette, Indiana
Dr. Debra Howe, Rochester Community Schools, Rochester, Indiana
Darren Gunderson, Geary County USD 475, Junction City, Kansas
Terri Simpson, Calcasieu Parish Public Schools, Sulphur, Louisiana
Julie Carter, Minnetonka School District, Minnetonka, Minnesota
Brad Sandt, Park Hill School District, Kansas City, Missouri
Paul Andersen, Bozeman Public Schools, Bozeman, Montana
Eric Sheninger, New Milford School District, New Milford, New Jersey
Audrey Cucci, Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District, Frankfort, New York
Gretchen Breon, Spencerport Central School District, Spencerport, New York
Ryan Hurley, Warren County Schools, Warrenton, North Carolina
Cheryl Capozzoli, Capital Area Intermediate Unit, Newport, Pennsylvania
Camilla Gagliolo, Arlington Public Schools, Arlington, Virginia
Adina Popa, Loudoun County Public Schools, Ashburn, Virginia