District CIO

The Technology Student Association at Robertsville Middle School competed in a recent state conference in Chattanooga and finished in the top three in nine events. Twenty-seven students from the TSA chapter at RMS competed in 22 different group and individual events at the 35th Tennessee TSA State Conference, which included 649 middle and high school competitors from 61 Tennessee schools.

Despite my time being cut short at TCEA 2013 thanks to a huge winter storm slamming into the Northeast where I live, I was still able to learn about a variety of new products for the K12 world. Many products come together to form a modern, 21st-century classroom: hardware, software, mobile applications, even furniture, which were all showcased at TCEA.

In February, U.S. Rep. George Miller of California introduced the Transforming Education Through Technology Act, a bill designed to help schools, districts and states improve teaching and learning through technology. It would provide a way for K12 districts to offer the necessary technology tools students will need to succeed in college and career, since about one-third of districts nationwide do not designate budget money for new computers.

Guaranteeing school safety is increasingly more difficult. But tech expert Scott Schober has some important points to keep in mind. Even though parents may feel they have no control over their children’s safety once they leave home, he says, technical advances applied with old-fashioned common sense are one way to feel more prepared.

Over 25,000 teachers and millions of students in all 50 states participated in the second annual Digital Learning Day, a national campaign promoting digital learning and shining a spotlight on successful classroom technology initiatives. Though the event lasted one day, educators are encouraged to engage with technology year round, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education, a national policy and advocacy organization that hosted the event.

Bridgeport Public Schools
Bridgeport, Conn.

June 23-26, 2013
San Antonio, Texas

June 10-12, 2013
Orlando, Fla.

Haas School of Business
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, Calif.

River Trails School District 26
Mount Prospect, Ill.