Join VSTE and Learning Forward for a joint Tweet Chat, May 13, 2019, 8:30 - 9:00 PM. We'll be discussing Rethinking Professional Learning in the Digital Age.
Keith Reeves to Keynote LearnerPalooza 2019
Join us for the 6th annual gathering on June 10, 2019, at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Virginia. Rod Carnill, VSTE Board Vice Chair, is the lead planner for this annual event.
A palooza is defined as an exaggerated event, and LearnerPalooza 2019 is exactly that and maybe a little more although I could be exaggerating. Honestly, though, in the past six year, LearnerPalooza has become a VSTE co-sponsored edtech event of educators, by educators and for educators.
When we first started out, we wanted to provide a local and low key environment for educators from across the region to come together and share best practices, formative experiences, edtech tools and applications, and have some fun doing so. This year proves to perhaps be one of the best ever. I know I said that last year but this time I am not exaggerating when I tell you that edtech leaders will be at the forefront of the offerings this year.
Our keynote speaker, Keith David Reeves, is the VSTE Board chair. He is also the author of Insurrection: A Teacher Revolution in Defense of Children, a work on educational philosophy and pedagogy, and of Paperless Research Writing: Effective Digital Scaffolding for Academic Writing. He currently serves as Senior Instructional Technology Coordinator at Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, the largest Zero Energy elementary school ever constructed in the United States. He is a Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL).
Jean Weller, a Teaching and Learning Technology Integration Specialist with the Virginia Department of Education, will provide updates from Richmond on current VDOE initiatives, especially #GoOpen. We will have an opportunity to explore the Virginia OER Commons website.
Karen Richardson, VSTE Executive Director and ISTE Certified Educator as well as Patrick Hausammann, VSTE Technology Coach of the Year and Google Certified Innovator will share their knowledge and expertise. Many other local teachers, ITRTs and technology coaches and Google Certified Trainers will provide experiences and insights on topics like classroom productivity, enhanced instruction, student content creation and, of course, with the usual throwbacks to the event's ‘GooglePalooza’ roots, the latest and greatest GSuite apps and extensions. This is ALL to help you place ‘Students First’ and engage in ‘Learning Forever’.
I hope to see you there! Remember to bring your own device and invite a friend to join you because we are always better together.
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VSTE Sponsoring NoVa Maker Educator Meetup
VSTE is proud to sponsor the 3rd NoVa Maker Educator Meetup held as part of Maker Faire NoVa. Join makers and educators from the state and region for a day of sharing and learning on June 2, 2019, at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
The meetup will last from 10 AM - 1 PM. The Maker Faire itself runs from 11 AM - 5 PM.
Sylvia Martinez, author of Invent to Learn, and George Meadows, professor of education from Mary Washington University, will keynote the meetup. In addition, lightning sessions, breakouts and workshops will provide an interactive element.
Interested in participating in the meetup? Use the form here to register and suggest topics. Meetup attendees must attend the Maker Faire but are eligible for a 50% discount on Maker Faire tickets.
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Virginia Technology Integration Specialist Named NextGen Leader
Chanel Alford-Campbell, Technology Integration Specialist from Alexandria City, was recognized at the recent CoSN conference as an Emerging EdTech Leader as part of the NextGen program.
This program, created by CoSN in partnership with EdScoop, recognizes rising school system leaders. Alford-Campbell was part of the first all-women cohort for the program.
According to EdScoop, Alford-Campbell's impact in Alexandria has been transformative. Learn more about her work here.
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National Day of Action, April 10, 2019
Please join the Title IV-A Coalition for our National Day of Action!
Please join us and the Title IV-A Coalition on April 10, 2019, for a National Day of Action to advocate for full funding of the Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grant program under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Title IV-A flexible block grant allows districts to invest in well-rounded programs, safe and healthy schools, and the effective use of technology.
Congress has recognized the importance of this block grant and provided $1.1 billion in FY18 and $1.17 billion in FY19 for Title IV-A. At this funding level, many districts are receiving substantial funds and finally have the flexibility to make meaningful investments in the program areas they need most based off of their needs assessments.
This year, it is particularly important that we demonstrate to Congress the wide range of opportunities that this program provides for students. We need to show our ongoing support for Title IV-A, share stories about why these funds are so meaningful, and ask Congress to continue to invest in this program.
What You Can Do on April 10th
Our new resources and toolkit make it easy to take action! On April 10th we ask that you please join educators and advocates all across the nation by taking one (or all) of the following actions:
SEND A PREWRITTEN LETTER TO CONGRESS
Use our easy advocacy tool to send this pre-written letter to Congress about the need to adequately invest in the Title IV-A block grant.
TWEET YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
See sample tweets below and use our easy advocacy tool to automatically send tweets to your elected officials! Please feel free to add additional activities re Title IV-A programs your organization supports in your individual tweets.
@[Senator/Rep], thank you for funding #TitleIVA of #ESSA in FY19, which provides mental health services, #SEL, access to #STEM, arts, music, PE, afterschool & #edtech programs. Our nation’s students deserve the $1.6 billion Congress promised. Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY20.
@[Senator/Rep] Full funding for #TitleIVA means districts have local control and flexibility to invest in programs that support safe and healthy schools, well-rounded ed, and effective use of #edtech. Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY20. #ESSA
All students benefit from #TitleIVA funds, w/o them districts are forced to choose between critical programs like safe and healthy schools, well-rounded education, and instructional support for #edtech. @[Senator/Rep] Please fully fund #TitleIVA in FY20. #ESSA
Districts and schools are making effective use of #TitleIVA funds from FY18+19 by investing in safe and healthy school initiatives [violence prevention, mental health, school safety], well-rounded ed [PE, STEM, Music, SEL], and #edtech [PD, personalized & blended learning]. @[Senator/Rep] fully fund #TitleIVA.
CALL YOUR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES
Below is a script you can use:
I am a [insert profession or organizational affiliation] and a voter in [insert home state and or congressional district] and I am calling to urge Senator/Representative [insert name here] to fully fund the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant program under Title IV, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act in fiscal year 2020.
Congress recognized the importance of the Title IV-A block grant in FY 2018 by providing $1.1 billion and $1.17 billion in FY 2019, which have provided districts with the flexibility to make meaningful investments in school programs based on their needs. This grant program allows districts to make meaningful investments in well-rounded education programs, safe and healthy school programs, and the effective use of technology.
All of these areas supported by this block grant are critical to ensure all students graduate from high school ready to enter college or the workforce. I strongly urge you to please fully fund Title IV-A at $1.6 billion in FY 2020.
SHARE YOUR STORY – HOW DO THESE FUNDS IMPACT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS?
Share Your Story Here: One of the most compelling ways to let Congress know about the importance of funding for this program is to hear directly from you about how these programs benefit your students. In order to help us show Congress the real life value these funds provide to you and your students, we are collecting stories about the benefits and consequences of receiving adequate or inadequate funds for programs including mental health services and professionals, music, arts, AP, STEM, and the effective use of technology.
Do you have a story to tell? Has your school received enough funding for these programs? What differences have these funds made in the lives of your students? What happens if these programs and services go away due to underfunding?
Please take a few minutes to write a paragraph or two using this handy form to share your story with us and to show Congress exactly why funding for these programs matters. We need to let members of Congress know how increased funding for this program could help your students.
Work closely with a superintendent? Ask them to take the district leader survey here by April 15th. This survey asks district leaders about the meaningful ways Title IV-A dollars have been used over the past two years and will provide critical data for our continued advocacy. Remember, once the funds are appropriated from Congress and districts have received the funding from the states, it is the superintendent, district leaders, and local community that decide how this funding is spent.
