Elections

Meg Swecker
Coordinator of Technology Integration/ITRT
Roanoke County Public Schools

Educational Leadership

As the Coordinator of Technology Integration for Roanoke County Public schools, I support district wide initiatives, provide professional development, and collaborate with teachers and district leaders to use technology to empower learners. I have presented at local, regional, state, and International conferences.
I was elected to serve on the VSTE Board of Directors in 2015. During my term, I chaired the both the Elections Committee and the VEPLN Ad Hoc Committee and served on the Education Committee, the Outreach Committee, the Awards Committee, and the TSIP Ad Hoc Committee.

Vision for VSTE

My vision for VSTE includes advocacy, education, and outreach, three things that VSTE is already actively involved in.
VSTE’s advocacy, at both the state and national level, provides an active and passionate voice for Virginia’s students and educators. It is important that this voice continue to be heard.
VSTE supports Virginia educators by providing outstanding professional development in regional, state, and virtual events. The development of digital PD opportunities will create a positive impact on Virginia educators who may not be able to attend face to face events.

Biographical Sketch

I am passionate about the innovation and creativity that technology can bring to teaching and learning, and it is an honor to be able to share this passion with other educators. This is my 30th year as an educator and I feel like I’m just getting started!
When I’m not teaching, I spend my time gardening, keeping bees, and scuba diving.

Tim Stahmer
Freelance Educator
Fairfax County Public Schools (Retired)

Educational Leadership

I have been a VSTE member for more than 25 years and have served the organization through my work on various teams, presenting at the conference almost every year, and supporting other smaller events. For the past three years, I have been honored to serve on the Board of Directors and working as part of the Outreach and Advocacy Committees. I was part of the team that renovated the VSTE website to make it more accessible and useful for the membership, and continues to maintain it. In addition, I have been part of the Conference committee for six years, originating and leading the Maker/Playground areas that bring more interaction to the annual event. I have also planned and present events for local, state and national organizations, including ISTE, ASCD, and NSDC.

Vision for VSTE

Over the past three years, the Board has worked to increase VSTE’s role as a vocal advocate for Virginia teachers, ITRTs, school administrators and other education professionals at the state and national level. We must continue and expand this effort to strongly articulate the views of our members on instructional issues related to the use of technology for learning. One way of doing this is by expanding our support of regional and local organizations and their events that help ITRT and teachers become more effective at using technology to improve student learning. We must also continue our efforts to learn and use the art of lobbying, especially in Richmond, so that the Governor, legislators, and other officials clearly understand our message.

Biographical Sketch

For more than 25 years, I was a teacher and Technology Specialist in Fairfax County. During the latter part of my time there, I was privileged to work with the 200 amazing instructional technology trainers (called ITRTs in most parts of Virginia) in our schools, primarily supporting their efforts with middle and high school teachers and students. Prior to that I was one of those trainers, back when one of us served multiple schools at multiple levels. In a life before that, I taught students in middle and high school the beauty and application of mathematics and computer science. On the side, I have been actively blogging for almost 15 years (ancient history in the web timeline) and regularly inflict my thoughts on the web through Twitter, flickr and other channels.

Ed Ozols
Technology Director
Bath County Public Schools

Educational Leadership Experience

I was an ITRT from August 2012 until July 2016 when I became the Technology Supervisor for Bath County Public Schools. During that time, I have overseen the BCPS becoming a 1:1 laptop division for grades 5-12 and have led the way for Office365 to be the main educational workspace for teachers and students. Additionally, I have increased network bandwidth significantly. Having been a teacher before I was an ITRT, I understand the classroom and the demands that are placed on teachers. I worked to give teachers solutions that would empower them while saving time.

Vision for VSTE

I want VSTE to continue to be the voice for technology in schools. Division budgets are challenging, but we need to continue to develop 21st century skills in our students. Many of the jobs that they will occupy have not yet been created, but we can give them the skills that they need to be successful in those new jobs. I would like to see increasing involvement at the university level with students who will be entering the teaching field so that they are better able to successfully integrate technology into their classroom starting at day one.

Biographical Sketch

I wrote my first code in 1969 during my freshman year in high school. I have a BA in Psychology from Southern Illinois University and a MS in Special Education from Radford University. Prior to becoming a teacher, I worked in technology. When I started teaching, I used an overhead projector. After a few years they gave me an interactive whiteboard and then a table computer. I quickly moved from Special Education to teaching programming and Technical Drawing while at the same time acting as a part time ITRT. When the Technology Supervisor position became open, I applied, and now have that job.

 

 

Scott Kiser
Director of Technology
Wise County Public Schools

Educational Leadership

I have served in administrative capacities for the last 14 years of my career. This experience includes being the Director of Technology with two different school divisions and also serving as the principal of a combined PK-7 school for four years. I currently serve on the VSTE Board and have recently been asked to represent Region 7 on the KLIP (VA's K-12 Learning Infrastructure Program) work group that is being established by the VDOE.

Vision for VSTE

A current VSTE Board Member, I am proud of the direction that the organization is taking. While I would never want us to lose sight of the amazing things this organization has accomplished in the past, I am excited about us becoming more active in advocacy. We are a board that represents educators across the state and we are in a position to ensure those voices are heard. I also would like to see VSTE continue its work with the DOE in providing high quality professional development opportunities across the state that lead to our teachers and administrators obtaining meaningful credentialing that recognizes everyone's effort.

Biographical Sketch

I began my career at Norton Elementary School, a combined (PK-7) school, as the keyboarding/technology teacher. After a two year stint there, I was afforded the opportunity to teach business education at John I. Burton High School while also serving as the division's technology coordinator. After two years in this position, I was promoted to the Director of Technology for Norton City Schools which was a position I held for 9 years. The last four years of that tenure, I also returned to Norton Elementary as their principal while continuing to lead the technology department. I was then hired by Wise County Schools and have led their technology department for the last four years. With experience in primary, middle, and high school grades as well as my administrative experience, I believe I fully understand what we ask of our educators in Virginia and I hope to continue having the opportunity to represent them as a VSTE Board member.

Barbara Huth
Education Outreach Manager
Common Sense Media

Educational Leadership

Currently, my primary role with Common Sense Education is to collaborate with education leaders, community stakeholders and classroom educators across DC, Maryland and Virginia to build a culture of digital citizenship and learning, where technology is utilized to engage and empower students. My primary goal is to build relationships with districts across the DC Metro area, where I manage projects, curate resources, and deliver professional development aligned to district goals. In addition to supporting school communities directly, I have presented at numerous conferences, including the following annual conferences: NAIS, NCSS, NCTIES, NSTA, VSTE, and will be presenting on Universal Design for Learning at ISTE 2018. Prior to joining Common Sense I was a National Board Certified High School Science Teacher and have experience as a teacher mentor, department chair, student teacher advisor and PD lead for my district.

Vision for VSTE

VSTE can be the leader in innovative ideas in education in Virginia and beyond by building educator confidence in leveraging education technology tools for learning and setting up a foundation for digital citizenship skills within the state. With a higher teacher confidence and a student foundation of digital citizenship, VSTE can encourage educators to develop more projects that incorporate civic engagement and problem solving, so students can see that their voice matters and they can make a difference. VSTE can establish more connected learning spaces to elevate the voices of students, teachers and administrators in Virginia, where they can share how technology can open the door for many opportunities that were not possible before. VSTE can share these ideas and impacts with district leaders and state legislators to encourage more equitable access to technology for students across Virginia.

Biographical Sketch

As the Education Outreach Manager for Common Sense Education, a national nonprofit, I have the opportunity to be a liaison between many unique districts and organizations. I have a passion for being on the forefront of innovation in education. I am always researching, learning and sharing the best teaching strategies available for educators, so that students have the top resources and tools available to them to build their communication, critical thinking and collaboration skills. Also, as a veteran teacher with over a decade of experience in the classroom, I have a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges that teachers and schools experience.