This is one in a series of six events for education technologists.
Today’s education landscape is changing dramatically. New external and internal forces are exerting a profound impact on the US education system, and today’s educators will need to plan strategically to meet these challenges. Issues that today’s education system are facing include:
• National demand for high skill workers
• The changing market place – disappearing industries and preparing students for jobs that are not yet invented
• A retiring population and the largest group of students in K12 since the baby boomers
• Unprecedented fiscal pressure on state budgets
• Managing the significant role of technology in schools while maintaining aging infrastructure
This roundtable event will further examine these issues and explore new ways to align educational strategic planning with economic development.
You are invited to participate in roundtable discussions on topics such as:
• Strategies for Funding Innovation
• Break-Out School Model Strategies
• Infrastructure Planning for Student Achievement
• Outside the School Walls Learning Opportunities
• New uses for Student Data
• Workforce Development
More than just a briefing, this fast paced planning session will convene K12 and higher education leaders and executives from state and local workforce development teams around an agenda designed for specific “take away” implementation ideas.
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Spotlight Presentation
Kim Ross, Superintendent, Houston, MN
Kim Ross was recently awarded the eSchool News 2010 Tech Savvy Superintendent Award in recognition of excellence in ed-tech leadership and modeling the effective use of technology. He is recognized as a leader in online learning in Minnesota and has shared his experiences and successes with groups across the country. Ross, along with his team, has developed several statewide online learning K12 programs, which have grown his current district from 450 to over 2,000 students in just 8 years. Ross and his online projects were noted in Clayton Christenson’s ‘Disrupting Class’. US News and World Report recently awarded the high school a Silver Medal.
In 2008, Ross was appointed to the Minnesota Governors Broadband Task Force. Other appointments include the Governors Mathematics Standards Development Committee and the Minnesota Commissioner of Education Online Learning Advisory Committee.
Closing Keynote
John Halpin, Vice President, Center for Digital Education
John Halpin serves as the Vice President for the Center for Digital Education. He has worked in the public sector and information technology market for over 35 years.
As a veteran K-12 teacher, curriculum coordinator and college professor, Halpin has consulted with industry and the public sector to help promote the use of technology in education. He has also led sales and marketing efforts for some of the largest technology companies. In addition, Halpin has contributed to industry and professional publications as a writer and speaker. He has written for various outlets, including the national Business Journal Group, the McClatchy Newspapers chain and various corporate industry publications. He speaks often on public sector technology issues before national professional associations, various state leadership councils and technology companies.
8:30 am Registration
9:00 am Welcome and Kick Off
9:10 am Spotlight Presentation:
It is essential to look forward and plan to meet new challenges. The strategic planning focus of the event will assist leaders to focus on gaining efficiencies, getting priorities straight and using technology and partnerships to create success in the most important sector of our communities: education. The opening speaker will offer ideas for K12 teams to strategically plan for the future of their schools by leveraging the efficiencies and effectiveness of technology.
lso, due to difficult budgets, most school leaders are being forced to take an inventory of what programs they can keep and what has to be disbanded. Now is the time for education executives to take stock of what has been successful and preserve those activities.
Kim Ross, Superintendent, Houston, MN
9:30 am Roundtable discussion Rotation begins
Table 1: 9:30 to 10:05 am
Table 2: 10:05 to 10:40 am
Table 3: 10:40 to 11:15 am
Table 4: 11:15 to 11:50 am
11:50 am Lunch
12:25 pm Roundtable Discussion Rotation Continues
Table 5: 12:25 to 1:00 pm
Roundtable Discussion Topics:
ROUNDTABLE #1: Tailoring Education and Talent Development to Support Regional Economic Development
This session will explore the role that P-20 schools, businesses and government have as stakeholders in tomorrow’s workforce, and methods to align curriculum and other resources with the needs of a changing marketplace. In order to facilitate sustainable and flexible economic growth, it is becoming increasingly important that the education community understand and prepare students for the job demands for your region. The curriculum that we are teaching in schools directly impacts a student’s ability to be successful and employable in the future.
This roundtable will discuss:
• How to leverage regional data to improve student achievement and build a pipeline of qualified workers.
• Methods to develop and empower student talent throughout their education
• How to foster partnerships to create communities for success
• Ways to engage and inspire students about planning for the future
• Available funding opportunities
Andy Vaughan, Director, Strategic Programs, Monster Public Sector & Education
ROUNDTABLE #2: Best Practice Strategies for Creating a Secure, Socially-Connected Learning Environment
Today’s students are increasingly digitally savvy, and organizations must respond with solutions that allow people to connect in a media-rich, social, relevant and engaging forum. Learning environments now need to harness the power of social productivity tools to foster collaborative teaching and learning. What is involved in creating a secure, socially-connected learning environment? How can this type of environment enhance access to digital content and the ability to manage media resources? How can social collaboration and rich media access help to create a sustainable professional development model for staff? This session will discuss best practice strategies for supporting teaching and professional development efforts within a secure, social, professional learning community that is supported by Web 2.0 and mobile technologies.
Jim Rieder, Director of Sales, Open Text
ROUNDTABLE #3: Funding Strategies: Grant Writing and Winning Secrets Revealed
There is a strategy to writing and winning grants. The speakers will share secrets to navigating the maze of finding funding opportunities and turning those opportunities into successful programs for Illinois. Technology can help schools increase efficiency and save money overall. This roundtable will explore the latest technology such as desktop virtualization, including shared desktops, a truly low-cost PC alternative technology using innovative software and hardware design. The speakers will review and share tips and tricks to provide tools for navigating the sea of funding more efficiently and effectively and will investigate ways to cover the technology investments you are considering.
Kristin DeProspero, President and Chief Executive Officer, Funding Solutions Corporation
Michael Greene, Virtualization TSP - US Education, Microsoft
Brett Olsen, Education Vertical Representative, Wyse Technology
ROUNDTABLE #4: Digital Textbooks: Saving Your Budget or Transforming Your School?
Some districts are exploring digital content to save money. Others want to change teaching and learning. What is the cost of “free” and how can schools really manage the process of “going digital”? This table promises to cover points to think about, people to know and strategies to consider.
Bruce Friend, Special Projects Coordinator, iNACOL
ROUNDTABLE #5: Collaboration Fosters Innovation in Education
Never before has education faced such challenging and yet exciting times. Join us to discuss how students, parents, teachers, administrators and their communities are using technology to establish and maintain partnerships in learning to meet these challenges head on. This roundtable will share examples of how this collaboration is driving new and innovative ways of serving the education community and challenge participants to think outside the box.
Bill Kilcullen, Education Solutions, U.S. Public Sector Services, Microsoft Corporation
1:00 pm Roundtable Recap
1:10 pm Closing Keynote
Connecting the Dots – How Today’s Hot Issues Impact Schools and What to Do About It
The closing keynote will “connect the dots” between the headlines and their impact on today’s students. In the midst of tremendous change and opportunity, it is often difficult to keep up with changing educational environment, let alone have time to focus on the impact. How might you be affected by Race to the Top? How can you provide better workforce development? What impact will pending E-Rate changes have in your district? How might the Obama Administration’s EETT proposals impact your funding? How are campus management systems addressing student needs while keeping costs down? The closing keynote will address the latest timely issues facing schools and discuss ways to maximize on current opportunities.
John Halpin, Vice President, Center for Digital Education
View Presentation Slides HERE!
1:35 pm Network and Dessert
2:35 pm Adjourn
Map and Directions
http://www.fairmont.com/chicago/MapAndDirections.htm
