Districts from Coast to Coast Choose Gaggle to Protect Students and Save Lives
13 districts in six states partner with Gaggle to implement 24/7 early-warning system, providing proactive, real-time monitoring and notifications of student safety issues and threats
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Sept. 16, 2019) – School districts partnering with Gaggle helped save the lives of 722 students who were actively planning or attempting suicide during the 2018-19 school year. To proactively protect students and ensure their safety and well-being in digital spaces, 13 districts in six different states stretching across the country have chosen to team up with Gaggle, the leader in helping K-12 districts manage student safety on school-provided technology.
Since 1999, Gaggle has helped districts across the country protect students, avoid tragedies, and save lives by monitoring and responding to safety issues and threats. The Gaggle safety solution uses a robust combination of both artificial intelligence and trained safety experts to provide real-time analysis and review of students’ use of online collaboration platforms, such as Google’s G Suite for Education, Microsoft Office 365, and Canvas.
Some of the newest districts partnering with Gaggle to keep their students safe are:
- Anaheim Elementary School District, California
- Pasadena Unified School District, California
- Bunker Hill Community School District #8, Illinois
- Community High School District #117, Illinois
- Rochester Public School District, Minnesota
- Rockwall Independent School District (ISD), Texas
- Dickinson ISD, Texas
- Irving ISD, Texas
- Santa Fe ISD, Texas
- Roanoke County Public Schools, Virginia
- Shenandoah County Public Schools, Virginia
- Bellevue School District, Washington
- Federal Way School District, Washington
“In light of the tragic events that happened here at Santa Fe High School on May 18, 2018, restoring a sense of safety and security has become top priority in our district” said Jodi Montemayor, Gaggle Administrator from Santa Fe (TX) Independent School District. “With violence, bullying and teen depression becoming a nationwide epidemic, the need is high to have all measures of protection in place to prevent future school attacks. With Gaggle as our partner, we have created a shared commitment and dedicated resources to provide a safe and secure learning environment for all of our students, staff, and community.”
Gaggle proactively assists districts 24/7/365 in the prevention of harmful situations. Over the past 20 years, Gaggle has scanned more than 13 billion pieces of student content, flagging over 151 million items for review by Gaggle looking for signs of self-harm, depression, thoughts of suicide, substance abuse, cyberbullying, and credible threats of violence against others.
In addition, Gaggle adheres to the requirements of the National Center of Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) to protect school districts from the risks and liability involved in handling pornographic images that may be inadvertently uploaded to school servers when students sync their cell phone to their school accounts.
“We are pleased to join the Gaggle team given our intense focus on the health, safety, and well-being of our students and community,” said Dr. Mark Johnston, superintendent, Shenandoah County Public Schools, Virginia. “We see Gaggle as helping us to better address and maintain this focus for electronic communications.”
For more information, visit www.gaggle.net.
About Gaggle|www.gaggle.net
Since 1999, Gaggle has been the leader in helping K-12 districts manage student safety on school-provided technology. Using a robust combination of both artificial intelligence and trained safety experts, the safety solution proactively assists districts 24/7/365 in the prevention of student suicide, bullying, inappropriate behaviors, school violence, and other harmful situations. Most importantly, Gaggle continues to help hundreds of districts avoid tragedies and save lives, while also protecting their liability. In the 2018-19 academic year, Gaggle has helped districts save the lives of more than 700 students who were planning or actually attempting suicide. For more information, visit www.gaggle.net and follow Gaggle on Twitter at @Gaggle_K12.
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Lexia PowerUp Literacy Wins Best Personalized/Adaptive Learning Tool in the 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
Lexia Core5 Reading recognized as a finalist for Best Literacy Tool/App
BOSTON (Sept. 12, 2019) – For the second consecutive year, Lexia Learning’s personalized literacy programs, Lexia® Core5® Reading (Core5) and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® (PowerUp), were standouts in the Tech Edvocate Awards program. PowerUp was recognized as a winner in the category of Best Personalized/Adaptive Learning App or Tool while Core5 was named a finalist in the category for Best Literacy App or Tool.
As in previous years, the Tech Edvocate Awards recognize outstanding edtech products that are focused on advocating for students by catering to identified classroom and learning needs. The winners and finalists were selected by a panel of educators and K-12 parents who reviewed the submissions and judged the products and services based on the extent to which they are transforming education through the development or advocacy of edtech.
“High-quality, peer-reviewed efficacy research has always been at the center of our pedagogical approach.” said Lexia President Nick Gaehde. “That is why we are so delighted to receive these accolades for both PowerUp and Core5. By maintaining a keen focus on outcomes, we are able to help millions of students build strong literacy skills.”
PowerUp is designed to enhance core English language arts instruction for struggling readers in grades six and above. Blending personalized, online student-driven instruction with offline teacher-delivered lessons and activities, the program accelerates the development of both fundamental literacy skills and higher-order thinking skills through adaptive learning paths. With a range of engaging texts, instructional videos and game-based motivational elements, the program is designed to help students take ownership of their learning, acknowledging their growing autonomy and building their confidence. Additionally, embedded progress monitoring, actionable data and scripted lessons empower teachers to deliver the exact instruction each student needs.
Core5 is a research-proven, technology-based program that accelerates the development of fundamental through advanced literacy skills for students of all abilities in grades pre-K-5. Following a rigorous scope and sequence built for college and career ready standards, Core5 provides explicit, systematic instruction through personalized learning paths in six areas of reading. Core5 seamlessly adapts based on student performance, targeting skill gaps as they emerge and equipping teachers with the data and instructional resources they need to personalize instruction for every student. Embedded assessment technology predicts students’ year-end performance and provides ongoing norm-referenced and actionable data to help teachers prioritize and plan instruction with the offline instructional materials.
A complete list of the 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards winners and finalists can be found here.
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About Lexia Learning
Lexia Learning, a Rosetta Stone company, empowers educators through adaptive assessment and personalized instruction. For more than 30 years, the company has been on the leading edge of research and product development as it relates to student reading skills. With a robust offering that includes solutions for differentiated instruction, personalized learning, and assessment, Lexia Learning provides educators with the tools to intensify and accelerate literacy skills development for students of all abilities. For more information, visit www.lexialearning.com
About Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE: RST) is dedicated to changing people’s lives through the power of language and literacy education. The company’s innovative digital solutions drive positive learning outcomes for the inspired learner at home or in schools and workplaces around the world.
Founded in 1992, Rosetta Stone’s language division uses cloud-based solutions to help all types of learners read, write, and speak more than 30 languages. Lexia Learning, Rosetta Stone’s literacy education division, was founded more than 30 years ago and is a leader in the literacy education space. Today, Lexia helps students build fundamental reading skills through its rigorously researched, independently evaluated, and widely respected instruction and assessment programs.
Three Innovative Firms to Furnish EDspaces Café
(Silver Spring, MD) — Attendees at next month’s EDspaces Conference & Expo, October 23-25, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will enjoy lunch in next generation school cafeteria and campus dining settings. These unique educational environments will allow participants to experience first-hand the latest product and space innovations as they sample three distinct EDspaces Café seating areas designed and furnished by AmTab Manufacturing, mediatechnologies, and Palmer Hamilton, who are among the nearly 175 exhibitors at the event.
“The cafeteria is no longer just about food service,” says Jim McGarry, president/CEO of the Education Market Association, the event organizer. “It is the water cooler of the modern school – a gathering place for students to talk, a unique place to collaborate and learn, and of course, for students to eat.”
EDspaces features 54 CEU-accredited education sessions in six designed classrooms, innovative K-12 and higher edfacility tours, and unique learning experiences and networking events throughout the 3-day event focused on the convergence of pedagogy, space and technology and its impact on student outcomes.
About EDspaces
Each year, education leadership gathers to explore challenges, strengthen skills, and build networks at EDspaces. It is the premier event for the educational facilities marketplace and the gathering place for architects, dealers, Pre–K – 12, colleges, universities, independent manufacturer representatives, exhibitors, and corporations to learn about trends and experience the latest products and services to enhance student learning.
Find out more and register at www.ed-spaces.com
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Oregon’s Reynolds School District Expands Partnership with Discovery Education to Create Immersive Science Lessons for High School Students
–Combination of New Digital Curriculum and Professional Learning from Discovery Education Empower District Educators to Maximize Shift to 1:1 Learning–
Silver Spring, MD (September 12, 2019) — Oregon’s Reynolds School District (RSD) today announced the expansion of its multiyear partnership with Discovery Education the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. In this collaboration’s latest phase, RSD’s high school science teachers are empowered to use Discovery Education’s award-winning Science Techbook and sustained, job-embedded professional development to create immersive, digital lessons in a 1:1 environment.
Serving students and families in the eastern Portland metro area, Reynolds School District is dedicated to graduating students that embrace lifelong learning and apply skills in technology, global literacy, creativity, and critical thinking to enhance family, career, and community. To help reach this goal, the Reynolds High School just launched a new 1:1 initiative that is putting new Chromebooks into the hands of each student. In addition, the district is shifting to a new inquiry-based approach to Science instruction designed to meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
To support RSD’s efforts to meet the NGSS, the school system selected Discovery Education’s Science Techbook for student use in high school science classrooms. The Science Techbook series empowers educators to transform science instruction through a rich digital curriculum that includes video, audio, text, interactives with hands-on activities, and virtual labs that help educators differentiate instruction and provide a rich and engaging learning experience for students. Additional student features include Spanish/English text-to-speech and leveled reading tools and note-taking and highlighting capabilities. The Science Techbook series also includes valuable STEM resources including STEM Project Starters that encourage students to connect math, technology, and engineering to their understanding of science concepts to produce creative solutions to real world problems. In addition, the STEM In Action resources help students connect their work to STEM careers, which promotes a clearer understanding of how skills used in school can be applied to jobs “in the real world.”
“Reynolds School District believes every student is entitled to an equitable opportunity to engage in three-dimensional learning focused on higher-order thinking and student-driven inquiry,” said RSD’s Curriculum Coordinator Tara DeBois. “Our collaboration with Discovery Education has helped drive deeper student engagement in our middle school science classes, and we look forward to similar results in our high school science classes.”
To help RDS’S High School Science teachers maximize the Science Techbook and their new Chromebooks in the coming school year, Discovery Education will provide district educators numerous professional development opportunities. Through these interactive professional learning opportunities, participants will learn best practices for integrating technology and digital content into teaching and learning in ways that will maximize the power of their new resources, increase student engagement in instruction, and improve students’ academic achievement.
“Discovery Education is excited to continue this powerful partnership,” said Nellie Herchenbach, Discovery Education Partnerships Manager. “Through the creation of digital, 1:1 learning environments powered by Discovery Education’s Science Techbook, Reynolds School District is making great strides in their effort to help all students grow the skills and competencies needed to enhance family, career, and community connections.”
NECSD’s educators will also receive support from the Discovery Education Community. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.
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About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
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Aperture Education Named Winner in 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
Company wins in the Best Global EdTech Startup category
Charlotte N.C. (Sept. 12, 2019) — Aperture Education, which provides assessments and resources to support social-emotional learning programs, was named Best Global EdTech Startup by the 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards.
The Tech Edvocate Awards is an annual awards program that recognizes the year’s top EdTech companies, products and people. It selects winners based on an evaluation by a panel of judges combined with results from a public voting period.
“We created Aperture Education in 2017 because we believed in the power of social-emotional learning programs to support student success, both in and out of the classroom,” said Jessica Adamson, CEO of Aperture Education. “We are extremely proud of our growth, the partnerships we’ve made and the number of children we’ve served. We are honored to be named Best Global Edtech Startup by the Tech Edvocate Awards.”
Aperture Education provides strength-based online social and emotional learning assessments and resilience-building resources to help schools and out-of-school programs address the whole child. It also provides professional development to support the social-emotional health of educators. The company was formed by two organizations – the Devereux Center for Resilient Children, a non-profit which promotes resilience in children, and Apperson, Inc., a for-profit which provides educators with data to make informed instructional decisions.
Aperture Education has experienced significant growth since it was created. Its SEL assessments are being used by 30,000 educators, 2,300 schools/sites and 435 programs in 47 U.S. states. Aperture projects an estimated 1 million of its assessments will be administered by customers this year. Aperture’s flagship SEL assessments, the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) and DESSA-mini, are featured in the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)’s SEL Assessment Guide.
For more information on Aperture Education, visit https://apertureed.com/.
To view the full list of 2019 Tech Edvocate Award winners and finalists, visit https://www.theedadvocate.org/finalists-and-winners-of-the-2019-tech-edvocate-awards/
About Aperture Education
Aperture Education specializes in social and emotional learning (SEL) solutions. Our flagship product, the DESSA Comprehensive SEL System, allows educators to measure, strengthen, and support social-emotional competence in youth in grades K-12. The DESSA System includes a suite of strength-based assessments, a universal screener that can be administered in less than a minute, and growth strategies and foundational practices to strengthen social and emotional competence. The DESSA System is lauded by researchers because it meets high standards for reliability and validity and is appreciated by educators for its ability to easily and quickly identify each student’s personal SEL strengths and provide practical supports that result in improved student outcomes. In addition to supporting the social-emotional skills of children, we recently launched the Educator Social Emotional Reflection and Training (EdSERT) tool. EdSERT is a professional development program to support the social-emotional competency and well-being of educators. For more information, go to www.ApertureEd.com.
PresenceLearning Named Winner in 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
Leading provider of live online special education-related services recognized in the
Best Assistive Technology App or Tool category
NEW YORK, September 12, 2019 – PresenceLearning, Inc., the leading provider of live online special education-related services to K-12 schools, won the Tech Edvocate Award for Best Assistive Technology App or Tool. The company’s proprietary therapy platform was recognized for its integration of traditional therapy materials, such as assessments, class assignments, games, and more, with a unique video conferencing experience that enables clinicians to work with students in any location.
“Our platform is the catalyst for clinicians to provide remote special education services. It offers a way to conduct secure, live, online sessions and students react positively to the technology,” said Cole Dudley, VP of Product. “This recognition speaks to the work we have done to make sure clinicians and students have the best possible experience.”
PresenceLearning is currently celebrating its 10-year anniversary and has delivered more than 2 million therapy sessions while partnering with hundreds of schools and districts nationwide to help them increase their impact and serve more students with special needs. Its online therapy solution is increasing access to special education service providers and enabling schools to better utilize the national workforce of clinicians. The company has shown that the online delivery of related services is practical, convenient, and effective.
During the therapy sessions, clinicians view the student from multiple angles while working on engaging activities within the platform. The platform features an Irlen filter to improve accessibility; 100,000-plus worksheets, an interactive whiteboard, and mouse controls to help redirect or refocus students; the ability to track a student’s goals and progress during a given session; and much more.
The Tech Edvocate Awards is an annual awards program run by The Edvocate. It recognizes the year’s top edtech companies, products, and people. The finalists and winners were selected by a combination of public voting and by a panel of judges.
To view the full list of winners and finalists, go to https://www.theedadvocate.org/finalists-and-winners-of-the-2019-tech-edvocate-awards/.
To learn more about PresenceLearning, visit www.presencelearning.com.
About PresenceLearning
PresenceLearning, Inc. is the leading provider of live online special education-related services to K-12 schools. The company connects speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and behavioral and mental health professionals with students through its proprietary online platform, and has delivered more than 2 million teletherapy sessions at hundreds of K-12 schools, districts, and networks across the U.S. through its network of almost 1,000 certified clinicians. Investors in the company include Catalyst Investors, Catamount Ventures, Birchmere Ventures, New Markets Venture Partners, and Blue Heron Capital. For more information, visit https://www.presencelearning.com.
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New report examining violence in schools contradicts conventional wisdom about school shootings
A new report by the Educator’s School Safety Network shows dramatic increase in school-based violence incidents, the majority of which are not active shooter events
September 11, 2019 – A new report released today by the non-profit the Educator’s School Safety Network shows the rate of incidents of violence in U.S. schools increased by 34% for the 2018-2019 school year when compared to the previous school year. The most frequent violent incident involved false reports of an active shooter (18.4%), while actual school shootings events comprised only 6% of all violent incidents. The report also shows a slight decrease of 9.5% in threats for the past school year, but an overall increase of 46% in the number of threats directed at schools since 2016.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, the most frequent incidents of violence in schools during 2018-2019 were false reports of violence or simulated attacks, which comprised 18.4% of all violent events, followed by responding to suspicious persons at 15.8%. The use or presence of guns in schools accounted for 24% of all tracked incidents.
“It’s important to examine the wide array of violent incidents schools faced in the 2018-2019 school year that were unrelated to gun violence,” said Dr. Amy Klinger, Director of Programs at the Educator’s School Safety Network. “Schools were most often dealing with incidents stemming from violent, aggressive behaviors by disruptive parents, trespassers, or students (without the presence of a gun) as these accounted for more than 18% of all violent events. This does not even take into account the rate of other crisis events schools must manage that are not ‘man-made’ including medical emergencies, accidents, and severe weather events.”
“There are so many misconceptions and misinformation about threats and violence in schools,” Klinger said. “We believe it is critical to move from mere speculation on this issue to actual facts and data. Schools need training, support, and resources to deal with the ever increasing number of both violent incidents AND threats. This research provides important insights about the nature, frequency, and severity of the school safety problems schools really face.”
Dr. Klinger and her co-author Amanda Klinger,Esq. are authors of the book Keeping Kids Students Safe Every Day that provides education-focused recommendations for improving school safety for teachers and students.
The findings are part of an annual report for the 2018-2019 school year released by the Educator’s School Safety Network, a national non-profit school safety organization based in Ohio. The non-profit has compiled data on threats and incidents of violence, including school-based bomb incidents, since 2014. Their research is derived from daily tracking and analysis of school-based incidents and threats of violence in the United States.
A summary of the 2018-2019 report is available at www.eSchoolSafety.org/violence.
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About Educator’s School Safety Network: The Educator’s School Safety Network is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing education-based school safety training, resources and technical assistance to schools. Information about the Educator’s School Safety Network and the other resources and support they provide can be accessed at www.eSchoolSafety.org.
About Dr. Amy Klinger: Dr. Amy Klinger, co-founder of the Educator’s School Safety Network, has 28 years of experience in public education as a teacher and administrator at the elementary and secondary levels. She is recognized as a national expert on school safety and violence prevention. Dr. Klinger is also an Associate Professor and Department Chair in Educational Leadership at Ashland University.
About the book: At a time when schools at every level and in every community face the possibility of a crisis event, Keeping Students Safe Every Day equips leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to make safety a top priority. In this informative and comprehensive guide, school safety experts Amy Klinger and Amanda Klinger offer significant – and sometimes surprising – statistics on school safety, dispel common misunderstandings, and provide preK-12 school leaders with the specific information they need to prepare for and effectively respond to natural disasters, accidents, or violent events.
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With a Fast and Easy to Use Award-Winning Solution, TranslateLive Provides Instant Translation Support for Those With Communicative Disabilities and Barriers
CLEARWATER, Fla., Sept. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Offering an intriguing glimpse into the future of translation devices, TranslateLive, (https://www.translatelive.com/), has created an innovative software and hardware solution with the capability to connect everyone regardless of language or hearing barriers. With more than 120 different languages and dialects, including user-friendly features for the blind, low vision, deaf and hard of hearing, TranslateLive’s software and ILA devices seek to enhance the global communication experience.
“This is the product of the future for translation, travel and global human interaction,” said Jim Holmes, director of development for TranslateLive. “Combining features of translation and support for those with disabilities, TranslateLive stands out amongst other competitors and even creates a new industry all on its own.”
In addition to TranslateLive’s capabilities, the company’s product also enables a wide range of access with users only needing the internet to use it. TranslateLive does not require users to download any additional software for use, nor does it require them to pass a device back and forth.
Benefits of TranslateLive include:
- Easy Access: TranslateLive’s software allows for a free trial and doesn’t require any instant purchase of an app. The TranslateLive app is available for frequent users and customers for both iOS and Android but can be used by anyone with just a web browser.
- Instant and Accurate: With the Live AI translation feature and more than 120 languages and accents programmed into the software, the product’s Speech to Text feature is continuously improving and is more accurate than other competing products.
- Inclusive: TranslateLive supports people with disabilities such as the deaf, blind, and hard of hearing in any language. It can also be used at the same time with other communication programs such as Zoom, Skype, Facetime, and others.
- Privacy: All conversations are encrypted, private, and HIPPA compliant. Each user is required to have a link or access code to join in a TranslateLive conversation. Frequent users can create accounts to save their conversations and even access them through the app.
- Higher Accuracy: Each person having their own screen ensures each user’s speech can be checked by the speaker for accuracy leading to a much higher accuracy rate.
“We live, eat and breathe communication access. Our goal is to serve our community and breaking down barriers is what we have always done,” TranslateLive CEO Peter Hayes said.
TranslateLive has launched an Indiegogo campaign, (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ila-instant-language-assistant-for-120-languages ), to spread awareness about their ILA hardware product among consumers, organizations and the investment community.
ABOUT TranslateLive
At TranslateLive, our goal is to break down language barriers so people can easily communicate with each other no matter their ability or what language they speak.
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Leading K-12 Digital Curriculum and Technology Company Edgenuity Appoints Jeff Pendleton to Newly Created Position of Chief Operating Officer
Company Poised to Continue Investment in Curriculum, Assessment and Technology to Deliver Differentiated Solutions to Teachers and Students
Scottsdale, AZ – September 11, 2019 – Edgenuity, a leading provider of online curriculum and instructional services for the K-12 market, today announced that it has appointed Jeff Pendleton to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer. Jeff joins Edgenuity from Imagine Learning, a Weld North Education sister company, where he was most recently Chief Experience Officer. At Edgenuity, Jeff will be responsible for the development and delivery of market-focused products to help improve teaching and learning.
“We are delighted to welcome Jeff to this newly created position at Edgenuity,” said Sari Factor, CEO. “Jeff has a proven track record of customer-centric innovation. Bringing Jeff on board is a clear reflection of the rapid growth of our business and the investment we are making in new products as demand grows for personalized, targeted learning and assessment to improve student outcomes.”
“Our vision has been and remains constant: to build the best digital curriculum and assessment company in the world,” said Jonathan Grayer, CEO of Weld North Education. “We know categorically that by putting the best and most engaging digital products in the hands of teachers, we can offer students a range of education solutions that create a world of possibilities and move learning forward. There is tremendous momentum in our business and Jeff will join a strong and vibrant leadership team delivering on its core mission: to generate positive outcomes for students.”
“I’m excited to join Sari and the other members of the Edgenuity team,” said Jeff Pendleton, COO. “We’re building products teachers and students love: rigorous curriculum that leverages technology to engage students. This empowers them to harness their innate creativity to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. For me it’s both humbling and inspiring and I’m so excited to work with the amazing talent here at Edgenuity.”
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About Edgenuity
Edgenuity is a leading provider of online curriculum and instructional services for the K-12 market. Nationwide, Edgenuity is in use by more than 20,000 schools, including 20 of the 25 largest school districts, to meet academic goals and improve student outcomes. We offer initial credit courses, honors and Advanced Placement courses, credit recovery, intervention and test readiness. These solutions, in addition to Edgenuity’s instructional services and professional development offerings, help students, educators and districts achieve success in their online and blended learning programs. For more information, visit Edgenuity.com.
About Weld North Education
Weld North Education, led by Jonathan Grayer, is the country’s largest pure-play K-12 digital curriculum and assessment company committed to unlocking the power of technology for learning. Weld North Education, through its two underlying brands Edgenuity and Imagine Learning, successfully serves more than six million students in thousands of schools and districts across the country.
CatchOn Partners With Troxell-CDI to Help Schools Maximize Their Technology Investments
Through this partnership, education leaders can leverage data to make informed decisions for their districts.
Nashville, TN (September 10, 2019) ― CatchOn, the premier provider of data analytics to K–12 schools, announced today a strategic partnership with Troxell-CDI, North America’s leading ed-tech solution powerhouse, to deliver the actionable insights education communities require to make data-informed decisions.
“We are excited that CatchOn has been added to Troxell’s portfolio of service offerings,” says Jena Draper, CatchOn’s founder. “We are aligned in our commitments to improving education and helping today’s students learn effectively. Through this partnership, we can offer education leaders a full technology suite that includes the analytics and data points they need to produce positive outcomes.”
To view the full news release, click here.
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Everyday Speech Enhances Social Learning Platform with Full SEL Curriculum, Personalized Dashboard, and Instructional Supports
Boston, Mass. — Sept. 10, 2019 — To integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) into preK-12 schools, teachers and school-based professionals need easy access to evidence-based strategies and tools. After helping educators in more than 2,000 districts across the country improve SEL instruction with the Social Learning Platform, Everyday Speech is enhancing its flagship product with an expanded SEL curriculum, personalized dashboard, and new instructional supports.
“We created the Social Learning Platform to bring innovative technology into SEL and provide teachers and other school-based professionals with a go-to place for no-prep SEL lessons and resources,” said Brittany Brunell, a speech-language pathologist and the founder of Everyday Speech. “Since introducting the platform, one of the most common questions we’ve heard is, ‘Where do I start?’ So, with this new version, we’ve created dozens of premade lesson units —coupled with more than 1,000 resources — that walk educators through a skill from beginning to end. We’ve also improved the dashboard and added new training videos to save time and help them jump right in.”
The Social Learning Platform provides centralized access to SEL video lessons, printable activities, and online games. The enhanced online platform now includes a full SEL curriculum with hundreds of new, ready-made SEL lessons at teachers’ fingertips, so they can spend less time searching for materials and prepping lessons, and more time teaching. Using the evidence-based strategy of video modeling, the lessons help students develop and improve and SEL skills, while fostering carryover and generalization of these skills to different contexts. In addition, premade lesson bundles take the guesswork out of teaching SEL skills by providing everything needed to introduce, practice, apply, and review targeted skills. The lesson bundles are organized by skill and the goals within each skill to make it easy to find the right content for students.
The Social Learning Platform dashboard is now personalized to each educator, based on the materials they use. This makes it easy to jump back to recently viewed videos or goals, or the last place they were in the curriculum. Educators can also create and save their own playlists of content, or they can access guided lists to help them work toward specific SEL goals.
To help educators quickly get up to speed, the Social Learning Platform includes new training videos with tips and ideas from Brunell. There are also new posters and visual aids that can be printed and displayed in the classroom or sent home for skill reinforcement.
The Social Learning Platform can be used with individuals, groups, or an entire class. It works on any computer, laptop, or iPad, and runs entirely in the web browser or iPad app so there is nothing to install. Educators can also download videos for use offline so they can access their materials anywhere they go.
About Everyday Speech
Everyday Speech, a leader in social-emotional skills education, developed the Social Learning Platform to provide the most comprehensive video-based SEL curriculum in preK-12 education. All of the video lessons within the curriculum leverage power of video modeling, an evidence-based practice for teaching social-emotional skills. The Social Learning Platform is used by thousands of school-based professionals, private practices and organizations, and parents around the world. For more information, visit https://everydayspeech.com.
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Jackson Charitable Foundation and Discovery Education Launch Third Annual “Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids Contest” to Encourage K-6 Grade Students to Become Financially Empowered Adults
– Annual Jackson Charitable Foundation Pledge Contest to Award $10,000 to a Winning School, Plus $1,000 to a Local Charity of Students’ Choice –
Silver Spring, Md. (Friday, September 6, 2019) – Jackson Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission to advance financial knowledge on a national scale and Discovery Education, the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content and professional learning for K-12 classrooms, today announced the third annual Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! Contest. Open to elementary school teachers and families of students in grades K-6, entrants take a pledge to teach kids how to earn, save, spend, and donate. Now through Dec. 12, teachers and families can enter the contest for the chance to win $10,000 for their school, plus an additional $1,000 to donate to charity. In addition to cash prizes, the winning school will also receive a fun financial literacy event at their school.
“Working with Discovery Education, the Jackson Charitable Foundation has helped more than three million students across the country understand how money works,” said Danielle Robinson, executive director, Jackson Charitable Foundation. “The steps we take to build financial knowledge as young adults in middle age, and even after we leave the workforce, are just as important as the steps we take as children. The ‘Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! Contest’ exists so young learners have a fun, engaging path to travel while taking those first steps into financial education.”
Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! is a financial education program designed to train the next generation of financially empowered adults. The program provides youth with critical 21st century skills by beginning high-quality financial literacy education in elementary school, where it can be fundamentally embedded in core learning experiences at a young age. Available at no cost to classrooms nationwide, the program provides educator resources, family activities, animated videos, and more.
“‘Cha-Ching’ was created as the ‘School House Rock’ for financial literacy. The program’s accessible, digitally immersive, interactive videos help kids learn the basics of financial management and open up a future world of possibilities, which aim to help them make informed financial decisions that support their personal dreams and goals,” said Dr. Alice Wilder, producer of Blues Clues and co-creator of Super WHY! “Kids have choices about how they spend their money, and it’s important for them to know what those choices are starting at an early age.”
Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! program elements include:
Music Videos and Game — Helping children learn money management concepts with lively cartoon characters from the Cha-Ching band. Storylines spotlight the importance of earning, saving, spending, and donating. They also help reinforce healthy money habits.
Classroom Activities — Providing K-6 educators with standards-aligned activities that pair with music videos to teach students how to be money smart.
Educator Guides — Enhancing educators’ background knowledge of financial literacy to better equip them to facilitate the classroom activities.
Family Activities — Offering parents, families, and communities helpful tools to teach their children how to be money smart.
“We live in an era that has proven to be challenging when considering effective ways to engage young students in active learning,” said Eric Harshbarger, Larry W. Miller Intermediate School Principal, East Muskingum Local Schools, New Concord, Ohio. Larry W. Miller Intermediate School was also the 2018 Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! Contest winning school. “The program gets great messages across, teaches kids about financial literacy as an important subject, and empowers students to take part in growing their own knowledge base. We’re elated about fun and exciting opportunities to grow money smart adults,” he said.
Launched in April 2017, Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! amplifies engaging financial literacy content and brings it to classrooms across the United States. Cha-Ching is a cartoon band that features six energetic characters, brought to life in music videos, that help children learn about fundamental money management concepts through the band members’ different approaches to money habits. The original videos were created by Dr. Wilder and feature storylines that spotlight the four key concepts of money: earn, save, spend, and donate. These concepts emphasize the cycle of money and vital choices that are made every day throughout life.
“Discovery Education is proud to lock arms with Jackson Charitable Foundation to transform classrooms, empower teachers, and captivate students as they build the confidence necessary to make sound financial decisions that are critical for success,” said Lori McFarling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Discovery Education. “The ‘Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! Contest’ brings financial literacy concepts to life, supports in-class and at-home instruction, and helps students and families practice the building blocks of sound financial planning. We are delighted to continue the program’s meaningful impact in schools and homes across America.”
Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! resources are available at cha-chingusa.org and through Discovery Education Experience. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital content and professional development services, visit discoveryeducation.com. Stay connected with Discovery Education on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @DiscoveryEd.
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About Jackson Charitable Foundation:
Jackson Charitable Foundation’s vision is for all Americans to have the strong personal finance skills that allow people to live fuller, more self-directed lives. The 501(c)(3) private operating Foundation, is the charitable-giving arm of Jackson National Life Insurance Company. The Foundation works with Jackson associates and world-class partners to provide economic opportunities that build strong communities. Follow the Jackson Charitable Foundation at jacksoncharitablefoundation.org, on Facebook at @JacksonCharitableFoundation and on Twitter at @JacksonFdn.
About Discovery Education:
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.
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Boxlight’s MimioClarity Wins Best Classroom Audio-Visual Tool in the 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
Company Also Honored as Finalist in Best Global EdTech Company and Best STEM/STEAM Tool Categories
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA (Sept. 4, 2019) – Boxlight Corporation (Nasdaq: BOXL) (“Boxlight”) today announced that its MimioClarity™ classroom audio distribution system has been named a 2019 Tech Edvocate Award winner in the Best Classroom Audio-Visual Tool category. In addition, Boxlight Corporation was selected as a finalist in the Best Global EdTech Company category while its Mimio MyBot educational robotics system was also honored as a finalist in the Best STEM/STEAM tool or app category. This year is the third year of the Tech Edvocate awards, which recognizes outstanding EdTech products that are focused on advocating for students by catering to identified classroom and learning needs. Finalists were selected by a panel of educators and K-12 parents who reviewed the submissions and judged the products and services based on the extent to which they are transforming education through the development or advocacy of EdTech. The judges also took the results of a popular vote into consideration for the finalist selection process. “We’re honored to be named a winner while scoring two finalist nods in this year’s Tech Edvocate Awards, which awards products based on their most important feature: their contribution to students’ learning,” said Mark Elliott, CEO of Boxlight. “We are proud that our newest product offerings –MimioClarity and Mimio MyBot – were both honored alongside so many other great products that are making great strides in EdTech. Of course, being selected as a finalist in the Best Global EdTech Company category speaks to our impact in classrooms around the globe.” The newly-launched MimioClarity audio system works by having teachers use wearable, wireless microphones and a multichannel 60-watt amplifier to distribute their voices and multimedia audio throughout the classroom via two or four speakers that are placed above students’ heads on classroom walls. The microphones stay charged for up to 10 hours with no dead zones, wind feedback, or boom effects. MimioClarity’s radio frequency ensures that the microphones do not need to be within the line of sight of the amplifier or speakers, nor do they compete with FM, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth frequencies. Additionally, teachers have two programmable buttons for control of the MimioStudio™ classroom software, Microsoft Office, Google Classroom, and other front-of-class software on the teacher’s computer. The Mimio MyBot educational robotics system is a powerful and innovative program that enables pre-K-12 students to develop STEM skills and a passion for programming and robotics. Through innovative robots and a comprehensive software platform, educators receive an out-of-the-box solution complete with a robust curriculum, STEM lessons, tutorials, and videos. The intuitive and easy-to-use interface is designed for education, allowing students to start in a simple drag-and-drop environment and progress to a powerful coding environment as their skills develop. The extensive set of building components empowers students to create mobile and stationary mechanical systems and explore engineering principles from simple machines to advanced mechanisms. Furthermore, the Wi-Fi enabled Fusion™ robotic controller does not require any special software or cables to connect with the student workstation; all that’s needed to start learning is a web browser. A complete list of winners of the 2019 Tech Edvocate awards can be found here. # # #
About Boxlight Corporation: Boxlight Corporation (Nasdaq: BOXL) (“Boxlight”) is a leading provider of technology solutions for the global learning market. The company aims to improve learning and engagement in classrooms and to help educators enhance student outcomes, by developing the products they need. The company develops, sells, and services its integrated, interactive solution suite including software, classroom technologies, and professional development and support services. For more information about the Boxlight story, visit http://www.boxlight.com. Forward Looking Statements: This press release may contain information about Boxlight’s view of its future expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from historical results or those indicated by these forward-looking statements because of a variety of factors including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with its ability to maintain and grow its business, variability of operating results, its development and introduction of new products and services, marketing and other business development initiatives, competition in the industry, etc. Boxlight encourages you to review other factors that may affect its future results in Boxlight’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. *************************************** USC Shoah Foundation and Discovery Education Award $10,000 in Scholarships and Prizes to 2019 ‘Stronger Than Hate Challenge’ Winners
— Challenge Winners Use ‘Stronger Than Hate’ Grant Awards to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in California and Pennsylvania School Communities —
Silver Spring, Md. (Thursday, September 5, 2019) – In an effort to spark a social movement against hatred in all forms, USC Shoah Foundation, established by Steven Spielberg after his experience filming “Schindler’s List”— which gave voice to survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides through education and action – and Discovery Education, today announced the Teaching with Testimony 2019 Stronger Than Hate Challenge winners.
Sabrina B. and Sydney B. of Monte Vista High School in Danville, Calif., will receive a $5,000 scholarship for their winning video essay Learning to Love, which aims to inspire their school and community to counter hate. As part of the Grand Prize, Monte Vista High School will use a $3,500 grant to further the fight against hate at their school through an underfunded art program that will help further students’ awareness of their differences through art projects and campaigns. Additional prizes, totaling $1,500, will be awarded to the national second and third place challenge winners, respectively. Sabrina and Sydney’s video essays, Choosing Kindness Over Hate and Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable, were recorded and initially shared with school communities in Jeanette and Phoenixville, Pa.
“As an educator, it is vital to prepare students with critical-thinking assignments that challenge harmful stereotypes and empower them to extend their leadership abilities beyond the classroom,” said Anjali Brandeis, a teacher at Monte Vista High School. “I’m proud of my students for understanding the gravity of modeling compassion and reconciliation in today’s society, and I am confident that they will use what they’ve learned from their participation in the ‘Teaching with Testimony Stronger Than Hate Challenge’ to help create a better future.”
The California and Pennsylvania-based student leaders created their video essays with the intention of inspiring a shared passion for human rights and social justice. Stronger Than Hate Challenge Grand Prize winners Sabrina B. and Sydney B. also facilitated a local community speaking event to expand students’ knowledge of the value and importance of diversity, equity and inclusion. “Change starts with the individual decision to do something different,” asserts Sabrina. “Each of us, in our everyday interactions, have the choice to be accepting and nonjudgmental.”
The Stronger Than Hate Challenge encourages students in grades 6-12 to complete research-based and standards-aligned activities, culminating in taking action against hate. The challenge also asks students to capture their journey in a video essay to help them share their message with the world. Teaching with Testimony is rooted in the belief that one person can make a difference. It invites educators, students, parents and communities to create positive action by viewing powerful testimony from survivors and witnesses of genocides to evoke a sense of shared global citizenship and a call to make the world a better place.
In 2018, USC Shoah Foundation launched the Stronger Than Hate initiative to leverage the Institute for Visual History and Education’s more than two decades as a world leader in the field of testimony-based education and research by scaling proven models to address the rising crises of hatred in America and abroad. The Stronger Than Hate initiative serves as a proactive, actionable response to intervene in the cycle of hatred and violence. Programs reach educators, students, policy makers, influencers, and the public via schools, universities, communities, and boardrooms, both virtually and in person around the world.
“USC Shoah Foundation would like to congratulate the 2019 ‘Stronger Than Hate Challenge’ winners and every participant for their vision and effort to promote universal themes of triumph and perseverance,” said USC Shoah Foundation Director of Education Claudia Wiedeman. “‘Teaching with Testimony’ empowers youth with digitally immersive content that counters intolerance and bias, connecting communities with real testimonies that eradicate hate, while building stronger bridges to understanding and love. We are proud to partner with Discovery Education to advance this learning approach in schools across the nation and around the world.”
2019 Stronger than Hate Challenge winners are:
“Discovery Education is proud to be a part of an initiative that encourages students to counter hate through educational development and advancement,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Discovery Education Lori McFarling. “The ‘Stronger Than Hate Challenge’ provides students with a safe, inclusive space, and this year’s challenge winners have exceeded our expectations by producing captivating content that promotes the need for equity, inclusion and action in school communities across the country.”
Composed of a series of standards-aligned resources for middle and high-school students, Teaching with Testimony challenges students to employ empathy, build critical-thinking skills, and become inspired to create a brighter future after listening to firsthand accounts from survivors and witnesses of genocide. In addition to being deeply integrated into Discovery Education’s Social Studies Techbook™, the recently introduced Discovery Education Experience and professional learning offerings, Teaching with Testimony includes digitally immersive classroom resources, Virtual Field Trips and activities that provide educators with the tools they need to teach students to respond to injustice and ultimately counter hate.
Teaching with Testimony resources are available at no cost at teachingwithtestimony.com. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital content and professional development services, visit discoveryeducation.com. Stay connected with Discovery Education on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @DiscoveryEd.
### About USC Shoah Foundation: USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education develops empathy, understanding and respect through testimony, using its Visual History Archive of more than 55,000 video testimonies, award-winning IWitness education program, and the Center for Advanced Genocide Research. USC Shoah Foundation’s interactive programming, research and materials are accessed in museums and universities, cited by government leaders and NGOs, and taught in classrooms around the world. Now in its third decade, USC Shoah Foundation reaches millions of people on six continents from its home at the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern California.
About Discovery Education: Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, immersive STEM experiences and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com. ******************************************************************************* Lexia PowerUp Literacy Helps Struggling Adolescent Readers Across the Country Bridge Skill Gaps to Better Meet College and Career Ready Standards In just one school year, students advanced three grade levels or more in the program. |
BOSTON, Sept. 4, 2019 — According to the Nation’s Report Card, only 34% of students in grade eight and 37% in grade 12 met or exceeded the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) criteria for reading proficiency. Those low percentages are troubling since research has consistently proven that reading proficiency is key to achieving college and career readiness. In 2018, Lexia debuted the Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® (PowerUp) instructional program to help struggling readers in grades six and above overcome this major obstacle. The company recently conducted an analysis to gauge the program’s impact during the 2018-19 school year and the results are compelling.
After the first full year of schools implementing PowerUp, Lexia’s research team found that students were able to cover multiple years of content in a single year, bridging skill gaps to better meet college and career ready standards. The analysis tracked almost 200,000 students across more than 3,300 schools in the United States. The team found that students who used the program for at least 20 weeks completed on average 42 activities, working on skills that range from basic literacy concepts to advanced comprehension. The analysis also showed that the more time students spent in the program, the more skills they were able to acquire, so students who used PowerUp with minimum fidelity made substantial advances. In fact, in just one academic year, 63% of students were able to advance approximately three grade levels of skills in PowerUp.
“PowerUp is designed to close the reading skills gap by meeting the diverse needs of struggling adolescent readers,” said Lexia’s Chief Learning Officer Dr. Liz Brooke. “The program uses age-appropriate content and motivational elements to cover foundational skills typically addressed in grades K-2 while simultaneously building more advanced literacy skills covered in 6th – 8th grade.”
The City School District of Albany in the state of New York adopted the use of PowerUp in September 2018
(it also uses Lexia® Core5® Reading for its elementary students). “The computer-based programs offer differentiated instruction and substantial practice at the appropriate level for each student, and the just-right pencil-and-paper materials allow teachers to transfer those skills into the offline world,” said Lee-Ann Mertzlufft, the district’s assistive technology specialist for individuals with disabilities. “Professionally, I’ve been using Lexia’s programs for 16 years, and I’ve looked at a lot of different vendors, but Lexia was always the best.
“As use of PowerUp continues to grow, we are excited at the prospect of having an even greater impact on closing the achievement gap of struggling adolescent readers,” said Brooke.
Lexia PowerUp Literacy is designed to enhance core English language arts instruction for struggling readers in grades six and above. Blending personalized, online student-driven instruction with offline teacher-delivered lessons and activities, the program accelerates the development of both fundamental literacy skills and higher-order thinking skills through adaptive learning paths. With a range of engaging texts, instructional videos and game-based motivational elements, the program is designed to help students take ownership of their learning, acknowledging their growing autonomy and building their confidence. Additionally, embedded progress monitoring, actionable data and scripted lessons empower teachers to deliver the exact instruction each student needs.
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About Lexia Learning
Lexia Learning, a Rosetta Stone company, empowers educators through adaptive assessment and personalized instruction. For more than 30 years, the company has been on the leading edge of research and product development as it relates to student reading skills. With a robust offering that includes solutions for differentiated instruction, personalized learning, and assessment, Lexia Learning provides educators with the tools to intensify and accelerate literacy skills development for students of all abilities. For more information, visit www.lexialearning.com.
About Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE: RST) is dedicated to changing people’s lives through the power of language and literacy education. The company’s innovative digital solutions drive positive learning outcomes for the inspired learner at home or in schools and workplaces around the world.
Founded in 1992, Rosetta Stone’s language division uses cloud-based solutions to help all types of learners read, write, and speak more than 30 languages. Lexia Learning, Rosetta Stone’s literacy education division, was founded more than 30 years ago and is a leader in the literacy education space. Today, Lexia helps students build fundamental reading skills through its rigorously researched, independently evaluated, and widely respected instruction and assessment programs.
For more information, visit www.rosettastone.com. “Rosetta Stone” is a registered trademark or trademark of Rosetta Stone Ltd. in the United States and other countries.
Discovery Education’s Math Techbook Wins 2019 Tech Edvocate Award
–Immersive, Digital Math Curriculum Named Winner in “Best Math App or Tool Category” While Discovery Education Earns Finalist Status in Two Additional Categories–
Silver Spring, MD (September 4, 2019)—The Discovery Education Math Techbook, an immersive digital curriculum supporting math instruction across North America, was recently named a winner of the 2019 Tech Edvocate Award in the “Best Math App or Tool Category.” In addition, Discovery Education STEM Connect was named a finalist in the “Best STEM/STEAM Education App or Tool” category and Discovery Education earned finalist status in the “Best Global EdTech Company” category. Discovery Education is the leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms worldwide.
The Tech Edvocate awards are the culmination of a process that began with the solicitation of nominees from The Edvocate readers in June/July of 2019 and then a period of online voting through July 31, 2019. A nominee’s performance during the online voting period was used to gauge their popularity, but finalists and winners were ultimately selected by a panel comprised of two edtech thought leaders, two PreK-12 teachers, one college professor, two K-12 administrators, one college administrator, and two PreK-12 parents.
Discovery Education’s family of Math, Science, and Social Studies Techbooks are currently used by approximately 5.6 million students across all 50 states and Canada. An immersive digital curriculum, Discovery Education’s Techbooks are aligned to rigorous standards and updated regularly at no cost. Each Techbook provides educators with detailed lesson plans, embedded formative assessments, hands-on activities, digital simulations, and robust teacher supports that deeply engage students in learning. The Math Techbook connects students to math through real-world problems, helping all learners develop long-lasting mastery of mathematical concepts. In addition, the Math Techbook has been independently verified by EdReports.org to meet the highest levels of mathematical content and pedagogy.
STEM Connect is a cutting-edge, web-based, interdisciplinary K-8 supplemental resource. STEM Connect helps students develop the creative, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills they need for success beyond graduation, and was recently awarded the prestigious CODiE award by the Software and Information Industry Association. Featuring flexible, modular learning units, STEM Connect provides students an easy-to-follow educational experience that includes real-world challenges, career connections, and hands-on activities.
“We are honored to receive this recognition from Tech Edvocate, and we thank all the panelists that participated in selecting the Tech Edvocate 2019 finalists and winners for their service,” said Scott Kinney, Discovery Education’s President of K-12 Education. “Tech Edvocate’s acknowledgment of our company and services confirms and validates the partnerships so many school districts nationwide have created with Discovery Education.”
Users of the Math Techbook, STEM Connect, and other Discovery Education services are supported by theDiscovery Education Community. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook,follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.
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About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
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CoSN to the FCC: Strengthen E-Rate to Help Schools Improve Cybersecurity
New Findings Reveal Growing Cybersecurity Costs and Challenges in Schools
Washington, D.C. (September 3, 2019) — CoSN today submitted Reply Comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the agency to expand E-Rate funding to help school districts meet critical cybersecurity needs and take other steps to strengthen the program’s internal connections component. The Reply Comments were submitted in response to the FCC’s request for public feedback about the future of E-Rate Category Two, including possible expansion of the program’s eligible services.
With school cyberattacks on the rise, school system technology leaders have consistently cited improving cybersecurity as their No. 1 priority. CoSN’s comments underscore new findings from the organization’s K-12 Cybersecurity Cost Report — Fall 2019. The survey of edtech leaders nationwide identifies specific cybersecurity challenges school systems are facing and the cybersecurity expenses that should be eligible for E-Rate funding.
“It’s clear that the cybersecurity challenge is real and prevalent in school systems nationwide. More must be done to address this 21st century priority. The FCC and U.S. policymakers should take stronger steps to help schools better protect their networks and student data. This includes expanding E-Rate eligible services to include cybersecurity protections,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN.
“The E-Rate program importantly builds networks and provides internet access, but does not provide essential funding to protect and secure those networks. These investment holes put school systems at risk of being unable to fully protect their networks and, subsequently, information on students, teachers and administrators,” said Pete Just, CTO, MSD of Wayne Township (IN).
The survey of rural, suburban and urban school systems nationwide found that:
- Consistent deployment of basic cybersecurity tools in school systems is heavily influenced by the requirements and limitations of the E-Rate program;
- School systems encounter significant funding limitations that prevent them from deploying more advanced cybersecurity tools to protect their networks, systems and internet access; and
- School systems face ongoing staffing challenges in implementing, managing and monitoring the cybersecurity of their networks and systems.
CoSN proposes the following cybersecurity recommendations to the FCC to improve the E-Rate program:
- Expand the range of firewall services that can be reimbursed;
- Expand funding to cover advanced security services provided by a school system’s Internet Service Provider;
- Clarify or update the definition of “basic firewall” to align with technology industry standards;
- Make managed security services and/or security operations center services eligible for E-Rate funding; and
- Add web content filtering to the list of discounted services and make it a covered expense.
CoSN’s Reply Comments also called on the FCC to:
- Continue the current Category Two funding model;
- Make the installation of Wi-Fi on school buses an eligible E-Rate use while maintaining the program’s support for caching, managed internal broadband services and basic maintenance of internal connections;
- Increase the Category Two formula’s per-student amount to at least $250, up from the current $150, and raise the funding floor for small, rural applicants to at least $25,000;
- Permit the use of school district-wide budgets; and
- Establish a common five-year budget cycle.
“When the E-Rate program was first created, schools and libraries relied on internet for basic tasks and processes. Today, schools and libraries work with data sensitive applications that must be protected from cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Expanding the E-Rate eligible services list to include security services further modernizes the E-Rate program to meet the needs of today’s schools and libraries and aligns with the purpose and intent of the E-Rate program’s promise. We want to thank the Wireline Competition Bureau for inviting comment on this issue,” said Michael McKerley, CTO of ENA, co-sponsor of the K-12 Cybersecurity Cost Report — Fall 2019.
“The future of any nation begins in its schools. Unfortunately, the cybersecurity risks that schools face are not going away and the costs of recovering from a compromising event continue to rise. Combatting today’s cybersecurity threats requires deep network visibility and multiple points of enforcement throughout the network — something that aging network defenses are simply unable to provide. Juniper Networks supports the expansion of the E-Rate program, as we believe schools should have the tools they require to focus their efforts on education, even as their cybersecurity threat landscape continues to evolve,” Said Gavin Lee, K-12 Practice Leader, Juniper Networks, co-sponsor of the K-12 Cybersecurity Cost Report — Fall 2019.
Read CoSN’s full comments to the FCC here. Learn more about CoSN’s cybersecurity leadership at: cosn.org/cybersecurity.
About CoSN
CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community best practices and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in the digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. cosn.org
Discovery Education and STEMROBO Technologies Announce Partnership Supporting STEM Education Across India
–New Agreement Empowers STEMROBO to Sell Discovery Education’s Award-Winning Digital Services to Indian Public and Private Schools–
Silver Spring, MD (September 3, 2019)–Discovery Education, the leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms worldwide, today announced a new agreement with the India-based education technology company STEMROBO Technologies supporting STEM education across South Asia. Through this new agreement, the STEMROBO team is now empowered to sell Discovery Education’s award-winning STEM Connect and Coding services to public and private schools throughout India.
Built to bring STEM to life and enhance core curriculum, Discovery Education’s STEM Connect helps students develop the creative, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills they need for success beyond graduation. Featuring flexible, modular learning units, STEM Connect provides students an easy-to-follow educational experience through high-quality interdisciplinary resources that can be used in a wide variety of classrooms and across all subjects.
Discovery Education Coding, which is currently available in the United Kingdom, helps students take coding from concept to reality. Featuring step-by-step lessons that guide teachers and pupils through a thoughtfully graduated sequence of lessons that teach students the basics of block coding, HTML, and Python. In addition, Discovery Education Coding’s explanatory videos help make complex concepts simple and provide visual illustrations and examples of what pupils need to achieve in each lesson.
“Discovery Education is excited to join STEMROBO in bringing the highest-quality digital STEM and Coding resources to Indian educators and students,” said Will Lock, President of Discovery Education International. “Together, we are able to address educators in approximately 1.4 million schools serving India’s more than 250 million students and help them in creating the dynamic digital learning environments we know will support India’s continued economic growth.”
STEMROBO is an Indian EdTech company that seeks to make learning fun for all students. STEMROBO’s products and services enable students to learn and experiment in STEM and robotics and grow the skills that will propel students to future success.
“STEMROBO and Discovery Education are completely aligned in our vision to help all Indian students grow from consumers, to innovators, and finally to creators,” said Anurag Gupta, Founder of STEMROBO Technologies. “We at STEMROBO look forward to a productive partnership that ultimately benefits the teachers and students of India.”
To learn more about STEMROBO Technologies, visit www.STEMROBO.com. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.
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About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
About STEMROBO
STEMROBO Technologies is an Educational Technology company, focused on designing and making Innovative Electronic Devices, Software and Methodologies around STEM Robotics for K-12 segment. STEMROBO Technologies (www.STEMROBO.com) is a part of Electropreneur Park (Funded by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Govt. of India) under “Make in India” and “Start-up India” mission under ESDM sector. STEMROBO is also associated with India Electronics & Semiconductor Association (IESA). STEMROBO has successfully established STEMROBO Innovation Labs and Atal Tinkering Labs (Under Atal Innovation Mission of NITI Aayog, Govt. of India) in more than 400+ prestigious schools of India. STEMROBO is responsible for the setup as well as the complete execution of these Innovation/Tinkering Labs by delivering unique STEMROBO Methodology. The Key aspect of STEMROBO Methodology is Activity Based Learning (ABL) followed by Project Based Learning (PBL) approach which helps students to innovate for solving Real World Problems with an effective usage of concepts of STEM, Robotics, Electronics Sensors, IoT, AI.
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CoderZ Named 2019 Tech Edvocate Award Winner for Best Coding App or Tool
DERRY, N.H. (Sept. 3, 2019) – CoderZ, an online learning environment for learning robotics and coding with virtual robots, has been named a 2019 Tech Edvocate Award winner in the Best Coding App or Tool category.
This is the third year of the Tech Edvocate Awards, which recognizes outstanding edtech products that support students across the Pre-K-20 sector by catering to identified classroom and learning needs. Winners and finalists were selected by a panel of educators and industry experts who reviewed the submissions and judged the products and services based on the extent to which they are transforming education through the development or advocacy of edtech. A complete list of winners of the 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards can be found here.
“The Tech Edvocate Award represents the combined opinion of industry insiders and knowledgeable educators,” said Ido Yerushalmi, CEO of CoderZ. “It’s an honor to have our coding and robotics platform and its game-based design and instructional model recognized by our peers.”
CoderZ is a powerful online platform that teaches students valuable STEM skills, including coding, robotics and physical computing. Its fun, gamified interface uses a graphic or text-based code editor and 3D virtual robotics simulation to engage students in learning. The solution caters to both novices and experts alike, offering a simple, Scratch-like language called Blockly for new coders and allowing more advanced students to start working directly with Java code. The integrated curriculum arealigned to standards, such as the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice, Career Readiness Standards, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), K-12 Computer Science Standards (CSTA – Computer Science Teachers Association) and state CS requirements.
CoderZ serves as the platform for the upcoming third annual Cyber Robotics Coding Competition (CRCC), a first-of-its-kind, online coding and robotics tournament for students in grades 5-8. Teachers and schools can sign up to join the event that starts on October 15th. For more information on the competitions, go to https://gocoderz.com/compete.
About CoderZ
CoderZ is an innovative and engaging online learning environment. Developed for students in grades 5 and above, the gamified STEM solution allows student to work at their own pace, easily programming real and virtual robots from anywhere in the world. The platform enables student to acquire computational thinking, problem solving skills and learn coding as a life skill all via a flexible and scalable virtual solution. For more information go towww.gocoderz.com.
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The Graide Network’s Online Teaching Assistants Provide High-Quality Feedback on Student Writing
Fullerton School District and Richmond County Public Schools become latest districts to partner for on-demand essay feedback and grading services
CHICAGO, August 29, 2019 — The Graide Network, a provider of online grading support to K-12 schools, helps educators increase the quality of writing instruction and meet new standards for student writing. By providing a resource for more frequent feedback, districts can offer more opportunities for students to engage in meaningful writing, more time for teachers to focus on instruction and planning, and have access to better data to know how students’ writing skills are progressing during the year.
“Reading and responding to student writing with specific, actionable feedback is incredibly time-consuming, a task that teachers cannot regularly shoulder alone,” said Blair Pircon, co-founder and CEO of The Graide Network. “Our service helps teachers get way more out of their workweek, speed cycles of feedback and revision for students, and address the rigor of new standards by providing deep insights on student writing.”
Two of The Graide Network’s newest customers, Fullerton School District (Fullerton, California) and Richmond County Public Schools (Warsaw, VA) are using the service to provide more timely feedback on student writing benchmarks. In addition, data from the platform’s reports will help administrators understand how students are going to perform on state assessments. “I want my teachers and school leaders to see how important writing truly is to our strategic plan,” says Sarah Schmidt, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Richmond County Public Schools. “I’m investing in The Graide Network to ensure we are fully supporting this critical priority.”
Schools can assign any type of writing and use rubrics and prompts that are aligned to their district or state standards and learning objectives. The Graide Network’s online teaching assistants are graduate and undergraduate students and they hand-score assignments on the rubric, providing personalized areas of strength and growth for each student. Within days, teachers can view detailed class and individual student reports. Reports are used for instructional planning, classwide discussion, one-on-one student conferencing, teacher professional development meetings with colleagues and coaches, progress reporting with school leaders, and district planning.
The Graide Network’s supplemental instructional support reaches all students and teachers for a fraction of the cost of a full-time employee. This model allows districts to invest in their teachers, develop college-ready writers, and address equity and access for all students. The Graide Network is available as a school or district subscription and pricing is based on the number of students and number of assignments per year.
Recent results have shown that high-quality feedback can increase student performance. Prussing Elementary School located in Chicago Public Schools implemented The Graide Network to increase student writing across content areas for grades 5-8 and saw impressive results. At the end of their first implementation year, students greatly exceeded district and national averages on the NWEA MAP® standardized test.
About The Graide Network
The Graide Network is building better writers through its online platform of feedback and grading support to K-12 schools. With an award-winning, innovative model, The Graide Network provides on-demand, formative feedback on student writing via remote teaching assistants. The support of “Graiders” unlocks the tremendous power of feedback to improve learning outcomes and puts relevant data at educators’ fingertips like never before. For more information, visit https://www.thegraidenetwork.com/.
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iCivics and Discovery Education Invite Students and Teachers to Explore the United States Constitution and Their Constitutional Rights Through a Unique Virtual Viewing Party
–No-Cost, One-of-a-Kind Virtual Experience to Help Students and Teachers Observe
Constitution Day 2019–
Silver Spring, MD (August 27, 2019) — On September 17th at 1:00 PM EST/10:00 AM PST, iCivics, the nonprofit founded by Sandra Day O’Connor to ensure that every student in America develops the knowledge they need for civic participation, will partner with Discovery Education, the leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms to present a special virtual viewing party for students and teachers in observance of Constitution Day 2019.
During this unique, no-cost event entitled Constitution Day 2019: Find Your Voice, teachers and students will explore the United States’ Constitution, examine the rights the Constitution guarantees all Americans, and investigate ways today’s students can participate in civic life.
Among the special guests participating in this virtual viewing party are:
- Mary Beth Tinker, noted American free speech activist, who will discuss her experiences fighting for her First Amendment rights and share with students how to make their voices heard,
- Michael A. Brown, Esq., a celebrated Baltimore, MD, attorney who will share with participants how their right to free speech is protected by the Constitution, and
- Zarea Boyde, a 12th grade student in the Law and Public Policy Academy at the Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Washington, DC, who will share how she is advocating for positive social change in her community.
To register to participate in Constitution Day 2019: Find Your Voice, and to receive additional materials supporting Constitution Day-related classroom activities and instruction, visit the Constitution Day 2019: Find Your Voiceregistration page.
“iCivics is excited to partner with Discovery Education to produce this engaging new virtual experience,” said Chief Education Officer, Dr. Emma Humphries. “Our founder, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, once said‘The practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned anew by each generation.’ This sentiment continues to be true today, and this virtual viewing party is part of our ongoing effort to prepare students to participate in the civic life of our nation.”
Following the Virtual Viewing Party, Constitution Day 2019: Find Your Voice will be made available to users of the latest generation of the award-winning Discovery Education Streaming Plus, Discovery Education Experience, Discovery Education’s Social Studies digital curriculum, and the iCivics platform.
“Discovery Education is proud to collaborate with iCivics to present Constitution Day 2019: Find Your Voice to students nationwide,” said Discovery Education President of K-12 Education Scott Kinney. “This unique event offers an unparalleled opportunity for students of all ages to consider how they can more deeply engage in the civic life of our nation, and we invite all educators to make time to participate in this special event.”
To learn more about iCivics digital resources, visit www.icivics.org, and stay connected with iCivics on social media through Facebook and follow them on Twitter at @iCivics. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest
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About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms and primary schools in the U.K. and reach over 5 million educators and 51 million students in more than 90 countries. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
About iCivics
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor founded iCivics in 2009 to transform the field through innovative, free educational video games and lessons that teach students to be knowledgeable, curious, and engaged in civic life. Today, iCivics is the nation’s largest provider of civic education curriculum, with our resources used by over 100,000 educators and more than 6.25 million students each year nationwide. Visit www.icivics.org to learn more.
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FETC Announces Full Agenda and Highlighted Additions for 2020 Conference
The 40th anniversary event, set for January 2020 in Miami, will introduce a number of new learning opportunities for participants across all roles in education and technology leadership
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.―The National Future of Education Technology® Conference (FETC®) today announced that the full program for the 40th anniversary event is now available online. The conference will feature more than 600 total learning opportunities, including keynote presentations from world-class speakers, targeted session tracks organized around the most relevant roles in education leadership, hands-on technology workshops and more. The conference will take place January 14-17, 2020 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Fla.
“By remaining committed to the needs of the education technology community and providing the most relevant content and learning opportunities available at any ed tech conference, FETC has remained an essential annual destination for education leaders over the past four decades,” said Dr. Robert M. Avossa, Senior Vice President & Publisher, LRP Media Group. “As we prepare to celebrate our 40th anniversary event next January in Miami, we are proud to announce the 2020 conference agenda, filled with an abundance of learning opportunities for educators and leaders, along with new experiences we’re sure all participants will enjoy.”
New Opportunities at FETC 2020
To go along with its new location in Miami, the 2020 conference is introducing a number of new learning opportunities for participants in any role. FETC is continuing its commitment to serving the most pressing needs of educators, administrators and technology leaders in the most important and relevant roles across districts nationwide. The following opportunities are some of the highlighted new additions to the FETC program:
- New Content Tracks to Support Evolving Ed Tech Roles―FETC 2020 will feature the first-ever Future of Ed Tech Library Media Specialist and Future of Ed Tech Coach tracks. These tracks will provide targeted content to support these essential, evolving roles.
- FETC® Coaching Collaborative Powered by iTeach―FETC and the Bagwell College of Education at Kennesaw State University have partnered to provide a new certification program for technology champions, instructional technology coaches and others interested in expanding their professional knowledge of education technology. This program is free to all FETC attendees who have purchased a Basic Plus or Premium pass and includes a series of four online courses developed by the Bagwell College’s Department of Instructional Technology and iTeach program, followed by six coaching workshops on-site at FETC in January.
- Learning Sandboxes―This dedicated hands-on learning experience on the FETC Expo floor will specialize in different topics each day, including augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), maker education and elementary digital tools. Participants will join their peers in playful exploration of robots, 3D printing tools, the latest apps and more, and engage in meaningful conversation about technology and learning.
Celebrated Keynotes
FETC 2020 will feature world-class keynotes, including established educator favorites as well as up-and-coming voices. The presenters will engage participants with thoughtful perspectives on motivating students and leveraging the best tools and strategies to make learning practical and powerful. FETC attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy each of the following keynote sessions:
- Daniel Pink―On Wednesday, January 15, international best-selling author Daniel Pink will deliver the opening keynote, “Leadership, Innovation, and the Surprising Truth of Human Motivation.” This powerful and practical presentation will challenge attendees to consider the key question, “what motivates people to do their best work?”
- TechSHARE LIVE!―This attendee favorite—back by popular demand―will return on Thursday, January 16. Leading educational technology experts Adam Bellow, Hall Davidson, Leslie Fisher and Kathy Schrock will give participants a first look at the latest, most exciting gadgets, apps, hardware and software to involve learners in creating, making, programming, problem solving and more.
- Justin Shaifer―Shaifer will give the closing keynote, “Bring STEM to Class: A Practical Guide to Education,” on Friday, January 17. In this presentation, the dynamic 24-year-old keynoter will offer practical strategies to engage Generation Z in STEM education.
Attendee Favorites Returning to the Program
The FETC program is curated by former district leaders, innovation experts, an experienced program chair, and the expert editorial staff at LRP Media Group. Over the conference’s four days, participants can experience hundreds of unique learning opportunities. The following features and events will return to FETC 2020 based on popular demand from attendees:
- Six Targeted Content Tracks―In addition to the new tracks for library media specialists and tech coaches, FETC 2020 will return the following popular tracks: Future of Ed Tech Administrator, Future of Ed Tech Information Technology, Future of Ed Tech Educator, and Future of Ed Tech Inclusion & Special Education. Each track will have a dedicated orientation session at the beginning of the conference and will feature opportunities for attendees to select the most relevant sessions to maximize their learning.
- Mobile Mega Share―On Tuesday, January 14, educators will be able to engage with peers in this active forum and learn about the latest enhancements in mobile and digital tools. Experts will facilitate collaborative hands-on sessions on numerous topics, giving participants the chance to get leading insights on their personal topics of interest, share their own knowledge, and evaluate current research and professional practice regarding the effective use of digital tools and resources.
- Computer Science Firehose―This popular event will return on January 14, featuring speakers and practitioners who are building successful computer science education cultures. These sessions are designed to engage educators and administrators in developing and maintaining successful computer science programs at their schools and providing resources to inspire K-12 students to take interest in computer science, a fundamental skill for staying competitive in the future.
Registration is now open for the 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227. Educators who register before November 1, 2019 will save up to $150 by securing the Super Saver rate.
About the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC)
The Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) annually attracts thousands of education and technology leaders for an intensive, highly collaborative exploration of new technologies, best practices and pressing issues. With basic to advanced sessions tailored to the needs of each role in the digital transformation, FETC is known as one of the nation’s premier preK-12 education technology events. FETC provides school and district administrators, classroom teachers, IT professionals, special education directors, curriculum and media specialists, and other educators with roles or interest in ed tech, the opportunity to explore the most effective integration of technology across the curriculum. FETC offers a balanced blend of administrative, instructional and technical content through targeted sessions, intensive workshops, hands-on demonstrations of the newest products, and more. Visit fetc.org for more details.
About LRP Media Group
LRP Media Group, founded in 1977 by Kenneth Kahn, is an innovative media giant serving millions of business and education professionals worldwide. Specializing in education administration, education law, education technology, federal employment, human resources, workers’ compensation and disability, LRP produces thousands of books, pamphlets, newsletters, videos and online resources. The company also produces five industry-leading print and digital magazines for key decision-makers: District Administration, Human Resources Executive®, HRM Asia, Risk & Insurance® and University Business. Additionally, LRP annually delivers top-quality training and professional development to more than 80,000 professionals through its 13 award-winning conferences and tradeshows in China, Singapore and the United States. LRP currently employs more than 500 professionals in its Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, Singapore and Washington, D.C. offices. Headquartered in Palm Beach County since 1996, the company has more than $70 million in annual revenue. For a complete list of LRP resources, eCourses and conferences, please visit www.lrp.com.
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The Virtual High School (VHS, Inc.) and Becker College Partner to Offer Students New Dual Credit Options
Boston — Aug. 27, 2019 — The Virtual High School (VHS Inc.), a non-profit organization empowering schools with the industry’s most extensive offering of online learning programs, today announced a new dual credit option for students. The non-profit has partnered with Becker College in Massachusetts to offer college credit for specific VHS courses taught by VHS teachers under the supervision of Becker College. These five online classes are now eligible for transcripted college credits, which are transferrable to colleges and universities throughout the nation.
| VHS Course | Becker College Equivalent Course |
| Statistics Honors (semester long) | MATH 2200 — Statistics
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| U.S. Government (semester long) | GOVT 1108 — American Government
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| U.S. History 1754-1877 (semester long) | HIST 1308 — U.S. History I
|
| U.S. History 1877-Present (semester long) | HIST 1309 — U.S. History II
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| Pre- Calculus (yearlong) | MATH 2001 — Pre- Calculus and Functions |
The semester long courses are available in fall 2019 and spring 2020. Pre-calculus is a full year course, so registration is available in the fall. Students who enroll through VHS are eligible to earn three college credits for $200 per course (in addition to the VHS enrollment fee).
“We chose Becker College because it is recognized as both a national as well as a Massachusetts College of Distinction in 2019, and has been ranked by The Princeton Review as a “Best College” for undergraduate education for seven consecutive years,” said Carol Ribeiro, President & CEO of VHS. “We are pleased to help students get an early start on their college careers, and we are looking forward to working with Becker College to offer more options for students in the future.”
The dual-credit courses begin September 4. The add/drop period for fall courses ends September 10. To find out more: https://vhslearning.org/dual-credit.
About The Virtual High School (VHS, Inc.)
The Virtual High School (VHS Inc.) is an online learning pioneer. Since 1996, the nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts has set the standard for quality online education. VHS provides global online classes for secondary school students to supplement their face-to-face curriculum and online professional development for educators. The organization also meets the unique educational needs of schools through custom course development and individualized course offerings. VHS design and delivery standards are the model used by the National Education Association in their recommended standards for online learning. For more information, visitwww.vhslearning.org or call (978) 897-1900.
About Becker College
Becker College is an undergraduate and graduate, career-focused private college, providing a supportive and inclusive learning community that prepares graduates for their first to last careers. Nearly 1,800 students from the United States and around the world live and learn on the College’s Worcester and Leicester campuses. With nationally recognized programs in nursing, game design and animal studies, Becker has been consistently ranked as a “Best College” for undergraduate education by The Princeton Review.
eBOARDsolutions and the Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA) Establish Partnership to Bring Simbli Board Management Software to Member Schools and Districts.
Contacts:
Andy Ryff – Marketing Manager, eBOARDsolutions 770.822.3632, aryff@eboardsolutions.com
Misty Swanson – Chief Deputy, Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA), misty@idsba.org
[Lawrenceville, GA] – August 26, 2019 – eBOARDsolutions, Inc. and the Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA) announced a newly formed partnership today to make Simbli board management software available to all ISBA member school districts. Featuring six core integrated modules that help boards maximize productivity, Simbli brings together meetings, planning, policies, evaluations, documents, and communications into one, easy-to-use board management software solution. ISBA has a long history of providing ‘best-in-class’ solutions, catering to member needs across a wide spectrum of services.
“Supporting the needs of our members is our highest priority,” said Karen Echeverria, ISBA Executive Director. “Simbli’s board management software offers our members an entire suite of board management solutions in a single application, extending far beyond the traditional meetings- or policy-only applications often seen in the market today. A subsidiary of the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA), we also know eBOARDsolutions understands the core work of school board members and shares our passion for servicing the work they do on behalf of school districts across the state.”
“We’ve been building solutions designed to facilitate better board governance in school districts for more than two decades,” said Mark Willis, eBOARDsolutions Chief Operating Officer. “I guess you could say it’s in our DNA and helps drive our focus for delivering the best possible product with the highest level of customer service.” GSBA Executive Director, Valarie Wilson also commented, “GSBA and ISBA share the same commitment to school board members and the work they do to improve public education. By working together, we strengthen our ability to help our school boards model excellence in board governance and better serve their students and communities.
Founded in 2007, eBOARDsolutions was originally developed to help the Georgia School Boards Association member boards increase their efficiency and effectiveness. Today, eBOARDsolutions flagship board governance software solution, Simbli is used by over 1,200 school boards, non-profits, and governments in 25 states and is proud to maintain a 99% annual renewal rate. The partnership with ISBA will provide more than 550 locally elected school board members and several hundred charter school board members throughout Idaho the option to subscribe to Simbli’s board management software solution.
Visit www.eboardsolutions.com to learn more about Simbli.
About eBOARDsolutions
eBOARDsolutions is the leader in online board management tools for effective governance. With a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing school boards, the Georgia School Boards Association began building these online tools over 20 years ago to help its member boards increase their efficiency and effectiveness. In 2007, eBOARDsolutions, Inc. was born, and has been making these tools available to school boards, nonprofits, and governments across the United States ever since. With an annual renewal rate of more than 99 percent, Simbli is helping boards and the people who work with them simply get more done. Learn more about eBOARDsolutions and Simbli at www.eboardsolutions.com.
About ISBA
The Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA) is a non-profit, service organization providing policy services, legislative advocacy, leadership support and quality, cost-efficient board training to association members. Our mission is to provide leadership and services to local school boards for the benefit of students and for the advocacy of public education. ISBA has a mission to help support and improve policy decision making and implementation by Idaho school districts by providing the training and education necessary. ISBA Legislative Services staff works with legislators, State Board of Education, State Department of Education, and the Governor’s office, as well as other education stakeholders in developing education legislation as directed by the membership, and opposing bills that restrict local control of schools. To advocate for school districts, the ISBA staff and Governmental Affairs Committee are involved in day-to-day activities at the Legislature. Learn more by visiting www.idsba.org.
EDUCATION TALK RADIO NEWS 