Families Get Engaged in Community Tech Conference
Area schools are in the process of adding 21st century skills and tools to their instructional offerings to prepare students for the changing needs of our digital, global society. Recognizing the importance of partnering with families and providing them with digital support, CCSD59 partnered with High School District 214 and its six feeder districts to collaborate on a free parent technology conference called ENGAGE 2015. The event was held on Saturday, November 7, at John Hersey High School.
CCSD59 created the event’s promotional video, which explained the significance of both the conference and of the changing landscape of learning by each district and their administration. Two CCSD59 staff members also hosted learning sessions for parents.
Amy Gerardy and Heather Sherwood presented about student coding and apps for education. Amy Gerardy shared, “It was a pleasure to witness the parental support for the technology initiatives in school. The parents were eager to learn the tools and strategies that can help engage and empower their kids.”
Families had the opportunity to attend 3 of the 12 sessions offered. Topics included social media in the educational world, how to keep students safe with social media and in the cyber world, Google Apps for Education, 21st century classroom skills, and how technology has changed teaching and learning.
Jennifer Randolph, a parent of a third and fifth grader at John Jay, was impressed with the presentations. “I want to partner with my kids and learn more about what they are doing with technology and how we can work together with the school to make our home a technology-happy one,” she said. “The biggest thing that stuck with me this morning was a message from the keynote speaker, who said ‘mentoring and not monitoring.’ My approach will be more about exemplifying the behaviors that I want them to use online than trying to monitor with an eagle eye.”
Creativity and innovation have become a part of the everyday classroom environment, and making parents and guardians aware of this advancing culture is critical to helping students succeed.
Ross Vittore, CCSD59 Director of Innovative Learning, commented, “When school districts creatively collaborate to support all families, all students in our shared community benefit. This 21st century approach and the outstanding effort made by families to participate is truly what made ENGAGE 2015 a powerful and successful event.”