Celebrate: Digital Sunday Edition

Combining two meme today. Thanks Ruth Ayres and Margaret Simon for hosting these two important communities.

It’s been a busy week.Our deputy Superintendent called for a meeting with all Library Information and Technology Teachers (LITT) for Friday at 3:15 PM.  He wanted to discuss our future and role with technology in the district.  Some people complained about the timing.  After all it was early release for elementary.

Too bad some chose to miss the optional meeting.  The Dep. Superintendent delivered a presentation about the district.

First he shared this: Internet in Real Time. a new vision and the plan to go 1:1 for student devices Grades 4-12 by the fall of 2017.

The new brand for the district is “LIFT Evergreen: Linking Individuals’ Futures Today.  It is evident that the district is putting much thought into how to be a 21st century district. Do you realize that 16% of the 21st century is in the books?

Our role is changing.  It’s clear the district wants us to be coaches for technology in this new vision. They don’t want us troubleshooting but teaching.  Of course, after reading this article by Fareed Zakaria, I hope the district will remember the importance of the arts and writing.

The Dep. Superintendent and other key stake holders actually listened to our concern about  the laptops used in the library now not available because of state testing.  It’s been frustrating to teach as I am in the middle of several projects and I am lucky if I have a couple laptops for grades 3-5 to teach.  Hopefully this will change next year.  How can we be the leaders in the school and not have the tools to use in class?

The meeting ended at 5PM or shall I say I left but some still lingered.  I walked away celebrating that the next years of teaching will be exciting.

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Celebrate: Star Things About the Past Few Weeks

Thank you, Ruth for providing a place to share our celebrations each week.

How good to be back. I have missed you all. You see, we left for Disneyland on November 23 along with Thanksgiving with my niece and family and her father, my brother. While we returned the next day, I feel like tonight (this was Friday night and then the WordPress APP on the IPad decided to be cranky) is the first time in a long time that I could take a breath. It’s so nice to be cozy and writing. So here are several celebrations of the last three weeks.

Family

On the plane to Disneyland with daughter, grandgirl, and husband.

With grand girl’s favorites, Jack Skellington and Sally.

With great-nephew and grand girl.

Nature

Bird of Paradise is one of my favorite flowers. We had several bushes of these in my childhood backyard.

The other morning.  My oldest grand girl called this cotton candy sky.

School

Students and Chromebooks.  So excited to get these into the hands of the students.

The Holiday Season

My friend hosts a really fun party every year.  Some people I only see at this time.  She has outfits and hats to wear.

 The Singing Christmas Tree, a Portland tradition for over fifty years.

No pic but buying personally autographed books for my grand girls and great nephews.  I so love doing this.

So what are you celebrating?

Introducing DigiLit Sunday

Thanks to Margaret at Reflections On the Teche for creating space to talk about digital literacy.

This week the teacher librarians were informed that our jobs would be changed in officially include more technology. Our name is changing with the word Technology Specialist being added in. There are a lot of questions to be answered. And it will take time.

The district’s vision is to have one to one devices for third grade on up. They want to move to a system with digital text books. The district wants librarians to take on a major role of support. They also need to work on the infrastructure due to the size of our district. (It’s pretty poor right now).

I welcome the change and I think having a weekly place to reflect on digital literacy will help me grow as a learner. Technology changes so rapidly, how will I keep up,with it all?