Deb Millikan
“The Original Five” Teresa Logan, Deb Brubaker, Ron Feldt, Janette Wedel and Carla Harris.USD 239 is NOT Being Left Behind
By Deb Millikan, Instructional Technology Specialist
April 09, 2007
Since 2004, USD 239, Minneapolis, has been committed to improving student achievement through instructional technology integration. They have developed a plan to grow their program from five to twelve teachers. “The Original Five,” I will call them, Deb Brubaker, Ron Feldt, Janette Wedel, Carla Harris and Teresa Logan will graduate from the Instructional Technology Program at Smoky Hill ESC this month.
This group of educators has created a professional learning community. Collaboration is a key component to making this community successful. They communicate via email; phone and they meet frequently to support each other during this learning journey. It is common for them to request an after-school mini-workshop to step up their knowledge on a topic.
As an instructional technology specialist, I have provided support in these educators’ endeavors by co- teaching, troubleshooting, providing professional development and searching for online resources. It has been a privilege to work with these extraordinary educators, and watch them as they strive to create a 21st Century learning environment that enables learners to become problem solvers, technologists, communicators, and researchers.
As this school year concludes, educators at USD 239 are advancing toward their goal. This fall they will add seven new teachers to the Instructional Technology Integration Program which equals nineteen educators striving to create 21st Century learning environments. Minneapolis is NOT being left behind.
