Over 100 Middle School and Junior High staff members participated in the second annual Tech Camp on Collaboration Day Friday, Jan. 15, at PBJHS featuring workshops hosted by R-I faculty as well as education leaders from throughout the state.

 

The 45 break-out sessions centered on resources and strategies for digital classrooms. The professional development event is the brainchild of the R-I instructional technology team, which got its idea in 2014 after attending an International Society for Technology in Education conference.

 

"We went to great sessions and gathered a lot of info, and thought, 'How can we bring these ideas back to our teachers beyond a PowerPoint,'" said R-I Chief Technology Officer Aaron Badgley, adding his goal next year is to expand the training district-wide. "We polled teachers after our first Tech Camp, and they responded that it was the most beneficial PD they had received all year."

 

To complement this year's theme-play with purpose-organizers set up a 'playground' in the hallway featuring emerging technologies including a green screen, Google Cardboard, Makey Makey and Sphero kits, which will be made available for classrooms to check out to teach students coding.

 

Special guest presenters included Greg Lawrence, Wentzville Google innovator and technology facilitator; Patti Jones, Senath-Hornersville director of change and innovation; and Shannon Mangrum, assistant director of the Poplar Bluff Public Library.

 

More than $1,000 in sponsorships supplied food plus prizes to attendees, ranging from Chromecasts to flash drives. Special thanks to Applebee's, The Bread Co., Colton's, Donut House, Frontier, Gamma HealthCare, Hardee's, Harp's, Hefner Furniture, Kroger, Las Margaritas, Lemonade House Grille, Mossy Oak Properties Mozark Realty, Office Depot, Poplar Bluff Realty, Simmons Tire and Wal-Mart.

 

Above: Incoming Superintendent Scott Dill drops in on Junior High teacher Anita Frey's Capturing Kids' Hearts session.

 

Below: PBHS help desk students (from left) Thomas White, Ethan Gutterman and Maci Stucker give up their day off to teach the adults how the new innovations work. Not pictured is student Danni Raymer.

 

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