NHSTE’s Night of Masterminds & Networking

Register now!

Join us at the Back Yard Brewery (1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester) on Wednesday, October 12th (4:30 – 7:45 PM) for an evening of hands-on fun, great food, and casual networking with your colleagues. Bring a friend and plan to meet new like-minded educators.

Engage in a Mastermind Activity to explore the challenges we are all facing! Facilitated by Bryan and Kate Belanger, Seacoast ED Masterminds is the educational underground for those who seek MEANINGFUL professional development, are solution-oriented, and think outside the box, maybe you don’t even view it as a box… we love that.

If you have ideas, struggles, and the heart of an educator… if you are STUDENT driven, and innovation pumps you up, then we want YOU! All invited have inspired this event, and we will always be looking to grow this PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORK, so bring a friend that you think is into the good stuff.

We can guarantee two things . . .
(1) You will leave this meeting smarter than you entered, and
(2) it will be what we make it.

Raffle prizes will include: Fall mums, Amazon Gift Cards, 1-YearNHSTE Premium Membership, 1-Day FREE registration to CMTC22! We look forward to seeing you there!

Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Time: 4:30 to 7:45pm
Location: Backyard Brewery & Kitchen, 1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester

Registration for NHSTE Basic or non-members is $30, or 1 event coupon.
Premium Members is $25 or 1 NHSTE Event Coupon.
Registration closes on Friday, October 7th, 2022.
Don’t miss it!

Register now!

2022-2023 Speak Up Research Project Opening

The portal is open for you to quickly register your district to participate in Speak Up for the 2022-23 year.

When you register your district or school, you get access to your data at the end of the survey period.  Speak Up lets you know what your school community is thinking about learning and teaching in your school or district.The data you collect can help you make informed decisions about your school or district budgeting as well as your use of federal funds to supplement the services you provide your students and community.

Speak Up 2022-23 will officially launch at a virtual Congressional briefing scheduled for October 13, 2022.

Surveys will be open from October 19, 2022, through June 3, 2023.

Register now and begin the 2022-23 Speak Up journey. Once registered, you will be directed to your district’s 2022-23 portal, where you will have access to current survey numbers, personalized links, and other valuable resources. Help us make this another successful year of listening to the voices of education stakeholders.

REGISTER for SPEAKUP 22-23

New Report: Equity, Cybersecurity Top List ofState Education Technology Priorities

First-of-its-kind State EdTech Directors Association survey sheds new light on key trends as state leaders continue post-pandemic transition to digital learning.

September 7, 2022 (Washington, DC) – As students return to another school-year impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report sheds light on how state education agencies and policy-makers are adapting to an increasingly digital, post-pandemic world. 

The 2022 State EdTech Trends Report, released by the State Educational Technology Directors Association in collaboration with Whiteboard Advisors, draws on the results of SETDA’s flagship annual State EdTech Trends Survey of edtech directors, state superintendents, chiefs of staff, and other senior state officials from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Activity (DoDEA), and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The report supplements the survey findings with interviews of leaders in a number of states to spotlight their efforts to support digital learning. “Our job at the state is to advocate for what districts need and to promote our mentality that we are all in this together to help our students achieve,” stated Rob Dietrich, Senior Director of Teaching and Learning at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

“This report is so important because it represents the first attempt to document the shifts taking place in state education agencies as they adapt to a digital world,” said Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Nevada Department of Education and author of the report’s preface. “In doing so, it spotlights great work taking place in states across the country while also identifying opportunities for further discussion, collaboration, and improvement.”

Among the key findings in the report and survey: 

• Seventy percent of respondents reported that the State Education Agency or at least one district in the state was the victim of a cyber attack. However, 57% of respondents report that their states provide very little funding for school cybersecurity efforts. 
• Survey respondents emphasized the need for greater focus on the effective use of technology. More than half report that schools have “a lot of edtech programs or products, but we don’t always use them effectively,” while only 8 states report collecting data on edtech use and efficacy. 
• States vary greatly in how they are organized to support edtech, with only 55% of states reporting that they have a dedicated office for educational technology.  Although billions of dollars are spent annually on edtech – an investment that increased significantly during the pandemic – many states still lack a dedicated edtech office. The names of these offices, their roles and functions, and positions within state education agency organizational structures vary greatly.
• States can more intentionally connect educational priorities and technological priorities – and support the connection with investment. Only 48% of respondents agree that their State Educational Agency (SEA) have explicit conversations about the role of technology in supporting state priorities, while only 41% say that the people working on edtech at the state level are regularly included in broader planning and strategic conversations around technology.
• Many states report a disparity between edtech priorities and their activities. For instance, although cybersecurity and privacy were high technological priorities for states, only 6% of respondents said their state provides ample funding for cybersecurity, 37% said the state provides cybersecurity tools to Local Education Agencies, and 57% said their state provides very little or a small amount of funding for cybersecurity.

“This baseline data provides a look into how states are internally organized, and it will be a catalyst guiding SETDA’s work as we continue to support state edtech leaders in creating the organizational structures and technological infrastructure to help schools create powerful and engaging learning opportunities for students and educators,” said Julia Fallon, Executive Director of SETDA. “Our hope is that it can serve as a guide to other institutions as well, and all those working to leverage the power of technology to rethink and transform their education systems.”

Press Release Link: https://www.setda.org/news/press-releases/press-release-2022/new-report-equity-cybersecurity-top-list-of-state-education-technology-priorities/
 

About SETDA
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is the principal association representing U.S. state and territorial educational technology and digital learning leaders. Through a broad array of programs and advocacy, SETDA builds member capacity and engages partners to empower the education community in leveraging technology for learning, teaching, and school operations. For more information, please visit our website https://www.setda.org or Twitter @setda

The NHSTE Pat Keyes and Susan Janosz Award Nominations are Now Open for 2022!

The deadline for nominations is Friday, September 30, 2022. 

Do you have a teacher or teacher leader in your school or district who should be acknowledged for their contributions to school, students, faculty, and school culture? Do you know a local “technology hero” who regularly goes above and beyond to help learners and other teachers with technology both in and out of the classroom? This is the perfect opportunity to let that person know their efforts are appreciated and recognize their contributions.

We are looking forward to celebrating the exciting efforts of NH educators once again. Nominate yourself or a friend for one of these two prestigious NHSTE awards.

Click here to go directly to the nomination form.

Pat Keyes Technology – Using Educator Award

The NHSTE Technology Using Educator Award is named in memory of Pat Keyes; a former secondary teacher in the Keene School District who served NHSTE in many capacities including editor of the NHSTE Connections.  The nominee for this award will be an educator who exemplifies the following:

• Functions as a public or private PreK-12 teacher providing direct instruction in a New Hampshire school(s).
• Developed effective units integrating educational technology.
• Demonstrated improved student performance with application of technology.
• Shared ideas/initiatives in formal and informal arenas using traditional and electronic methods.

Susan Janosz Technology Impact Award

The NHSTE Technology Impact Award is named in memory of Susan Janosz, longtime employee of the Manchester School District who was employed as a Technology Integrator.  The nominee for this award will be an educational professional who exemplifies the following:

• Provides leadership in a public or private PreK-16 New Hampshire school(s).
• The nominee’s work has had a significant positive impact on technology use in education locally, statewide, regionally and/or nationally.
• The nominee has involved the community in the initiative or program to facilitate partnerships with business and/or legislative initiatives to advance the use of technology in education.
• Supported technology within the context of school reform, restructuring and improvement.
• Demonstrated a commitment to ongoing self-education by keeping abreast of emerging technologies.
• The quality of education and/or work experience has been significantly advanced in the nominee’s workplace as a result of the nominee’s efforts.

In the past, this award has gone to Technology Directors, Technology Coordinators, Technology Integrationists, Curriculum Coordinators, Media Specialists/Generalists, SAU Administration (i.e., Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents) and/or School District Administrators (i.e., Principals and Vice Principals).

Award winners receive $1,000, a plaque, and a letter of congratulations from the Governor.  They are also nominated to receive a NH Edies Award in the spring of the following year.

For more information on the application process and links to nomination forms, visit the NHSTE Awards page on the website at http://www.nhste.org/NHSTE-awards.

Thank you, Mike Wakefield, NHSTE Awards Chair

Only a Few Weeks Remain to SpeakUp for 2021-2022!

The Speak Up Research Project provides an easy and cost-efficient way for you to capture the authentic views of your students, parents, and staff about digital learning, new learning and school models, aspirations for education and perceptions of school climate. You can also gain a contextual understanding of how the views of your stakeholders compare to state and national data results . And Speak Up participation, as always, is 100% free to all K-12 schools and districts.

Surveys close on April 30th! Don’t miss your opportunity to SpeakUp!

Speak Up Classic & National Surveys open Wednesday, October 20, 2021!:
• K-12 students in English, Spanish and Group Format for K-5.
• Parents in English and Spanish
• Teachers
• School Site Administrators
• District administrators
• Technology leaders
• Communications officers

Register Now!

Visit the SpeakUp New Hampshire page!

Future Genius Summer STEM for Middle Schools

Future Genius will be working with school administrators and teachers to elevate social and emotional learning at middle schools around the country with four diverse summer programs for schools to license:

• Beta Masters (Video Game Design)
• Earth Lab (Energy & Environment)
• Launch Pad (Business & Innovation)
• Team Elektra (Digital Media for Girls)

All are supportive learning environments flexible enough to accommodate any challenges districts may face in these unique times.

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards Initiative in both Mathematics and English Language Arts, as well as the ISTE Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards, Future Genius enrichment programs provide middle school students with a well-rounded education like no other—summer experiences designed to boost academic achievement, foster social and emotional well-being, and kickstart civic engagement in 21st century sustainability. With a focus on personal development, Future Genius builds confidence and initiates exciting ideas for making a difference.

For middle school educators, Future Genius is an extraordinarily fun program to teach and a unique opportunity for professional development. What’s more, minimal experience is required. Our training resources ensure that Future Genius instructors deliver powerful enrichment to students ready to make a meaningful impact in their community.

You can also learn more at https://www.futuregenius.org/. If you are interested in reviewing overviews of any of our curricula, please contact:
 
Thomas Bacon
Executive Director
Future Genius, Inc.
https://www.futuregenius.org/
tbacon@futuregenius.org
c 802-999-7092

SketchUp Webinar – Delivering Great Interiors on Architecture Projects

Join us on Wednesday, October 20, 12:00 PM for this webinar.

Delivering successful large-scale interiors requires a thorough understanding of the existing space, design clarity through iteration, client input and approval, and of course, working across different teams.
Join Associate Senior Interior Designer at HDR Architecture Ruby Thorp and in-house expert Josh Reilly to see how SketchUp can help you capture and present compelling ideas in 3D and get buy-in faster.

In this webinar, she covers how to:
• Get design clarity through iteration in 3D
• Bring spaces to life with high-quality entourage
• Easily get client input and approval
• Quickly create stunning renderings to suit your practice aesthetic and project needs

Register for this Webinar

The SketchUp Licensing Program is closing. Learn More.

Granite Gambit Program Available through Partnership between the New Hampshire Department of Education and Chess in Schools

As a result of the popular Netflix series, The Queens Gambit, online chess has become massively popular with Generation Z. In response to this, and in partnership with Chess in Schools, the department has launched our own Granite Gambit program to bring chess to our students.

More than a game, chess can be a vehicle for introducing and reinforcing academic and 21st-century skills.

The program is fully funded, so there is no cost to NH schools. While some chess experience is helpful, it is not required. In fact, many if not most participating teachers in such programs start out with minimal chess knowledge.

Chess in Schools (CIS) specializes in preparing educators to play chess and use the game as an educational tool to teach academic and 21st-century skills. In addition to training, CIS provides chess supplies and equipment to schools along with chess training software licenses, online resources, and online support for the duration of the program.

Each school decides what kind of chess program works best for their students. Options include: using chess and chess-related activities during the day to teach curriculum standards; before- or after-school chess clubs; summer chess camps; or some combination of these programs. Schools can partner with community based organizations to help deliver their chess in school programs.

You can learn more about the Granite Gambit program and how it might work for your school by visiting the Granite Gambit Sign Up page.

Learn more about the Chess in Schools program.

Learn more about Chess in Education.

Free Workshops for National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month

October 26, 2021
School Safety Webinar Announcement – Bullying Awareness and Prevention: Creating Safer Schools
Please join the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse on October 26 at 3:00 PM ET for an informational webinar on bullying awareness and prevention resources, tactics, and strategies to create safer school environments. This session will provide information and resources to the kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) school community.
The session will feature guest speaker and bullying prevention expert Melissa Mercado Crespo, Ph.D., MSc, MA from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Violence Prevention. She will provide an overview of what bullying is and how to identify it, key strategies and actions schools and school personnel can implement to prevent and address it, and the tools and resources available from the government to support schools in these efforts. She will also describe the different types of bullying (including cyberbullying), their impact on school violence, and the relationship between bullying, suicide, and the well-being of school-age youth.
The discussion will also feature additional school safety-related resources on topics like school climate and mental health access and support and a Q&A session for participants to engage directly with Dr. Mercado Crespo.
• When: October 26, 2021, 3:00 to 4:00 PM ET
• Where: Adobe Connect (access link to be provided one day in advance of the event)
• For: K-12 School Superintendents and Principals; Counselors and Mental Health Practitioners; School and District Administrators; Teachers and School Staff; School Resource Officers; Parents and Guardians; Students
• Registration: https://schoolsafetybullyingpreventionwebinar.eventbrite.com

October 27-28, 2021
Understanding and Preventing Youth Hate Crimes and Identity-based Bullying: A Virtual Symposium
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention will host this exciting symposium. This symposium will address important topics including current trends and research on identity-based bullying, cyberbullying, youth-related hate crimes, and how hate groups use social media and technology to reach, recruit, and radicalize youth. It will also provide programs and best practices from experts in the field on how schools, families, law enforcement, and communities can work together to build protective factors in youth and help youth resist and disengage from extremist hate groups.
Register for this symposium at
https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/events/virtual-symposium-understanding-and-preventing-youth-hate-crimes-and-identity-based-bullying

ECF Application Window Countdown: 8 Days to Window Close

The second Emergency Connectivity Fund Program application filing window is open for schools and libraries to request funding for connected devices and broadband connections for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons for the current 2021-22 school year.  The second application filing window opened on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 and will close on October 13, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET.  During this window, eligible schools and libraries, in addition to consortia of eligible schools and libraries, can submit requests for funding to purchase eligible equipment and services between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 to meet the remote learning needs of students, school staff and library patrons with unmet needs.  The FCC’s announcement of the second application filing window is available on their website .

Please note that the FCC released a public notice directing USAC to review and process applications filed after the close of the ECF Program’s initial application filing window with those filed in the second application filing window.  Applicants who certified and submitted their ECF FCC Forms 471 after the close of the initial filing window on August 13, 2021 will not be required to resubmit their applications during the second application filing window, nor will they need to file a request for waiver of the initial 45-day application filing deadline with the Commission.