D135 Challenges Staff at Opening Day Event

Take risks, think differently and teach knowledge-able students were some of the key messages Orland School District 135 included in their 2014-15 Opening Day event for the District’s 800 staff members providing an opportunity to welcome back teachers, support staff, maintenance and administrators. Members of the Board of Education were also in attendance, and Board President Joe LaMargo said, “We are thrilled to begin this new year with our 1:1 technology roll-out initiative. It is a very exciting time to be in District 135. “

Superintendent Dr. Janet Stutz’s opening speech to staff referenced the District’s Technology Initiative
for student 1:1 devices that will start on the first day of classes, August 25. Dr. Stutz challenged teachers to think and teach differently as the District shifts teaching from teacher driven instruction to teachers facilitating devices as a tool to teach concepts with more engagement and active learning.

The District also welcomed guest speaker Kevin Honeycutt, a technology integrationist and a staff developer from Central Kansas, who spent 13 years teaching K-12 art. He now travels the country and the world sharing ideas with educators on how to teach to needs of our students in a technology driven world. In his presentation, Honeycutt inspired staff to incorporate teaching techniques that meets the needs of today’s learners,

The opening day event came just one day after the District held student device pick-up sessions at each junior high school. Dr. Stutz thanked all staff for their diligent efforts, commitment and professional development invested in preparing for the first day of school. The technology initiative was the Board of Education’s focus in providing devices for each District 135 student in grades 3,6,7, and 8.