Dr. Christine Johns selected for National Connected Superintendents Summit Wednesday at the White House

Utica Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Christine Johns has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education as one of 100 top school leaders from across America to participate in the first-ever National Connected Superintendents Summit Wednesday, November 19 at the White House.

Dr. Johns, one of only two Michigan school leaders to participate in the invitation-only summit and the only regional superintendent, will be recognized for her leadership in helping transition Utica Community Schools to digital learning. This unique conference will bring together officials from throughout the country to share with one another and the Education Department promising approaches to using technology in the classroom.

“I am proud to represent our community in an effort to further integrate technology in our classrooms to drive student achievement,” Dr. Johns said. “Our personalized learning initiatives have allowed our students to experience success by providing digital tools that support individual learning needs.”

“School districts across the country are helping teachers harness the power of technology to create personal learning environments for all students,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We want to make sure every child – whether he or she is in the inner-city, in a rural community or on a Native American reservation – has access to knowledge and the chance to learn 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Among the many Utica Community Schools technology-related initiatives that supported the White House Summit invitation are:

· Personalized learning at the early elementary level that has resulted in double-digit student achievement growth.

· A community-wide bond issue that provides resources to implement high-density wireless system in all UCS schools.

· Partnerships with community agencies to provide low-cost digital access to families across the district.

· Continued professional development activities for teachers to develop tools that personalize learning.

· Parent involvement programs such as Parent University, which provided laptops and quality digital content to families in select elementary schools and grades.

· A K-12 focus on promoting digital citizenship that gives students skills for the safe use of digital tools and the evaluation of quality digital content.

Dr. Johns was a founding member of Digital Promise, a national bipartisan congressional initiative to promote the effective use of technology in the nation’s classrooms.

She also earned a 2014 Tech-Savvy Superintendent Award from eSchool News.

The White House summit will be followed by a series of 12-15 regional summits that will focus on the digital progress made possible by local school districts. The events will also include the unveiling of digital tools that facilitate incorporation of technology into short-term and long-range education planning.

To help spotlight the value of technology in schools, the Education Department is sponsoring the Future Ready Initiative that is aimed at showcasing outstanding school leadership and strategies.

“The Future Ready Initiative highlights the critical role of district leaders in setting a vision and creating the environment where educators and students access the tools, content, and expertise necessary for thriving in a connected world,” said Richard Culatta, director of the Department’s Office of Educational Technology.

“Technology has the potential to transform education in America, allowing students to learn more, to do so at their own pace and to develop the knowledge and skills employers demand,” Culatta said. “And yet, fewer than 30 percent of classrooms have the broadband internet to support today’s education technology needs.”

In June 2013, President Obama announced the ConnectED Initiative, starting with a goal of connecting 99 percent of students to next-generation connectivity within five years. Model schools and districts across the country are using technology to create personalized learning environments. Technology will play an increasingly crucial role in the future.

For more on the work of the Department’s Office of Educational Technology, including resources for students, parents and educators, go to http://tech.ed.gov/.