UCS teacher honored for statewide leadership in technology education

Malow Junior High School Digital and Media Design Teacher Kathryn Grunow has been honored statewide for her work to promote a web-based professional resource initiative to improve technology education.

Grunow received the 2016-2017 Frank Miracola 21st Century Educational Excellence Award from the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning.

She was honored for supporting the 21Things4Students initiative, a statewide resource center for teachers.

“Ms. Grunow has made a difference in her classroom by promoting the effective and responsible use of digital resources among her students,” said Superintendent Dr. Christine Johns. “Her recognition reflects how UCS teachers are sharing their professional expertise to impact classrooms across the state and nation.”

21Things4Students is an online resource created by Michigan educators to help students improve their technology proficiency as they prepare for success in the real world.

In addition to the student site, Grunow is also a “Tech Boot Camp instructor” – traveling throughout Michigan each summer to provide training using 21Things4Students in the classroom.

“(Grunow) is tech savvy, enthusiastic, and dynamic in her implementation of technology into the classroom,” said Dr. Jennifer Parker, Instructional Technology/School Data Consultant and the Macomb Intermediate School District. “She honors the memory of Frank Miracola through her constant monitoring of trends and tools, her enthusiasm for classroom technology integration, and living by Frank’s mantra, ‘Free is Good’ in her exhaustive search for fun and free things for the classroom.”

Grunow received the honor at the MACUL conference in March. Miracola was an elementary teacher in Armada and one of the original creators of the 21Things4Students initiative.

The site is located at: http://www.21things4students.net/

Source - Utica Community Schools

Dr. Christine Johns, Superintendent of Schools

http://www.uticak12.org