District 279 Educators Honored as TIES Exceptional Teachers

Teachers Tiffany McGrath and Kelly Wilson in the were recognized as TIES Exceptional Teachers at the TIES 2011 Education Technology Conference at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency on Dec. 13. They were among 83 teachers from 43 districts honored at the event.

McGrath and Wilson were recognized as teachers who "model the best practices in using technology in their classroom and engaging students in learning."

McGrath, a business, marketing and information technology teacher at was described by TIES as "positive and innovative, holds high standards for her classes and demonstrates that she cares about the overall success of her students. When new courses or curriculum are considered for the BMIT program, she has always been one of the first to suggest more current, rigorous and relevant courses that could better prepare students in this 'information age.' Students, parents and colleagues cite her positive impact on learners, both in the classroom and as a Link Crew Advisor for the school. Her impact on students is changing as she begins working in the Career Resource Center at the school, but she will stay connected to the Business Education department as she serves as an advisor to DECA, which was brought back to life in Osseo through her initiative."

Wilson, a teacher at Zanewood Elementary School in Brooklyn Park, has been a teacher for 26 years. "Technology has a major impact in his classroom, but it is so seamless that one hardly realizes his students are using their own devices or iPads because they are busy learning," as described by TIES. "His vision is to use technology to affect learning, and he actively seeks opportunities to do that. Wilson was one of the first teachers to embrace Project Copernicus, welcoming personal devices into his classroom. A member of the initial group of NETS•T Certified Teachers, he states that through the training, he has become more efficient in his teaching, covers more content and can differentiate more effectively. His philosophy of teaching is, 'Teachers need to use technology in all curricular areas where it is a benefit and not as a separate curricular area.' He truly exemplifies a TIES Exceptional Teacher."

Besides being recognized at the conference, McGrath and Wilson will be featured in the TIES Exceptional Teachers publication and received a certificate.

School districts participating in the TIES Exceptional Teacher award program are members of TIES, an education technology consortium of 46 Minnesota school districts.