BTSD Once Again Represented At Prestigious Technology Summit

Neil Armstrong Middle School teacher Dawn Martesi, recently attended the PAECT Keystones Technology Innovators Summit held at Shippensburg University. The Summit is a week-long event where teachers spend time working in cohorts, attending pedagogical and technology-driven workshops, and building their personal learning networks (PLN).

Each school principal in Pennsylvania is invited to nominate a teacher for Keystone recognition and nominees may apply to attend Summit. Approximately 90 attendees are selected based on their demonstrated passion for education and technology. Keystone Innovators advocate the use of technology as a transformative tool to nurture the intellect, innovation, and imagination of students. Attendees must demonstrate a passion for education and technology, creativity; innovation and must also embrace best practices and technology integration in their schools.

Martesi said that the four pillars of the program---connect, develop, lead and advocate---are essential for building a STEM mindset in the District. “We have great resources in the District, resources like the Makerspace, to support these resources we need to cultivate a STEM mindset across all content areas for all learners.”

Martesi is hitting the ground running. One of her first back to school activities is to organize a “clap-in” for the students who attend sixth-grade orientation at Armstrong on August, 30, 2018. The students will enter the building flanked by teachers who clap as they walk in to create a sense of excitement. In addition to typical orientation activities, Martesi has organized a STEM project for all students. The engineering project will take students through a building process. As students leave they will be “clapped out.”

“The energy evident at the Summit, as well as the opportunity to connect with others around technology, was one of the Summit highlights,” said Martesi.

Additional highlights include keynote speakers, Edcamp or unconference sessions, and a STEM/Makerspace event where participants experienced robotics, coding, electronics and the design/build process among other activities. The KTI Summit is organized by the Pennsylvania Association for Educational Technology and Communications (PAECT), which boasts a membership of over 700 educators from across Pennsylvania.

Martesi is the second teacher from Bristol Township School District to attend. Last summer, Jon Craig, Truman High School, was selected.

“KTI summit was one of the most tremendous experiences I've had in my educational life. I was connected with so many innovative educators from across the state who thought about education in the way I viewed it and held similar educational beliefs. I was very excited to share and learn from each other. I still have strong connections with the educators I met at the summit, who celebrate innovation and are available at any time to help with any questions or ideas I might have about new problems or ideas,” said Craig.

As part of the summit, administrators are invited to attend the Administrator Day to share and learn with the KTI teachers. Bristol Township School District continues to embrace best practices and technology integration K-12. Superintendent Melanie Gehrens attended both years and described it as a valuable and insightful experience.

The goal of Summit is to inspire attendees to return to their districts with heightened enthusiasm for technology-supported learning and embraces the ideas of develop, connect, lead, and advocate.