CoSN2024 Wrap-Up

Read and see highlights of the speakers, topics, and technologies showcased this year.



CoSN2024 Coverage:

Meet the Winners—Dr. Kellie Wilks, Chief Technology Officer, of Ector County Independent School District, TX (ECISD)

The CoSN Withrow CTO Award recognizes an exceptional district CTO who serves as a true technology champion and whose leadership has been transformative for their school system. The award honors Frank Withrow, a pioneer and champion of K-12 education technology.

“It’s nice to be recognized,” said Dr. Kellie Wilks, Chief Technology Officer, ECISD. “I humbly accept this award on behalf of the whole Technology division. Everyone I have worked with has contributed to my success and to the things I have been able to do.”

Dr. Wilks has a long-standing history of supporting ECISD. She was involved in the Raising Blended Learners Grant and the Math Innovation Zones Grant, as well as initiatives to bridge the digital divide. She is a collaborative leader who has developed partnerships in the community that encourage shared best practices and provide opportunities for all students.

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Meet the Winners—Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) in Manassas, Virginia wins the 2024 Community Leadership Award for Digital Equity.

The CoSN Community Leadership Award for Digital Equity recognizes a district that is working to address digital equity, narrow the Homework Gap and ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

“PWCS’ commitment to bridging the digital divide is unwavering, and receiving the Community Leadership Award for Digital Equity recognizes the collaborative efforts of our division and schools,” said Matt Guilfoyle, Chief Information Officer, PWCS. “We believe that equitable access to technology is essential, and it is our responsibility to empower our students to be digital citizens who use information technology to better themselves and the world around them.”

PWCS uses and supports technology in innovative ways. Most importantly, each school has an instructional technology coach who offers professional development and assistance to teachers, supporting a culture of innovation. The rich data culture has positively affected attendance, student support and graduation rates.

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#CoSN2024 Conversation – Tom Ryan Co-Founder K-12 Strategic Technology Advisor Group (NM) 

Tom Ryan wins CoSN’s Seymour Papert Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition that has only been bestowed seven times in CoSN history.

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Show Stopper – Craig Justice from eGlass Breaks Down Their Latest Tech.

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#CoSN2024 Conversations—Jean-Claude Brizard, President and CEO of Digital Promise

eSchool was able to snag Jean-Claude between sessions to talk big picture. Digital Promise is a global, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on accelerating innovation in education. He is former Senior Advisor and Deputy Director in US Programs at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where he focused on PK-16 education across five communities in four states.

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Show Stopper-Jennifer Wadland from Acer Outlines the Company’s Latest Education Efforts

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#CoSN2024 Conversations – Kiesha LeRoux Technology Coordinator Mountain Brook Schools

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Sponsored

How InfoCase ensures Return on Investment AND Instruction

eSchool News spoke with Diane Doersch, Senior Director at Digital Promise and formerly a Chief Technology & Information Officer of a large Wisconsin School District, about the importance of protecting device implementation. As a former teacher, she has been involved in education for over 34 years. Diane holds a Masters Degree in Educational Technology from Lesley University and possesses her Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL) National Certificate from CoSN.

Visit InfoCase at booth 5 in the #CoSN2024 exhibit hall.


About InfoCase:

InfoCase: Beyond Just a Case – Empowering Education Through Technology Protection

InfoCase isn’t just another case – it’s a comprehensive solution designed to empower educators and students.

Here’s what sets us apart:

  • Robust Protection: We go beyond basic bumps and scrapes. Our durable cases shield devices from the everyday chaos of the classroom, ensuring they’re always available for learning.
  • Cost-Effective Investment: By extending the lifespan of Your valuable devices, InfoCase saves you money. Reduced replacements free up budget resources for other essential educational needs.
  • Always-On Access to Learning: Uninterrupted access to technology translates to uninterrupted learning. InfoCase minimizes downtime due to device damage, keeping teachers teaching and students engaged. This translates to higher satisfaction for everyone involved.

InfoCase: It’s not just about protecting devices; it’s about protecting the integrity of learning time.

Learn more about InfoCase products by clicking here.

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Some of the sights and sounds from Miami

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Safety First

While everyone’s favorite acronym—AI—seems to be the hottest topic as #CoSN2024 kicks off here in Miami, Ashley May, M.S., M.Ed., CETL, Director, Educational Technology Spring Branch ISD (TX), reminds us what is truly the most urgent and present concern for all edtech leaders. Security—whether online or in-person— is always issue number one.

eSchool News was able to interview Ashley about various aspects of ensuring student safety online, where she emphasizes the importance of collaboration between technology services and academic teams when it comes to data privacy, culture building, parental involvement, and the evolving landscape of educational technology. Have a listen:

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Admins need PD too— Insights on CoSN’s CTO Academy

What does it take to run the tech for a school district in 2024? A lot more than resetting the router. At #CoSN2024 next week, a cohort of news CTOs will convene as part of the year-long CTO Academy. Kelly Sain, Thompson School District (CO) CTO, was gracious enough to give eSchool some details. She emphasizes the evolving role of a CTO, moving beyond technical aspects to focus on improving student learning experiences through technology; Stresses the necessity of digital access and equity for students and the integration of technology into curricula; And underscores the value of collaborative learning and mentorship provided by programs like the CTO Academy in addressing challenges and staying updated with industry trends. Have a listen.

Details for the program: The CTO Academy For K-12 Early Career and Aspiring CTOs is a program to address the needs of education technology leaders who are new (less than four full years) to their CTO or Technology Leadership position or aspiring CTOs and EdTech leaders currently working in a technology department. Participants will have the opportunity to develop edtech leadership skills including; managing diverse teams, leading a variety of projects simultaneously, and collaborating with a variety of stakeholders. Academy participants make a positive impact on student-centered and digital learning in their school district and enhance their career trajectory.

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Look Who’s Talking: Superintendent Susan Enfield on the Changing Role of Leadership in Schools

Title: Leading in Service to Schools: Every Leader Matters

School districts are in a precarious state. Post-pandemic, institutions are still grappling with learning recovery, teacher shortages, and other societal struggles. Never have those in positions of management been so vital. Susan Enfield has been there. And in her opening keynote, she intends to help. She indulged eSchool News with some starting points. Susan delves into lessons learned with the rapid deployment of technology during COVID, the necessity of equitable access to devices and digital resources for students, and the importance of embracing discomfort to foster innovation. Have a listen:

Dr. Susan Enfield is the former superintendent for the Washoe County School District in Reno, Nevada. Prior to this, Dr. Enfield spent a decade serving as superintendent for Highline Public Schools outside Seattle, Washington. Under her leadership, Highline worked to deliver on its promise to know every student by name, strength and need so they graduate prepared for the future they choose.

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Show Stopper—CTL on Connected Chromebooks

CTL, a global cloud-computing solution leader for education, will present at the upcoming Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) conference in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday, April 9, at 11:45 a.m. on the topic of “What’s Next in Connected Chromebooks: 5G and Private Wireless Networks.” The session will be presented in partnership with Google and the Murray City School District, Utah.

The interactive session with CTL and Google leadership will share new developments for ChromeOS and connected Chromebooks with a focus on next-generation 5G capability, private wireless network (PWN) support, and new features to better manage eSIM and carrier profiles. Murray City School District will share how they deployed a private wireless network with connected Chromebooks to improve digital access for all. The discussion will also include the future roadmap for connected Chromebooks. Attendees will learn and contribute to making connected Chromebooks financially sustainable, environmentally responsible, and simpler to administer for all schools.

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Look Who’s Talking: Code.org Founder and CEO Hadi Partovi on the Hype and Hope of AI in edtech

In true grand finale fashion, #CoSN2024 will wrap up with a pair of industry heavyweights talking through what might be the most momentous point in edtech history. You can listen and read Mike Trucano’s thoughts further down the page. Here, Hadi Partovi shares some preliminary insights for what will undoubtedly be a highlight of events next week. Have a listen:

Hadi Partovi is a tech entrepreneur and investor, and CEO of the education nonprofit Code.org.

Born in Iran, Hadi grew up during the Iran-Iraq war. After immigrating to the United States, he spent his summers working as a software engineer to help pay his way through high school and college. Upon graduating from Harvard with a Masters degree in computer science, Hadi pursued a career in technology starting at Microsoft where he rose into the executive ranks. He founded two tech startups that were acquired by Microsoft and Newscorp respectively, and he has served as an early advisor or investor at many tech startups including Facebook, Dropbox, airbnb, and Uber.

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Look Who’s Talking: Michael Trucano from the Brookings Institution on AI in education

#CoSN2024 might not begin in person until next week but eSchool has already started the conversation. We had the chance to interview keynote speaker Mike Trucano, Visiting Fellow at the Center for Universal Education, Brookings Institution to get a sneak peek on his ideas and insights into what could be the most impactful technology to affect education in history.

Here’s the description: “This is not your average keynote; it’s a visionary dialogue that explores how education must adapt to a changing world. Discover the future of learning in the AI age and gain insights into the innovative solutions reshaping classrooms.” Have a listen.

Michael Trucano is a visiting fellow in the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, a global think tank based in Washington, DC, where he explores issues related to effective and ethical uses of new technologies in education. Current areas of inquiry include artificial intelligence in education, the use of digital educational credentials and, more broadly, emerging edtech policies, initiatives, and institutions after the pandemic. 

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CoSN: The Basics

What is CoSN? The Consortium for School Networking is the national professional association of K-12 EdTech leaders, their teams, and other leaders in school districts across the nation. CoSN represents over 13 million students and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. CoSN2024 is CoSN’s premier EdTech leadership event. Members and nonmembers gather to get top-notch education, network and share information with colleagues and peers, and also meet representatives who provide top-notch products/services to their schools and districts. Click here for all the details

https://youtu.be/WDwAtuQM9HY

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Raising Bids to Raise the Bar in Edtech

A large part of CoSN’s mission is to participate in edtech-related policy discussions at both national and state levels. Their agenda includes: Ensuring ample funding for educational technology, enhancing the effectiveness of the E-rate program, safeguarding the privacy and security of student data, and fostering digital equity. Policy initiatives are structured around CoSN’s focus on four critical policy areas: E-rate and broadband access in classrooms, educational technology funding, privacy and data security, and digital equity. 

As part of #CoSN2024, the Advocacy Auction raises money for those efforts. Members volunteer a variety of items and experiences and attendees bid them up. Last year the event raised over $80K. Click here to register, check out the items, and make a bid!

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#CoSN2024 Remote—How to Do It

CoSN2024’s Virtual offering is “The CoSN Experience.” The event will no longer be a hybrid event, but a fully virtual experience.

Program description: An immersive virtual collaboration cafe series that invites you to embark on a journey of monthly conversations and knowledge sharing. Join forces with like-minded colleagues as we collectively empower ourselves with expertise and agile strategies tailored to address local demands from April – November 2024 (six live experiences – approximately one per month).

Key Program Highlights

  • Access to “The Best of the Best of CoSN2024” in recorded sessions and highlights.
  • Monthly virtual gathering from May to November, ensuring a continuous learning journey.
  • Complimentary to all registered CoSN2024 in-person registrants- A valuable addition to your professional development.
  • For those who cannot attend CoSN2024 in person, they are offering the following registration fee:
    • Member:  $249
    • Non-member: $349

Schedule of Events

Lessons from Successful 1:1 Programs with Leandro Folgar, President, Ceibal and Scott Smith, Chief Operations Officer, Mooresville Graded School District, NC
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET

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