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Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Student well-being is critical–here’s how to support it

Student well-being has a direct impact on student motivation, engagement, and learning. In short, their social and emotional well-being has a long-term impact. It is absolutely critical that educators learn to support student well-being.

Skills such as self-awareness and self-management are also critical for effective collaboration and learning. And when school leaders support overall student and educator well-being, creates a foundation for equitable education environments.

During an eSchool News webinar featuring edtech educators and district mental health experts, attendees will learn how to:…Read More

7 facts about the state of edtech in schools

School networks are getting faster and more modern, but school IT leaders and IT departments struggle to keep up with the demand for remote access and support, according to an annual CoSN survey.

The State of EdTech District Leadership 2022 survey provides a high-level sense of what school district leaders think of the state of technology in education. The 2022 K-12 IT Leadership Survey is CoSN’s ninth annual survey and was made possible by the Ed-Fi Alliance and CDW-G, conducted in partnership with MCH Data, K12 Insight and AASA.

“There are no lack of challenges facing our nation’s schools today, but the annual CoSN IT survey also shines a light on several areas where we can be encouraged; increased connectivity, more devices, increased awareness of security and the outsized impact that IT leaders are having on their school districts’ planning processes,” said Troy Wheeler, president of the Ed-Fi Alliance. …Read More

Here’s how IT leaders can keep district networks safe

IT teams understand how important cybersecurity measures are, but many struggle to pinpoint where to begin when their resources are limited.

And when COVID closed in-person classrooms, it also gave a boost to cybercriminals looking to infiltrate school district networks. Data security breaches–including ransomware attacks, phishing, and unauthorized disclosures–show no sign of slowing, and K-12 IT leaders need to be ready.

Threats to K-12 education networks will never be eliminated, but there are strategies to successfully defend sensitive school district information. Want to learn more? Join a conversation with fellow edtech leaders and experts as they share best practices on both the technical aspects–software and services–and the human aspects–professional development and community education–of keeping your networks safe and sound.…Read More

Riverside Insights and Educator Impact Partner to Improve Student Well-being and Enrich School Cultures

ITASCA, Ill. – May 6, 2022 – Riverside Insights®, a leading developer of research-based assessments and analytics, today announced a new partnership with Educator Impact, an international,  Australian-based Ed Tech company dedicated to enriching school cultures through student and staff well-being “pulse checks.”  Educator Impact’s Pulse product, on its easy-to-use platform, provides key insights to help educational leaders regularly gauge the well-being of students and staff, inform SEL strategies and school wellness programs, and enhance overall school health. 

Unlike other observational well-being tools, ei Pulse quickly gathers and amplifies student and teacher voices and empowers educators with direct feedback to help personalize connections, shape classroom climates, and strengthen school communities. 

“Riverside Insights’ partnership with Educator Impact further illustrates our commitment to support the whole child and their ‘Limitless Learning’ by empowering them to unlock their full potential” said CEO, Rajib Roy, Riverside Insights. “We know that students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and loved. These contextual student well-being insights, paired with student ability and achievement measures, empower teachers with a 360-degree view of students so they can serve their classroom’s needs. Riverside Insights will now be able to support educators with a more comprehensive set of insights to accelerate student learning.” …Read More

ParentSquare Announces 2022-23 Advisory Council Members

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. MAY 6, 2022— ParentSquare Inc., developer of the premier unified school-home engagement platform for K-12, today announced the members of the 2022-23 ParentSquare Advisory Council. The Advisory Council members help inform the company’s plans for the ParentSquare platform and serve as a peer-to-peer forum for discussing best practices and pressing issues in school communications and family engagement.

The ParentSquare Advisory Council is an invitation-only group, comprised of K-12 communications, technology, and administrative leaders who use ParentSquare. New and returning members include:

  • Abby Broyles, Public Information Officer for Garden Grove Unified School District (Calif.)
  • Brian C. Burke, Executive Director of Communications, Community Partnerships, and Strategic Planning for Bristol Public Schools (Conn.)
  • Dr. Jeffrey K. Butts, Superintendent of Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township (Ind.)
  • Caroline Chapman, Director of Communications and Advisement for Canandaigua City School District (N.Y.)
  • Stacy Conrad, Executive Director of Communications for Center Grove Community School Corporation (Ind.)
  • Kris Hagel, Executive Director of Digital Learning for Peninsula School District (Wash.)
  • Steven Langford, Chief Information Officer for Beaverton School District (Ore.)
  • Marci McFadden, Chief of Communication and Engagement for Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (Calif.)
  • Emily Mejia, Associate Director of Student Data, Achievement First (N.Y.)
  • Susan Moore, Director of Technology for Meriden Public Schools (Conn.)
  • Brad Orth, Executive Director of District Data Management, Business Information Systems, and Data Reporting for Cherokee County School District (Ga.)
  • Michael O’Shaughnessy, Supervisor of Curriculum for Montgomery County Educational Service Center (Ohio)
  • Rod Russeau, Director of Technology & Information Services for Community High School District 99 (Ill.)
  • Kelly Urraro, Director of Technology for Copiague School District (N.Y.)

“ParentSquare has a long history of listening to and incorporating feedback from our school district partners,” said Dr. Chad A. Stevens, Chief Strategy Officer of ParentSquare. “Our Advisory Council members are leaders who are shaping the future of school-home communication. Their expertise is instrumental in guiding our product development roadmap to address key needs and priorities and enhance communication in K-12 districts nationwide.”…Read More