The District 230 School Board recognized Technology Director John Connolly for being among the National School Board Association's "20 to Watch" Education Technology Leaders. Connolly is among 20 throughout the country, and the only leader from Illinois, on the list.
Since Connolly joined District 230 in May 2012, he has set a technology vision for the district including a 1:1 and “bring your own device” program, along with leveraging social media, digital citizenship, Google migration, and a website overhaul.
“John’s energy has inspired staff at Sandburg, Stagg, Andrew and the administration center to further embrace technology in the teaching and learning process,” said Superintendent Dr. James M. Gay. “He has established a clear vision that uses technology as a teaching tool and catalyst for learning. His emphasis is always on collaboration and empowering staff to use technology to support the curriculum.”
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The National School Boards Association's Technology Leadership Network “20 to Watch” honors distinctive education leaders from across the country for their ability to inspire colleagues to incorporate innovative technology solutions that contribute to high-quality learning environments and more efficient school district operations.
“The '20 to Watch' honorees offer real-world examples of how new technologies are being used to impact learning and how these new tools may influence or inform policy,” said Thomas J. Gentzel, NSBA’s Executive Director. “From ‘BYOD’ and the Maker Movement to virtual schools and the increased use of the cloud, these inspirational pioneers are paving the way.”
Ann Flynn, NSBA’s Director of Education Technology, shared that common characteristics across honorees include their willingness to take risks, share learnings with colleagues, and inspire others to believe that they, too, can effectively use technology. “Their voices and experience will inform local, district, and state approaches to education technology decisions for years to come,” Flynn said.
This is the eighth year of the NSBA “20 to Watch” program, created in 2006. This year’s honorees are being recognized at the 2014 Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Conference on March 19 in Washington, DC, along with a TLN-hosted luncheon at NSBA’s 2014 Annual Conference in New Orleans this April. TechSmith Corporation is sponsoring the “20 to Watch” celebration events and is providing software scholarships to the honorees.
