On Friday, November 3rd eleven PA & DE STAR Discovery Educators gathered in the “sweetest place on earth” Hershey, Pennsylvania to provide leadership and plans which will shape the future of our DEN. Our PA & DE Advisory Board members are Peggy Barger, Bridget Belardi, Jennifer Dorman, Vicki Green, Jim Hopton, Kristin Hokanson, Katie Leach, Martha McGrath, Martha Perez, RJ Stangherlin, and Erik Wittmer. These Board members will work to coordinate communication, rollout DEN promotions, and host community events with me throughout this school year. Here is an overview of our first meeting described by RJ Stangherlin…I think her story says it all!!!!!
“Over the river and through the woods…”
Friday morning I read Randy Ziegenfuss’s weekly technology update on The New Bloo
ms.
Never did I imagine that on the longest short ride I would employ each and every one of the new taxonomies. Remembering that I was on time [a rarity] and understanding that I had no need to rush, I headed out to our first PA & DE Advisory Board in Hershey, delighted that I would finally meet Shannon. We had other meetings planned but fate had intervened, so today was the day. At 12:45 I left Allentown, and by 2:45 I made it to New Smithville on I78E, approximately 25 miles, plus or minus, if you are, like me, mathematically and geographically challenged. In that span of time, I multi-tasked. Manicured my nails, called everyone in my cell phone’s address book, ate my way through my healthy snacks, and began applying what I knew about alternate routes.
Then I called Shannon, and somewhere between the 7th and 8th call, she achieved sainthood. Analyzing my options, I decided the farmer’s field begged me to cross it. Putting Shannon on hold, I made my move and joined a convoy of disgruntled drivers who saw the same level access off I78 onto Old 22. Freighted with guilt, I rode over rivulets and through harvested corn fields, knowing how upset I would be if someone pulled the same maneuver with my farm land. Long story short, just as dusk fell, I made it to Hershey with a tremendous amount of help from my friends. Evaluating the Advisory Board’s first meeting: it was electric, energizing, exciting. Why? Creating a DEN design for the future with Discovery resources—it just does not get any better.
What do I love about Discovery: everything. They remember what it was like to be in the classroom. They understand our needs and support us as we try emerging technologies. Discovery helps us apply best practices with a wealth of resources. They analyze our efforts and make us STAR Educators just because we use what they provide for us. They evaluate their performance by asking us to help make perfect even better. For a finishing touch, they create new cool learning tools. So, despite winter’s approach, be on the lookout for new initiatives as Discovery continues to bloom in PA and DE.
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