MassCUE News: April 2023                                                

MassCUE Community,

Spring has officially sprung, and boy do we have some exciting things to share! First, I’d like to officially welcome Jen Thomas, our new Professional Learning and Program coordinator. Jen will be working to expand our professional learning options to ensure longevity and sustainability. If your school is looking for some PD around EdTech, feel free to reach out to Jen at jthomas@masscue.org!

I also have updates on our equity campaign. Our March action steps went fabulously. We are in the process of acquiring funding for our audit. We’ve reviewed and posted our board appointment election process online! If you’re interested in one of our 7 at-large board openings, please see details here. Finally, we officially switched to our Google Platform! We are excited to share more information soon. 

We know that equity requires action, and as such have planned a year’s worth of action steps to ensure we are progressing in our campaign. Our April action steps are as follows:

1. Continue acquiring funding for our equity audit
2. Create a statement around digital equity; words matter
3. Review our RFP process for the fall conference from an equity lens

As the days get longer and warmer, we at MassCUE are so excited for what the future has in store. We are grateful you all have come along for the ride.

Onward!

Savvy Demers
Executive Director

Help shape the future of MassCUE by serving on our Board of Directors! We are now accepting nominations for three (3) elected positions and seven (7) at-large members on our Board of Directors. Elected positions include President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer.

Deadline to submit your nomination is April 7, 2023. Learn more.                                       

 Register Now

Corporate Partners Showcase
May 5, 2023
8:30am - 2:30pm
Gillette Stadium

If you are a decision maker for hardware and/or software purchases in your school or district, this event is a great opportunity to network with your peers and explore digital learning solutions from some of the top companies in educational technology. Registration is limited, so don't wait to sign up!

This FREE event will feature remarks by representatives from the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Office of Educational Technology as well as opportunities to meet with and learn from our corporate partners. Learn more.

Attending the Corporate Partner Showcase in May? Join us the evening before for food, drink and networking with colleagues from around the commonwealth. Join us for this complimentary get-together with Corporate Partners ClassLink and Gaggle. Pre-registration is required. Learn more and register.

April Featured Educator: Danielle Langan                                           

Danielle Langan is using technology to bring health education to life for her students in the Narragansett Regional School District. Learn more about April's MassCUE Featured Educator: Read More

Missed the keynote speeches at the MassCUE Spring Leadership Conference in March? Heard them but wish you could listen again? You can now watch both keynote presentations from the event on YouTube. We have also made three workshops from the event available as well. Watch here.                                          

With Trafera, you have a partner that’s as committed to the success of your technology initiatives as you are. That means not only providing the right technology, but delivering support that allows educators and IT admins to make the maximum impact on the learning experience using these new tools.

Your partner for equipping the entire classroom:

• Chromebooks and Windows PCs
• Classroom Displays (Interactive and Non-Touch)
• Audio Visual Solutions
• STEM Technology
• Software
• Professional Development (Included with purchase*)

Learn more about how you can partner with Trafera for the right technology and the right support, all for a bright future for students, teachers, and staff.

At ICS, we understand the importance of adapting to new technologies to provide the best possible education to students. Our goal is to support your mission as educators by providing best-in-class technology services that work efficiently and securely.  
Schools store massive amounts of highly sensitive data relating to their students. It is imperative that this data is protected, as it is a primary target for cybercriminals. ICS has a comprehensive understanding of the cybersecurity issues educational institutions face, including standard attacks such as ransomware, phishing, and more. We provide advanced network management, operations, and cybersecurity solutions at an affordable rate to ensure maximum protection for your data.  

Our newly revamped ICS for Education solutions are designed to meet your specific K12 needs. These managed IT service and security offerings are built by former K12 technology leaders who understand the challenges MA schools face, and the unique solutions required to keep your school’s technology operating efficiently. For more information, please visit our website.
To learn more about ICS, visit at icscomplete.com

Gaggle continues to serve as the industry leader in helping K-12 districts manage student safety on school-provided technology. For over 20 years, our mission remains to ensure the safety and well-being of all students. We support school districts in proactively identifying students who are struggling and provide tools and services to better meet their needs. Our focus is to help districts see the early warning signs so they can take action to protect their students from harming themselves – and others – before it’s too late. 

The Gaggle Safety Management solution utilizes an effective combination of artificial intelligence and trained safety experts to provide real-time analysis and review of students' use of the district's online collaboration platforms for email and schoolwork. We offer administrators, teachers, and parents the peace of mind that students are being protected -- 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 

Once a district identifies a student in need of mental health support, Gaggle Therapy & Coaching provides an easy way for districts to meet that need through ongoing teletherapy sessions.  Gaggle’s new ReachOut student crisis line serves as a two-way communication with a live and caring human. Students can instantly connect to crisis responders, 24/7 – for help when they need it most. Gaggle's holistic approach to keeping students safe while supporting their mental health is why K-12 districts across the United States partner with Gaggle year after year.

The Influence and Advocacy Committee would like to share the following resources:

National Ed Tech Plan 

The 2017 National Ed Tech Plan (NETP) is getting a 2023 refresh. Sign up to join Project Tomorrow to share your voice to this important policy update.
Learn more.

Student Privacy
Did you know there is a Federal Student Data Privacy Helpdesk? Email PrivacyTA@ed.gov or call 1-855-249-3072 to get your questions answered by knowledgeable professional staff.
Learn more.

The U.S. Department of Education Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) is offering a three-day Spring Webinar Series in April:

• Day 1: FERPA 101 and FERPA 201, April 12, 2023, 2-4pm EDT
• Day 2: Data Security and Data Breach Response, April 19, 2023, 2-4pm EDT
• Day 3: Vetting EdTech and Transparency, April 26, 2023, 2-4pm EDT

To learn more about the Influence and Advocacy Committee, visit our website. 

Email Heidi MacGregor or Colleen Terrill for information on how to share your voice in advocacy and get involved with the MassCUE I&A Committee.

MassCUE SIGs offer educators opportunities to connect and support one another in an area of interest or region. 

Coaching in Schools - Will discuss supporting PLCs at the next virtual meeting on April 6th from 1:00-2:00pm.

Southeast, Cape & Islands Technology Team (SCITT) - AI in education will be the topic at this month's in-person meeting in Pembroke on April 28th.

Technology Integration - Will hold a virtual meeting on April 5th from 10:00-11:00am.

Learn more about our SIGs

Did you know that school districts can take advantage of special prices and promotions with our partners through the Group Buy Program? 
Current offers include special promotions from:

Gaggle

GamestormEDU

JourneyEd

Lightspeed Technologies

White Rock Cybersecurity

 Learn more about the Group Buy Program on our website. 

Receive PDPs and fulfill MA re-certification requirements for FREE with your MassCUE Membership using Infobase Learning Cloud. 

Infobase Learning Cloud is an online professional learning system designed to meet the needs of today's schools. The resources include short videos as well as self-paced workshops. 

All learning can be done on your own time from anywhere, and you receive your certificate upon completion of the Infobase Learning Cloud module. Infobase offers a wide range of training webinars. Be sure to check their library of archived webinars.

Please note new members are added to Infobase the first week of each month. New MassCUE members will receive an email with information on accessing and setting up your account.

Learn More

Tech & Learning Leadership Summit

Tech & Learning is hosting a Leadership Summit, taking place at The Connors Center on May 5, 2023, and district administrators are invited to apply to attend for no charge. This is a small, invitation-only event for district leaders that includes interactive workshops and panel discussions designed to support school planning during this challenging time. Find more information about this event here and apply for this free event here. Tech & Learning will also be hosting an "Innovative Leader" award as part of the Summit. All finalists will be invited to the Summit (including a two-night hotel stay) and the winners will be announced at the event. Nominate yourself or a colleague here.

Big Deal Book of Technology Newsletter

AI Chat with Historical Figures, Virtual Reality Lab Practice & More

MassCUE partners with Big Deal Media to bring you the Big Deal Book of Technology Newsletter, featuring contests, resources, and information designed to bring the power of the web to your classroom.

The Big Deal Book newsletter will give you great ideas for your classroom.

Read the newsletter

For more information about MassCUE, go to MassCUE.org.