High Schools New Face Conference 2007

It was just about one year ago that Western New York educators came together for High Schools New Face Conference in Ellicottville, New York. It was at this conference that I was first introduced to Web 2.0 technology from Will Richardson. The conference energized me and the team I brought from Iroquois and changed the way I thought about technology and how we educate or students. The world of blogging, wikis, on-line collaboration and social bookmarking changed how I use technology, gather and share information.
Tuesday, July 17th, educators from around the region will come together again to expand upon the ideas and information shared last year and for some, it will be there first time. It is sure to be a memorable experience for all. There will be four cohorts this year: Personalizing, Engaging, Connecting and Leading 21st Century Learners. This year, I will have the pleasure of co-facilitating sessions with Bonnie Smith designed to bring the leaders in the region together. The sessions will help leaders focus on the 21st Century learner, determine what new information that would like to acquire at this year's conference and develop an action plan they can return to their schools with and begin to make change. The sesions will also provide time for colleagues to network with others in the region.
Many new blogs will be created by the participants. Dealing with a variety of topics. A blog has been posted for the Leaders Cohort. It can be viewed at hsnf.wordpress.com
As a result of last year's conference, many teachers began to look at technology in a different way and how we have traditionally educated our students. The tools used made learning more interesting, more active on the part of students and broadened the depth of knowledge students were exposed to. I never anticipated the level of interest on the part of our faculty or how many teachers began to use the web in different ways. A grass-roots effort truly blossomed. I anxiously await the conversations and planning for making a significant difference in how our students view high school and learning.