Awards – 2013
2013 UCET Outstanding Leader of the Year
Dan Johnson is the director of Edith Bowen Laboratory School on campus at Utah State University. Kurt Johnson writes, “Dan has been the architect behind curriculum design that emphasizes technology integration and has created several programs that engage students and parents in powerful experience-based learning opportunities. He is particularly interested in creating opportunities for students to form meaning from the experiences they have.”
“In his time at EBLS Dan has helped create an infrastructure to address today’s rapidly changing educational climate. Key elements of his approach include:
• innovative technology practice based on proven educational practice
• Shared leadership to leverage individual skills and talents
• Professional development for all faculty and staff
• The use of electronic tools for collection and reporting of student performance and growth and
• Using informed, research based decision making for technology purchases.”
Dan is also heavily involved in fostering both traditional and individualized professional development for his staff, creating daily team and weekly school planning time, integrating 300+ preservice teachers, and played a critical role in the creation and implementation of over 13 different technology based programs.
Presented by Tricia Jackson on March 8, 2013
2013 UCET Outstanding Educator of the Year
Superintendent Burke Torgerson writes, Flora Hallows “ …has always been a forward thinker, and consumer of technology. She was one of the first in the district to request and use a Smartboard, and from day one, has spent the time necessary to prepare and use that technology in her daily classroom instruction. She also encouraged the purchase of a mobile Lap top computer lab and pioneered its use in her daily classroom instruction. The same is true of her IPAD initiative. She spends many hours of her personal time learning to master the technology, and then incorporating it into her classroom. Further, she learns the technology so well on her own, she is then willing and able to teach, assist, and become a resource for her colleagues.”
Mary Bray continues, “ After attending the 2012 UCET conference, Flora Hallows returned to Wayne Middle School and started a plan for 1:1 initiative with iPads. After getting the approval she spent many hours this past summer getting this program going. She facilitated teacher trainings each Wednesday night, taught classes to parents and helped write our district iPad policy. Flora facilitated the training of all students on the iPads as well as getting itunes, google docs and icloud set up. All this was accomplished in addition to the many hours she has put in as an English teacher at Wayne Middle School. She has conducted numerous school trainings as well as district trainings for teachers on the use of iPads and smartboards. She has put in many extra hours to improve the quality of instruction and the use of technology for all students.”
Presented by Kelly Dumont on March 8, 2013
2013 UCET Outstanding Young Educator Award
Ashley Webb is an outstanding young educator. Sarah Weston writes, “During the past four years, Ashley has taught at the Open High School of Utah, written six different courses, presented at various conferences and has worked and collaborated on a variety of projects. In each area Ashley excelled, and often went above and beyond in effort. Parent and student feedback of Ashley’s courses include her personal touch, connecting with students, and learning a lot of engaging, interesting things, preparing them for 21st century life after high school.”
“Ashley creates engaging lessons for her students and pushes them to excel. She loves teaching with technology and teaching students how to analyze, learn, and explore with technology. She has a thirst for learning and incorporating new technologies into her classrooms. The technology tools course that she wrote for our school helps prepare our students for life in an online high school, as well as gives them technical skills that will assist them in the professional world.”
Presented by Guy Durrant on March 8, 2013
2013 ISTE Making It Happen Award
Jeff Murry is a programming genius. Fortunately for the students, teachers, and administrators in the Canyons School District, he is a genius who loves supporting education. In addition to his other duties in the District IT Department, Jeff has developed an innovative web-based program that has revolutionized how student data is gathered, distributed, and analyzed.
The program is known as Data Dashboard. Three years ago Jeff introduced it to Canyons School District educators as a “one-stop shop” for viewing testing, demographic, and other information, like CRT test scores and attendance records. Jeff writes all the programming and maintains the site himself. Data Dashboard provides educators quick access to District-wide, school-wide, classroom, or individual student data, based on their level of security access. Data can be sorted based on a variety of parameters, like grade level, school year, ELL or Special Education status, can be viewed as lists, charts, and graphs, and can be exported as pdf and Excel files.
Jeff is friendly, fun, and always willing to help his colleagues, as evidenced by his willingness to take suggestions that make Data Dashboard something that will work well for all educators. He is encouraging and positive and always willing to answer questions and teach those who do not know as much as he does about computer programming.
Presented by Katie Blunt on March 8, 2013