July+2017+planning+meeting

Attendees: Norton Gusky (recorder), Justin Driscoll, Ron Reyer, Kevin Conner, Kylie Lasota, Tyler Samstag, Zee Poerio, Jordan Lippman

Key Issues:
 * Problem with website (tretc.org) for presentation proposals and registration
 * No link on website for presentation proposals
 * Registration link not working with cart
 * Google Doc not working properly - Kevin Conner resolved the problem / need to get word out to make people aware that the form is now working and need to resubmit
 * Kevin will check on add-on to email people to confirm
 * Ask superintendents through email to nominate person from district to present at TRETC with mention of pre-conference
 * Highlander Institute for Pre-Conference
 * Never done what we are asking at a conference / iNACOL will be the first time to pilot concept /
 * Need to share marketing plan
 * 1/2 day session (12:00 - 5:00) followed by social event
 * Goal - end with plan for pilot project in district
 * PLDC (IU 8) - Mass Customized Learning - worked with South Fayette, Montour, Avonworth, / Jordan Lippman will make intro
 * Focus on teacher empowerment in Rhode Island
 * Question of follow up funding
 * Move location to new K-4 building
 * Better space for vendors, presentations, and Innovation Zone
 * More parking with no issue with election
 * Full Day Conference
 * Open with Ignite Talks - use Featured Presenters based on their concepts 4-5 minutes
 * Ending of conference - hear from variety of people about what they learned / visual representation
 * Jordan will coordinate with Kylie
 * People can submit posters based on session
 * Have diverse perspectives
 * Use new K-4 building
 * Issue with furniture
 * Bring in chairs for audience
 * Visit on Tuesday, 7/18


 * Committees
 * Innovation Zone - Rose Papa, Zee Poerio, Tyler Samstag,
 * Use setup from last year in TransformED West Space with Remake Learning in hallway
 * Include coffee in afternoon
 * Consider link to previous Horizon Reports - what has really emerged in the world of educational technology
 * Ask participants to vote on most promising emerging technologies
 * Build on last year's AR/VR focus
 * Pre-Conference - Justin Driscoll, Ron Reyer, Kylie Lasota, Jordan Lippman,
 * Focus on educational leaders
 * Set up meeting at Tech Council in May/June to plan
 * Use conference in conference theme with national organization, like Highlander Institute providing the leadership ( []
 * Phone meeting 7/6 with Shawn Rubin from Highlander ( http://www.highlanderinstitute.org/work/)
 * Tentative agreement to work with Highlander for pre-conference
 * Next Steps - Tech Council will send list of key marketing tasks and dates to Highlander and negotiate an agreed payment for session
 * Vendors/sponsors would pay for costs / participants would have no costs
 * Need to have an incentive for schools/organizations to bring teams - free consulting with Highlander Institute for 5 schools who participate
 * Invite schools to show off work already done around PL -> Exhibit
 * Move event to different location, possibly ETC or Energy Innovation Center
 * Student Showcase - Lisa Palmieri, Amiena Mahsoob, Sarah Siplak (SLB Productions)
 * Move to library/ media center
 * Include student musicians, possibly strolling
 * Provide coffee
 * Poster Session - Kris Hupp, Cindy Shaffer,
 * Set up in larger, open space, possibly in cafeteria during one of the non-lunch sessions
 * Evaluate as part of application with presentations
 * Consider discount for people who are accepted, e.g. 50% off
 * Limit number of poster sessions - 10
 * Less formal than presentation with chance to test out ideas not ready for full presentation with greater small group interaction
 * Need to include price discount and number in proposal form
 * Presentation - Jana Baxter, Kevin Conner, Justin Driscoll, Kylie Lasota
 * Draft document by week of 5/15
 * Start accepting proposals in May


 * Date/ Location - November 6-7 at Montour High School (Support from superintendent / will seek backup plan with interest from North Hills and Mount Lebanaon)
 * Discussion about changing days from Monday / Tuesday to Sunday / Monday - less traffic on Sunday for people to travel; no issues with election on Tuesday;
 * Justin Aglio suggested we consider using the new K-5 elementary building for TRETC
 * Norton will visit site with Justin on Thursday, 6/15
 * Advantages - use gymnasium for vendors; Learning Gallery for Student Showcase; Cafeteria and Library available for poster sessions and presentations; more options for presentations drawing larger numbers
 * Issue - size of seats / ability to have 500 people in one space for opening session


 * Theme: Digitizing Personalized Learning
 * Use Friday Institute criteria
 * Pedagogy and Practice
 * Technology Standards (ISTE)
 * Research and Development
 * Human Capacity (includes PD)
 * Technology Architecture
 * Definition from Office of Educational Technology, US Department of Education: Personalized learning refers to instruction in which the pace of learning and the instructional approach are optimized for the needs of each learner. Learning objectives, instructional approaches, and instructional content (and its sequencing) all may vary based on learner needs. In addition, learning activities are meaningful and relevant to learners, driven by their interests, and often self-initiated.
 * Highlight national and regional efforts
 * National - Summit Learning Schools, AltSchool, Highlander Institute
 * Link to Mid-Atlantic Mass Customization Summit with keynote from Justin Aglio and presentations by superintendents from Avonworth (Thomas Ralston) and Elizabeth Forward (Bart Rocco)
 * Look for additional resources from Personalized Conference in Baltimore that Jennifer Began from IU3 attended (Kevin Conner)


 * Conference Elements
 * Pre-Conference workshops - use workshops as lead-in to sessions when possible / include leadership training in addition to hands-on activities / embed CoSN CTO Clinic
 * Idea: Leadership Summit with focus on Change Management Process led by Summit Learning and Highlander Institute
 * Optional Idea - Workshop for Educational Leaders on Personalized Learning starting with panel of regional and national experts (Kevin Conner)
 * Full-day conference
 * 4 Concurrent sessions
 * Highlight national and regional efforts with a neutral perspective (Kylie Losota)
 * Rand Corporation, author of 2016 study on Personalized Learning, interested in presenting (Norton)
 * Opening Ignite Talks with Administrator, Teacher, and Student
 * Ed McCaveney will contact Glenn Kleinman at Friday Institute to seek possible role in TRETC
 * Idea: Summit Learning team from Fairview, Ohio and Washington, D.C
 * 'Smores - edcamp style activity - for follow-up to presentations (Norton - part of CoSN Conference)
 * I nclude poster sessions for full day (details to be worked out by planning team / Kris Hupp will chair)
 * Create Remake Learning Days Revisited space
 * I nclude a Maker Zone/Innovation Zone with hands-on activities that would include Fab Lab with 3D station and tech stations around problems such as IoT
 * Include at pre-conference Design Challenges to be displayed at full day conference
 * Use Planetarium for special presentations
 * Wrap up with people sharing out and captured with visual note-taking
 * Pre-Conference
 * Dinner for educational leaders for pre-conference with targeted workshops for educational leaders around Personalized Learning
 * Seek corporate sponsorship for pre-conference dinner tables
 * Engage educational leaders in Design Challenges around Personalized Learning
 * Suggestion to move event to more central location
 * Featured Speakers
 * Rachelle Poth - PAECT Teacher of the Year
 * Norton Gusky - PAECT Pioneer
 * Ron Bennett - PAECT award
 * Debby Reynolds - NASA Honoree
 * Other Ideas to Explore
 * EVENTZEE challenge (similar to GooseChase)
 * Include a music group, e.g. the Clarks as entertainment for full-day event
 * Free attendance for students/ participants
 * Link to Pittsburgh Resiliency Plan - leave conference with ways to solve local problems
 * Engage in city Innovation opportunities - tech hubs/ startup community


 * Marketing Plan


 * **Activity** || **Time-frame** || **Responsibility** ||
 * Develop marketing campaign (theme, logos) || 3/17-5/17 || Tech Council ||
 * Identify opening speaker(s) || 3/17 – 6/17 || Planning Committee ||
 * Identify presenters || 4/17- 7/17 || Planning Committee ||
 * Send out Hold Date email || 5/17 || Tech Council / AIU ||
 * Identify potential vendors || 3/17– 10/17 || Planning Committee/ Tech Council ||
 * Register presenters/vendors/ participants || 7/17– 11/17 || Tech Council ||
 * Evaluate presentation proposals || 6/17- 7/17 || AIU/ Planning Committee (sub-committee) ||
 * Arrange for equipment needs || 6/17 – 11/17 || Tech Council/AIU/ Sponsors ||
 * Update web site || 4/17 – 10/17 || Tech Council ||
 * Arrange for food || 9/17 – 11/17 || Tech Council ||
 * Provide food / necessary space / tech support || 11/17 || Host site ||
 * Distribute marketing materials || 08/17- 11/17 || Tech Council/ IUs/ Committee members ||
 * Market to targeted audiences || 07/17 - 10/17 || IUs/ Committee members/ Tech Council ||
 * Evaluate /Act 48 || 11/17- 12/17 || AIU/ Tech Council ||