ATLIS partnered with ISTE's IISN to launch a live chat of technology leaders from around the world to tell their stories and discuss strategies for school continuity in response to COVID-19. Among the many lessons learned was the need to create spaces for this group of forward-thinking technology educators, which is isolated from peers and colleagues even under "normal" circumstances, to create a space for connecting over the course of the coming weeks. To that end, ATLIS has created a weekly Virtual Town Hall tor the community to come together until further notice. Below we share the video from our first gathering, questions raised, and resources shared. -- SD

We are pleased to present the final post in our series of interviews with our Spotlight Speakers for the ATLIS Annual Conference 2020. Here we share insights from George Aye, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation, Greater Good Studio; Full Professor, Adj., The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Aye co-founded Greater Good Studio with the belief that design can elevate the voices of people with the least power. Previously, he spent seven years at global innovation firm IDEO before being hired as the first human-centered designer at the Chicago Transit Authority. Since founding Greater Good, he has worked across complex social issues such as criminal justice, civic engagement, public education, public health, and youth development. He speaks frequently across the US and internationally.  For Monday's Spotlight Speaker format at the Annual Conference, we ask the same question of three experts for them to address from different perspectives. This post provides a glimpse of Aye's response to "How would you design the future for independent schools?" -- SD

 Jennifer Carey, Director of Technology and Innovation at the Temple Beth Am Day School, FL, is among the many leaders in independent schools who are considering next steps for their communities should the coronavirus require school closure. In this post, she shares her thinking about the steps technology leaders can take now to prepare for the possibility for emergency procedures. Jennifer also serves on the ATLIS Board. -- SD

[15-minute read]

How would you design the future for independent schools?

[10-minute read]

As schools begin to address possible concerns of undertaking their mission to teach even in the midst of a possible shut-down due to health concerns, Susan Davis, Professional Development Director for ATLIS and an educator who has been comfortable in online or blended learning environments for decades, offers some basic advice drawing upon her experiences. Her message to independent schools: You can do this. 

[10-minute read]

In this post, Vinnie Vrotny, Director of Technology at the Kinkaid School, TX, and a 2019 ATLIS Pillar Award honoree, wraps up our year of inquiry into the the leadership literacies needed for effective technology programs and teams at independent schools. Join us for the final book discussion of the year on February 26 at 1 pm Eastern, as well as for a culminating conversation about our initial book series at a special "Think Tank: ATLIS Reads Redux" at the ATLIS Annual Conference in Chicago, April 5-8. -- SD

[10-minute read]

ATLIS research on the Role of Technology Leaders in Educational Capital Improvement Projects demonstrates that technology leaders can make a positive impact on school construction projects. A new report and an upcoming webinar make the case for positioning tech leaders to make the best use of their skills and expertise as schools take on the kinds of projects that can define a school’s future. -- SD

[10-minute read]

Coaching is an essential skill in almost any aspect of technology education, whether you are working with your IT team, moving other administrators towards innovation, or reaching out to a classroom teacher. Here Connie White, Director of  Learning and Innovation at Woodward Academy, GA, previews The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More and Change the Way You Lead Forever by Michael Bungay Stanier for our ATLIS Reads: A Book Seminar for Technology Thought Leaders. Register  for our two remaining webinar conversations, both centered around the theme of leadership literacies. You can catch up with our seminar archive of previous conversations in our micro-course (ATLIS members: no charge; non-members, $129). Learn more about the seminar here. -- SD

[5-minute] read

In this post, we continue our practice of providing curated resources from the ATLIS Think Tank, an advisory group for ATLIS publications and professional development programming. Larry Kahn, Chief Technology Officer at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas, shares his go-to resources on the topic of leadership. -- SD

[10-minute read]

In this blog post, Lisa Lamont helps us unpack the key principles of The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins, which technology leaders can use to launch a program, initiative, or new job. Lamont, who is the Director of Innovation and Institutional Learning at Hopkins School (CT), shares her discussion questions for the next conversation for our new seminar, ATLIS Reads: A Book Seminar for Technology Thought Leaders, scheduled for October 23 at 1 pm EDT. Register  for one of the few remaining spots in this series of live webinar conversations around the theme of leadership literacies, augmented with a reflective seminar micro-course (ATLIS members: no charge; non-members, $129). Learn more about the seminar here. -- SD

[10-minute read]

Curated Content for Technology Thought Leaders

With this blog post, Ethan Delavan, Director of Technology at the Bush School in Seattle, launches our new series focusing on curated content from our community of thought leaders. Here Ethan unpacks "Designing the Future," the theme for the ATLIS annual conference in Chicago, April 5-8. He provides a rolicking overview of the “need to know” reads for education technologists to truly reckon with the future that is staring us in the face… or may be sneaking up on us. -- SD

ATLIS is launching an important research project into the ways technology leaders are leveraged for capital improvement projects. In this blog post, Christina Lewellen, Executive Director of ATLIS, outlines the research project and invites your participation in our survey. -- SD

[5-minute read, 10-minute survey]

For the opening of the school year, ATLIS inaugurates ATLIS Reads: A Book Seminar for Technology Thought Leaders, a series of four webinar conversations and a companion micro-course. Our first year-long book study seminar will address the theme of Leadership Literacies. In this blog post, Jared Colley of Oakridge School (TX) introduces the first book in the series, The Blind Spot: Hidden Biases of Good People, and offers a series of questions to consider before joining our discussion online. Registration for the full seminar is required (no individual registrations will be offered) and limited to the first 30 participants, starting August 27, 2019. Registration is complimentary for ATLIS members, $129 for non-members. Register here for the book study seminar designed specifically by and for technology thought leaders in independent schools. -- SD

ATLIS Reads: A Book Seminar of Technology Thought Leaders
The Blind Spot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony C Greenwald.
Webinar Conversation: September 25, 1 pm Eastern

ATLIS Corporate Member Wyebot offers the following best practices for analyzing and updating your campus wifi systems. Whether you are installing new hardware, running diagnostics, or conducting security audits, maintaining effective wifi services is a mainstay of independent school technology department work. -- SD

[10-minute read]

We loved learning about new forms of PD from the recent webinar, “How to Deliver PD on Demand: 3 Ways to Power Up Professional Learning in Independent Schools” with Brad Spirrison and Dr. Jennifer Williams of Participate. In particular, we are excited about opportunities for developing the ATLIS personal learning network via the ATLIS Community portal. For the 2019 ATLIS Annual Conference, we are pleased to offer additional opportunities for you to explore, including courses in conjunction with the 2019 Hackathon and the ATLIS Reflection ⇒ Ideation Lab, resources curated  around “Leadership in the Digital Age,” and authentic conversations related to these topics and the conference theme, “Deep in the Heart of TECHness.” -- SD

[10-minute read, plus webinar video]

What do floating highways, destination travel stops, and quality vending machine coffee have in to do with independent schools and the learners they serve? Creativity, choice, and user-centric customization. As part of the NWAIS IT Summit on January 25-26, in Seattle, Washington, Joey Tanaka, Edtech and Robotics Specialist at Bertschi School (WA), offered a vision of the future for independent schools based on his recent experiences with human-centered design while traveling in Japan. This blog post is adapted from that talk. -- SD  [15-minute read]

What if you could travel into the future, but you could only bring back whatever was in your head?  What would you bring? Insights? A new vision?

The intersection of technology and global learning presents a unique opportunity for independent schools to have an impact on the future. In this post, Brad Spirrison, a Media Ecologist who works for ATLIS Corporate Member Participate, poses the question, "What if we used the very screens and digital resources that promote antisocial behavior (and frequently contribute to bullying) as a vehicle to bring more real-world interactions into our elementary school classrooms?" Participate's partnership with Empatico on The Empathy Project provides just one answer to that question. -- SD

[10-minute read]

The introduction of technology within any educational setting always comes with a bit of a conundrum.

With this post, ATLIS inaugurates a blog series from the winners of the ATLIS Pillar Awards. Curt Lieneck, who is on the faculty of the Early Career and Aspiring Technology Directors Institute, shares in this post his reflections on time from the perspective of someone who has recently retired from multiple decades as a leader of technology in schools. You can learn more about the ATLIS Pillar Awards in our 1 May 2018 post, "Launched! ATLIS Annual Conference Highlights."

[15-minute read]

Last month Bill Donovan and Marygrace Blubaugh of Cannon School (NC) joined Sarah Hanawald for a discussion of “How to Automate Your Inventory, Budgeting, and Replacement Cycle.” (Members can view the recorded webinar here.) To supplement their webinar, Marygrace has provided several best practices for creating an Inventory Database, which she shares with ATLIS readers. -- SD

[10-minute read]