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Assessment in schools often feels like judging a book by its cover – it never quite captures the whole story. Especially when every student is a unique individual with their own stories and strengths.

“But what if we must perform surgery in the dark on a badly injured Macbook Air?” I thought. “Does not a Help Desk surgeon require optimal lighting? Would we all fall fast asleep while students wait in line to change a password or connect to wireless?”

Digital citizenship skills are not inherent to educators today. For many teachers, this is because they are uncomfortable with technology themselves. They did not grow up with devices at their fingertips like today’s students have.

Minister Thomas Barnes of St. Margaret’s Church observed, “Youth were never more sawcie, ...the ancient are scorned, the honorable are contemned, the magistrate is not dreaded.” Even if he originally penned it in 1624, it’s a sentiment that would not be out of place on social media in 2023.

We’re stepping into new territory with generative AI tools becoming commonplace in schools. It's an exciting time, but it also raises some tough questions. How do we use AI in a way that helps and doesn't hinder? How do we make sure it's fair and useful for everyone?

It is easy to get lost in the realm of risk management. Whether applying it to the entire school in an Enterprise Risk Management program, or simply focusing on privacy and information security, managing risk can be a daunting task.

The energy of having a fresh start at school each year has always given me joy. This year I began my year with a self-inventory and asked what I could improve, and I swiftly and I swiftly landed on the topic of passwords.

Imagine that one day the head of school receives an email from a colleague with an attachment or a link.

Technology is pervasive across our society. It touches all facets of our lives.

The Department released the requirements for EANS II and updated FAQs.

Between phones, laptops, tablets, and more, it’s easy to get stuck in the endless cycle of staring at our screens – especially for students. Social media is simply how students are social.

Understanding your organization’s internet and phone systems can be challenging, particularly when it comes to knowing what to pay for these services. Internet, landline, and phone systems can cost you thousands - or hundreds of thousands - of dollars each year.

Developing a practical and effective cyber security plan is vital to incorporating security into your organization’s risk management strategy. A common misconception is that a cyber security plan is lengthy and difficult to follow. However, that does not have to be the case.

The independent school community faces a unique set of challenges when securing their sensitive data, with students, parents, facility, and administrators traversing the network from a variety of different platforms each day.

We’ve all heard a lot of information about ESSER funds, but there is a lesser known fund that came out of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act specifically for nonpublic schools.

As educators, we wield the power to cultivate understanding, acceptance, and empathy among our students. With each disruptive innovation, this power undergoes subtle refinement.

Beautiful quotes from brilliant minds have inspired me from the early days of my professional career. Motivation as lines from well known storytellers, messages from world leaders, ideas from scientists – ending up on posters on our classroom walls and as sign offs in our email signatures.

A father and his son are in a car accident. The father dies at the scene, and the son, badly injured, is rushed to the hospital. In the operating room, the surgeon looks at the boy and says, “I can’t operate on this boy. He is my son."

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has brought forth new opportunities and considerations for K-12 education. As technology leaders in schools, it is crucial to understand the potential impact of generative AI on teaching, learning, assessment, and access to education.

Technology directors in K-12 independent schools hold a crucial role in shaping the learning experiences of our students. Beyond managing devices and networks, your responsibility extends to fostering agency, purpose, and innovation among the young minds we serve.

As we thought leaders implement new tools into our school communities, it's critical that we not let the 'tail wag the dog'.

I was recently asked to share my thoughts on developing a technology vision for an independent school. I have learned a lot (and continue to learn) from this process over the years and I think it essentially comes down to five things:

Almost 30 years ago when I started in Educational Technology, the job description for being a school tech leader was vague. Personally, my biggest qualification was that I knew more about computers/technology than anyone else at the school.

In December 2022, under the blanket of an expectant winter, OpenAI introduced a new resource, the epitome of their human-to-machine technological prowess - ChatGPT.

While composing this piece, I find myself contemplating the various approaches one can take when teaching students about AI. There are undoubtedly several methods to consider, but here I aim to focus on the strategies that have proven effective in my writing classrooms.

Have you ever looked at your academic programming and wondered how to make it relevant to real-world problems? Enter: computer science. And, the best part is that you don’t need a lab dedicated to computer science to teach these principles (though, it helps!).

From its earliest roots in modern educational philosophy, most notably championed in the early 20th century by John Dewey, experiential learning has permeated throughout schools, universities, and in the workforce, and is now recognized as a core approach in how we can best make sense of the abst

Independent schools are sizing up their technology departments to meet new demands and expectations for technology. This presents a puzzle for many school leaders who are seeing that it is time to make long overdue investments in technology and are working on a fixed budget.

The proliferation of inexpensive (or expensive in some cases!) cloud-based solutions has allowed school data to roam freely across platforms, programs, and departments.

In our previous article, "Overcoming Roadblocks: Unlocking Your Leadership Potential," we explored how to overcome barriers and unleash your leadership potential.

In our professional and personal lives, we often encounter roadblocks that hinder our growth and limit our ability to reach our full potential as leaders.

In an ATLIS Town Hall, participants pondered the changes that have come to the leadership role of technologists in independent schools, including acting as trusted guides for the many complex technologies that are now desired at their schools.

As the use of AI becomes more prevalent in education, it is crucial to establish clear guidelines and protocols regarding the use of AI-generated content in student projects and assessments.

Dear Families,

We are excited to announce that we will be introducing a new project in our class that involves [project details here]. As part of this project, we will be using an online AI-based chatbot called ChatGPT.

Policies without context are difficult to implement. This exercise will help identify areas of concern and the specific areas policies need to focus on. This template can be customized and used in small groups.

A school is either a place defined by its recipes or by its inspiration.

In one classroom, a student may learn exactly which hoops to jump through, do what's asked, receive the needed grade, and advance to the next set of hoops.

The introduction of Web 3.0 holds enormous potential for changing the educational landscape of independent schools in an era of quick technology advancements.

As a fervent advocate for innovative educational practices, I have watched the meteoric rise of AI in the educational landscape with interest, curiosity, and a dash of trepidation.

As schools increasingly rely on technology to support their operations and deliver quality education, the relationship between business officers and tech directors plays a vital role in ensuring smooth functioning and strategic decision-making.

Zero-balance budgeting is an effective approach for technology leaders in K-12 independent schools to manage their financial resources efficiently. Zero-balance budgeting is a budgeting approach that aims to allocate financial resources in a way that balances expenses with available funds.

In our previous discussion on the book "Post Corona" by Scott Galloway, we delved into the concept of the Great Dispersion and its implications for education.

As AI continues to revolutionize the educational landscape, it is essential for schools to adapt their policies to ensure ethical and responsible use of these powerful technologies.

A thought-provoking exploration of educational technology as we revisit a deep dive into the subject with the esteemed Dr. George Siemens. In that enlightening conversation, Dr. Siemens shared his top four takeaways that shed light on the evolving landscape of education in a digital age.

Damien Barrett shares his philosophy for working with stressed colleagues and students during challenging times. In this guest blog post, he provides further insights on this topic.

In the article “Fostering Student Agency, Purpose, and Innovation: A Guide for Independent School Technology Leaders”, we explored practical strategies for fos

Tony Perez’s experiences— from theater to Yahoo’s early years to his own business—have helped him see the fine print and the big picture, leading him to his calling: transforming how schools view technology and the role of technology leader.