Your Vote Will Help Send Cole Teacher To Tech Conference

The Cole Middle School community is in the middle of a big push to get everyone they know to cast a vote for science teacher Kelly Grennan Smith to win a scholarship to a technology conference in San Diego in June. They've even gotten state Education Commissioner Deborah Gist to put the link on her Facebook page. Voting ends May 31.

As one seventh grader put it, "This needs to go viral like Justin Bieber's songs on youtube!"

The conference is being put on by the International Society of Technology Education, commonly known as ISTE. According to their website, the conference is meant to provide "professional development and networking opportunities to help infuse technology solutions into education."

For Grennan Smith, it's a chance to build on what she already knows.

"While I am pretty confident in my use of technology, I know that there are far more effective ways that I can implement it in my classroom," Grennan Smith wrote in her application. "My personal goal in attending this conference is to focus on the use of technology to differentiate in the classroom. Use of technology levels the playing field and challenges all learners to develop problem solving skills. As a science teacher, I am not only looking for content support for struggling learners but also ways to challenge the higher level learner in my classroom."

Cole Principal Alexis Meyer is very supportive of Grennan Smith's efforts.

"The conference is an exceptional opportunity for Kelly to engage in professional learning involving 21st Century skills and technology immersion  in the classroom.  Kelly has always embraced the practice of ongoing professional learning to enhance her professional practice," she said.

Here's how to vote: Click on this site. As of Thursday (5/24) afternoon, Kelly Grennan Smith's name was at the top of the page. Voting ends May 31.

If you have any questions or suggestions to help Kelly Grennan Smith in her quest for votes, you can reach her at kgsmith@egsd.net.