The Consortium for School Networking Presents 2005 Awards

Honorees Demonstrate Value of Information Technology in K-12 Education

For more information contact:

Elizabeth Engel, Vice President, Marketing
Consortium for School Networking
202/861-2676, ext. 120
elizabeth@cosn.org

Press Release:

Ted Richane
The Fratelli Group
202/822-9491
trichane@fratelli.com

Washington, D.C. (March 24, 2005) – The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) announced the winners of its annual awards today, honoring the achievements of education leaders from across the country and their contributions to the education technology community. The awards were presented at CoSN’s annual K-12 Networking Conference here in Washington.

This year’s award winners include:

• Outstanding Achievement Award for Excellence in Public Service: John Bailey, Former Director of Educational Technology for the US Department of Education
  
  
• TEAM Award: School District of Hudson, WI, Accepted by Nancy Toll, Technology Coordinator; Celeste Nelson, Software Training Specialist; and Becky Fowler, Media Specialist
  
  
• Withrow Award for Educators: Darryl LaGace, Director of Information for Lemon Grove School District (Lemon Grove, CA)
  
  Honorable Mention: Katherine Clark, EdD, Principal of Ocoee Middle School (Orange County, FL)
  
  
• Private Sector Champion: David S. Byer, Senior Manager, Education Leadership & Policy, Apple Computer, Inc.
  
  

“This year’s honorees provide perfect examples of how information technology is having a positive effect on learning in schools across the country,” said Keith R. Krueger, CoSN CEO. “Each of our honorees should be proud of what they’re doing for the education technology community, and for the lasting effect they’re having on students.”

CoSN wishes to thank Inspiration Software, Inc., sponsor of this year’s awards.

John Bailey, this year’s Excellence in Public Service honoree, has shaped the national education agenda by focusing on the opportunity to change education through technology. Through his leadership at the US Department of Education, Bailey has tirelessly promoted the position that only through the effective use of educational technology will the No Child Left Behind Act meet its potential to revolutionize education. Past winners of this award include Former Governor Angus King (ME), U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (NM), Patrick Leahy (VT) and Jay Rockefeller, and Speaker of the Michigan House Rick Johnson.

The School District of Hudson, this year’s TEAM Award Winner, has been recognized for its comprehensive educational technology plan, which is used to guide the district in promoting student achievement. All elementary students, starting in kindergarten, have regular access to computer labs and instruction, including both scheduled and elective time. Secondary students have the opportunity to select from a wide-range of technology electives including business software, web page design, computer-aided design, graphic arts and multi-media production. Elementary schools currently have two mobile labs each, the middle school has four and the high school six. These wireless labs are available for check-out to be used within classrooms.

Darryl LaGace, this year’s Withrow Award for Educators winner, was recognized for his leadership in LemonLINK, a project providing information exchange and access to electronic resources and information for parents, students and teachers 24 hours a day.

David S. Byer of Apple Computer is this year’s Private Sector Champion Award winner. Byer is a tireless advocate for the use if technology in education, particularly on public policy issues including education technology funding and the Erate program. He serves on CoSN’s joint policy committee with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), chairs the National Coalition for Technology in Education & Training (NCTET) and is active in a range of national education associations.

“These four award winners demonstrate the amazing ways that educators, government and the private sector work in concert to achieve the shared goal of ensuring that technology in schools improves teaching and learning for children,” said Mona Westhaver, president and co-founder, Inspiration Software, Inc. “Inspiration Software is proud to sponsor these awards recognizing their achievements.”

This year’s honorees were chosen by an awards committee with members from across the education technology spectrum. Additional information about the CoSN awards program, including past honorees, can be found at www.cosn.org/about/awards.

Scholastic Administr@tor serves as media partner for the CoSN awards.

About the Consortium for School Networking

Founded in 1992, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), a national non-profit organization, is the premier voice in education technology leadership. CoSN’s mission is to advance the K-12 education community’s capacity to effectively use technology to improve learning through advocacy, policy and leadership development. CoSN members represent school districts, state and local education agencies, nonprofits, companies and individuals who share our vision.

CoSN leadership initiatives include: Accessible Technologies for All Students (www.accessibletech4all.org) Cyber Security for the Digital District (www.securedistrict.org); Data-Driven Decision Making (www.3d2know.org); Safeguarding the Wired Schoolhouse (www.safewiredschools.org); Taking Total Cost of Ownership to the Classroom (www.classroomtco.org); and the development of the Council of School District Chief Technology Officers (CTO).

Visit www.cosn.org or phone 202/861-2676 to find out more about CoSN’s programs and activities supporting leadership development to ensure that information technology has a direct and positive impact on student learning in elementary and secondary schools.

About Inspiration Software, Inc.

Recognized as the leader in visual thinking and learning, Inspiration Software, Inc. develops and publishes innovative software tools that inspire learners of all ages to brainstorm, organize, plan and create. With more than 15 million users worldwide, the company’s award-winning software is revolutionizing visual learning in education – inspiring students to develop strong thinking and organizational skills and improve their academic performance. Founded by Donald Helfgott and Mona Westhaver, the company’s mission is to support improvements in education and make a positive difference in students’ lives by providing software tools that help students learn to think. www.inspiration.com