JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL, Champlin, MN
August 2022- Present
Library Media Specialist
HOPKINS NORTH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, Minnetonka, MN
August 2014- June 2022
Library Media Specialist
Assisted with the transition to Distance Learning in March of 2020 in partnership with administration and the Digital Learning Coaches by providing resources for parents, support for teachers, and parameters for student learners.
Collaborated with the Digital Learning Coaches in supporting the North Junior High staff, students, and parents in the rollout and implementation of a new Learning Management System, Canvas.
Established a MakerSpace where students have access to resources to create, make, tinker, and create in ways that expand their understanding of the world.
Fostered a culture of reading at North, where each class started with ten minutes of choice reading, where a system was established to support Striving Readers, and around 20,000 physical and ebooks are checked out each year.
Guided students in locating, processing, critically evaluating, and communicating information in the areas of IB (International Baccalaureate) Approaches to Learning skills.
Initiated a paradigm shift to create an open, active, and welcoming Media Center that is the heart of the school.
Maintained the library collection, building on the diversity of titles to represent the multicultural community at North, including diverse authors, settings, and languages.
Partnered with the Hennepin County Library to put a library card in the hand of every student, assisted students with accessing HCL resources, and developed after school programing at the HCL libraries.
Provided instructional technological support for teachers and students in the 1:1 iPad environment.
Supported the development of a program in our Flexible Learning Space that provides students the opportunity to be challenged through lessons that at expand their knowledge and skills.
BESTPREP TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION WORKSHOP, Minneapolis, MN
August 2006 - August 2021
Technology Integration Specialist
• Conducted integration sessions assisting participants in using Backwards Design to add technology elements to an existing lesson plan.
• Modeled best practices in the instructional use of technology.
• Presented breakout sessions during the workshops on numerous topics.
• Provided learning experiences to participants that integrated the use of instructional technology.
SPRING LAKE PARK DISTRICT 16, Spring Lake Park, MN
June 2012- July 2014
Technology Continuous Improvement Coach and District Media Specialist
• Collaborated with a district-wide team of Technology Continuous Improvement Coaches (TCICS) to support Spring Lake Park as an official Apple Distinguished Program.
• Designed how-to documents and videos to support using iPads in student learning.
• Established fiction and non-fiction eBook collections with Gale Access My Library and MackinVIA to utilize digital learning devices in literacy strategies.
• Guided students in locating, processing, critically evaluating, and communicating information.
• Helped SLP High School and district in moving towards being a successful digital learning environment.
• Led the rollout of 1,500 devices in 2012, collection at the end of the year, and redistributed in 2013.
• Managed library functions district-wide with paras, TCICs, and administrators.
• Modeled and co-taught lessons and facilitated reflection to determine approaches that meet learner needs.
• Provided instructional technological support for teachers and students as they used devices in learning.
• Reevaluated the collections in three school district libraries, redistributing books to one combined elementary collection while designing a base collection for a new Spanish Immersion library.
• Served as a member of Learning Teaching Advisory and Learning and Equity Team.
• Supported teachers in the creation of Moodle courses to share resources and provide digital assessments.
• Worked with individuals, PLC teams, and the building staff in implementing assessment for learning, analyzing results, personalizing instruction, and more.
FARMINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT 192, Farmington, MN
August 2008 - June 2012
District Instructional Technology Integration Specialist
• Assisted in the planning, implementation, and support of instructional technology and collaborates with staff to integrate technology into the educational process.
• Created step-by-step tutorials and presentations to guide staff use of technology using handouts, videos, screencasts and other tools transition to a Flipped Professional Development system.
• Encouraged teachers to work with their peers in PLNs to develop strategies and lessons using technology for engagement and customize learning for each student.
• Facilitated technology integration staff development activities through many means: one-on-one, modeling, small group, full-staff, after-school that best meet the needs of the learners.
• Maintained current knowledge in the field of instructional technology and training such as 1:1, Flipped Classrooms and Gamification, and digitalizing content for an LMS.
• Participated in district leadership positions such as Teaching and Learning, Strategic Planning, Technology Oversight Committee, subject PER committees, Staff Development, and the Literacy Committee.
• Planned, implemented, supported and evaluated district technology integration projects in collaboration with other stakeholders.
• Provided leadership and vision in the area of instructional software, hardware and technology tools.
FARMINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST, Farmington, MN
August 2005 - August 2008
English Eight, Nine, Communications and Drama Teacher
• Taught English, Communications and Drama to eighth and ninth grade students.
• Created and maintained a SharePoint web page and provided help to other teachers creating their own web pages.
• Facilitated a session for the new teacher technology workshop with step-by-step handouts for saving files, Proflier, Class XP, Outlook, and GradeMachine.
• Participated in the Strategic Plan initiative of selecting a new student system, including screening different systems, visiting other schools, and becoming a teacher trainer during implementation.
• Presented use of the SMART Board at Farmington High School and Farmington Middle School West staff meetings.
• Sat on the district Technology Roundtable in 2007 to provide instructional input to technology purchases.
• Utilized SMART Board and Student Response System technology in the classroom and helped other teachers to try out the resources.
HUMBOLDT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, St. Paul, MN
August 2004 - June 2005
Business and Technology Teacher
• Maintained and promoted use of the school web page.
• Managed the school's lockers list and Internet and media permission forms.
• Planned and helped facilitate academy-wide thematic units and activities.
• Taught Entrepreneurship, Web Design, Word Processing, Pre-A Certification and other courses.
Black Hawk Middle School, Eagan, MN
Seventh Grade English Teacher Aug. 2001 - June 2004
Phillis Wheatley Community Center, Minneapolis, MN
Computer Teacher June 2001 - Aug. 2001
Royal Woverhampton School, Wolverhampton, England
English Student Teacher Jan. 2001 - April 2001