About the Ren Baldwin Student Technology Festival

The Ren Baldwin Student Technology Festival began in 2012 to showcase the innovative use of technology in St. Joseph Public Schools for enhancing instruction and student learning. The festival was named in honor of retired St. Joseph Technology Director, Ren Baldwin. Mr. Baldwin's vision for and commitment to furthering educational technology in St. Joseph Public Schools provided the foundation for much of the technology use occurring in the district today. We are honored to welcome Mr. Baldwin each year to the festival and share our progress and students' creativity with him.

More about Mr. Baldwin

Ren Baldwin

Ren Baldwin retired in 2011, following a 42-year career with St. Joseph Pubic Schools. Ren received his Bachelor of Music degree from Anderson University and Master of Music Education/Choral Conducting from Ball State University. When the “new” Upton Junior High opened in 1969, Ren started his teaching career there, being responsible for Bands, Choirs, and Music Appreciation classes. Upton’s first choir, Uptones in 1969, had 12 students enrolled and Ren guided the growth of the choral program to the point that in 1976, when the 9^th grade was moved the St. Joe High School the Freshman Choir was 130 voices.

In the early 1980’s, while continuing his teaching career, with his wife Phyllis, they opened a computer business in St. Joe, which was the beginning of his interest in technology and began sharing his music teaching time with introducing computer use into teachers classrooms and teaching computer classes. After 28 years teaching in music rehearsal rooms and computer labs, Ren move into technology administration and spent the final 14 years in St. Joe as Director of Technology for St. Joseph Public Schools. In 2004 he was designated as the Michigan Technology Director of the year.

Ren and Phyllis have one daughter, who is a St. Joe grad and lives with her family (3 girls and a boy) in Concord, OH, which is an eastern suburb of Cleveland.

In retirement, Ren continues to “educate”, as he teaches, in the SeniorNet Computer Learning Program at the Area Agency on Aging. He remains deeply committed to St. Joseph Public Schools, as he serves on the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors. Ren also serves on the Board of Trustees of the St. Joseph Public Library, on the Advisory Council of the First Church of God in St. Joseph, a member of St. Joe Lions Club, and remains an active member of MACUL (Past President in 2005-2006) the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning.