Schilling School third grade teacher Tasha Ohotzke uses Kahoot to quiz students about a book they just finished reading. Homer 33C teachers use Kahoot to quickly determine what concepts students have mastered and which ones need further explanation.
Homer CCSD 33C
Goodings Grove Luther J. Schilling William E. Young William J. Butler
Hadley Middle Homer Jr. High
Contact: Charla Brautigam, Communications/Public Relations Manager
cbrautigam@homerschools.org | 708-226-7628
For Immediate Release:
Dec. 22, 2015
Transforming a School District
Homer 33C shares how it’s Preparing Future Ready Students at school conference
Educators from across the country are learning about Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C and its efforts to prepare Future Ready Students.
Last month, three administrators from Homer 33C were invited to participate in a joint conference for public school leaders and share how teachers and staff are transforming the district to better prepare students for the rigors of the 21st century.
Candis Gasa, Principal at Schilling School; Kathleen Robinson, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction; and Arlene Siefert, Director of Technology, attended the Joint Annual Conference, hosted by the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) on Nov. 21 in Chicago. They presented three 30-minute presentations in the Carousel of Panels.
The group began by providing an overview of the district’s Preparing Future Ready Students initiative, which challenges students to build their critical thinking skills, expand their communication skills and become independent problem solvers through the use of Chromebooks, iPads, laptops and other 21st century learning tools.
“Homer 33C is committed to empowering student success by graduating responsible, globally-aware citizens who are passionate lifelong learners, creative thinkers and independent problem-solvers,” said Robinson. “In addition, we are committed to providing technology that enhances learning, expands communication and promotes data-driven decision-making.”
The initiative began with the development of a well-defined strategic plan outlining a schedule for deploying technology as well as professional development opportunities for teachers.
Training began in the summer when teachers and staff were given an opportunity to attend a series of in-house training sessions. The district even hosted a Google Summit, inviting teachers to learn from James Sanders, the Chief Innovation officer for EdTech Team and co-founder of Future Ready Schools.
The Summit was attended by 500 teachers from across the country, including 41 from Homer 33C.
Guided by its five-year strategic plan, the district is systematically equipping every student in grades 4-8 with a Chromebook, said Siefert. It hopes to complete deployment of the learning tools by the fall of 2017 — the end of the district’s five-year strategic plan.
Teachers and students have been receptive to the changes, embracing the learning tools and formative assessments that provide instant feedback and review.
“We’re educating with more precision,” said Gasa, explaining how teachers can use the Chromebooks and programs such as Kahoot to quiz students and determine what concepts they’ve mastered and which ones need further explanation.
“We’re tailoring our instruction to student needs,” she added.
The presentation was so well received by educators attending the Joint Annual Conference that Homer 33C was encouraged to apply to be a presenter again next year.
