Introduction

["Sara Engel" <Sara.Engel@sjsd.k12.mo.us>]

Hi everyone:

Finally 
getting around to introducing myself.  My 
name is Sara Engel and I reside in St. Joseph, 
Missouri which is about a 1/2 hour north 
of Kansas City.  I have a B.A. in Elementary 
Education and an M.S. in Instructional Technology 
which I acquired from the University of 
Nebraska....Go Huskers!!!!

I was hired in April 
of last year to be the first Technology 
Curriculum Specialist for the St. Joseph 
School District.  It's both exciting and 
challenging to possess a role that is constantly 
being defined and re-defined.

Our school 
district consists of 18 elementary schools, 
4 middles, and 3 highs.  With 500+ teachers, 
I certainly keep busy with staff development 
and various other responsibilities.  I won't 
bore you with all the details, unless you 
want to know more (then, just ask me), but 
I am interested in this class because myself, 
the Director of Technology and a small committee 
just completed our own 5 year technology 
plan.

Boy, I could've used this course 
a little sooner!

Currently, I am in 
the process of writing a Technology Literacy 
Challenge Fund grant and getting ready for 
our MSIP (MO School Improvement Plan) review. 
Our accreditation comes up in December and 
technology integration is certainly a huge 
component of our state and local standards. 

Again, if you have any questions (things 
I didn't address), please respond.  Tomorrow 
I will put our tech plan on the web so you 
can access it and send our the url....then, 
you will have the opportunity to review 
and critique ours. I think it will be very 
helpful to get your feedback, just don't 
be too hard on me; I'm fragile!  <grin> 
just kidding...let your comments and criticisms 
rip; that's the only way we will get better.

what I know about technology planning, it's 
a very fluid framework and you have to be 
very adaptable and know that change is always 
the 'constant.'

Looking forward to 
learning much...

Sara Engel

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Sara 
M. Engel
Technology Curriculum Specialist
St. 
Joseph Public Schools
(816) 671-4390
sara.engel@sjsd.k12.mo.us
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"Technology 
serves as a symbol of change, inviting teachers
to 
re-examine their beliefs about teaching 
and learning, and 
their traditional role 
of 'dispensers of knowledge.'"