Tech department of AC Schools wins TETA award
The Anderson County School District’s Technology Department has received a Tennessee Educational Technology Association Team award for outstanding innovations in technology from the Tennessee Educational Technology Association (TETA), a non-profit organization and affiliate of International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) committed to promoting educational technology use in the classrooms.
The TETA Team Award recognizes school districts, education networks, and education agencies that make a significant impact on technology’s role in transforming learning.
The award was given out at the Anderson County School Board meeting on Thursday, March 9, with TETA Executive Director Joan Gray presenting the award to the Anderson County School System’s technology director Johanna Whitley.
Gray commended the Anderson County School Board for the support they have given the technology department, and Whitley and her team for implementing a One-to-One Program “beyond exception.”
The One-to-One Program is a three-year program to fund Google Chromebooks for all students in the Anderson County School system.
“Johanna [Whitley] applied for this team award. Whitley says she doesn’t do it by herself. She does it with her team’s support. This is a team award instituted by TETA. We send the state’s winner [of this award] to compete with school systems all over the United States through COSN [Consortium for School Networking], a national organization for leadership, improvement and leadership education. We didn’t win in Tennessee but we were one of the top three. Anderson County’s technology department represented the state and the school system well. You all have a jewel. I think you know that,” Gray said.
Gray stated in addition to Anderson County, there were 14 other nominees for the award at the state level, and that Anderson County School System competed against school districts twice its size.
Whitley was also nominated for TETA’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) award to represent Anderson County Schools, but that award went to McMinn County, Gray said.
Whitley presented recognition plaques to each of her team members during Gray’s presentation to the board.
“This is a special night for our department. We are so blessed to be honored at the state level, but we couldn’t be honored without the support of the board and the director. Without your support we would not be able to do this,” said Whitley.