Teacher Appointed to State Board

George Washington Elementary School first-grade teacher Lori Dillard has been appointed to serve as a member of the newly formed Governor’s Advisory Council for Educational Technology.

She is the only elementary school teacher in the state appointed to this position.

The 15-member council, whose purpose is to unify and coordinate the planning, procurement, and implementation of technology in public schools and higher education, was established by the Legislature to advise the Governor’s Office of Technology.

The Council’s primary responsibility will be to assess the education system’s technology needs and construct a strategic technology plan to guide the administration and allocation of technology funds. They will look for ways to improve student achievement using technology, monitor school technology programs, and advise the governor and Legislature on matters related to educational technology.

Dillard has been a member of her George Washington Elementary’s Technology Team since its inception. She was recommended for the appointment by an IBM trainer who travels the state, working with teachers on integrating technology into the curriculum.

She will take with her a list of “needs” as seen by teachers and students. According to teachers surveyed last spring, top concerns are acquiring more software and hardware, quality training on integrating the use of technology into the curriculum, and ongoing tech support in the schools. Students express concern about the difficulties caused by not having technology available to use in their homes, a situation dubbed the “digital divide” by the state technology office.