Winning the 2011 Sylvia Charp Award
Each year, T.H.E. Journal and the International Society for Technology in Education award the Sylvia Charp Award to a single school district chosen for its innovative, districtwide use of technology. This year's award went to the Vail School District in Southeastern Arizona, for reasons examined in the August issue of T.H.E. Journal.
Each year, T.H.E. Journal and the International Society for Technology in Education award the Sylvia Charp Award to a single school district chosen for its innovative, districtwide use of technology. This year's award went to the Vail School District in Southeastern Arizona because of the teacher-driven nature of its Beyond Textbooks program and the model it created that took it way beyond its district boundaries.
"There were some amazing districts that applied for the Charp award this year," said Therese Mageau, T.H.E. Journal's editorial director and one of the judges for the award, "but what ultimately moved Vail to the top of the pack were those two things. Both ensure that the work Vail has done is not some isolated island of success, but rather that their achievements are replicable in other districts."
In this month's issue of the magazine, regular contributing writer Jennifer Demski takes a look at the Vail District's successful initiative to use all of its teachers' and administrators' best practices to meet and exceed standards, and then to use technology to share those best practices with other districts all over the state.
Also in the August issue is a reminder that it is never too late to begin thinking about your own district's nomination for the Sylvia Charp award. This year's judges offer some insight into the nomination process, including tips on getting your district into the running for next year's award.
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.