Southeast Region | PAECT

We are sure you are making last minute plans, are updating your ISTE 2010 Planner and are deciding how you will manage your time at the ISTE 2010 Conference in Denver…so much to do/see/participate in!  To help you connect with PA colleagues, consider stopping by the PA 21st Century T&L/CFF ISTE 2010 Pre-Conference Meet-UP!

When: Sunday, June 27, 2010

Drop in anytime between 3:30 – 5:00 P.M.

Where: Colorado Convention Center—Rooms 108–110

What: Informal opportunity to get together with PA colleagues, enjoy a light snack, and pick up your ribbon!

We wish you safe travels and look forward to seeing you in Denver at ISTE 2010!

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Among the other great things happening at the PAECT Board Meeting today, a new Facebook Group for PAECT has been created.  If you are a Facebooker, stop on over and join the PAECT Group!  If you aren’t a Facebooker … well, now you have a reason to get started and find your PAECT friends online!

Click HERE to access the group!

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Come on out for…

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PAECT is pleased to partner with the Discovery Educator Network on the DEN Geocaching Day on May 22 in Allentown PA.

From Discovery’s website:

http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/blog/2010/04/21/den-geocaching-day-2010/

On May 22, 2010 DEN will be hosting the second annual DEN Geocaching Day!  PAECT has partnered with the DEN to  encourage our members to venture out with some colleagues on May 22 and have some fun geocaching as you connect with your fellow educators one more time before the summer. Do you want to join us?

To get it started….STAR Discovery Educators  will host a series of webinars in May for muggles (non-geocachers) and pros alike.  The webinars will answer the basic questions of “What is geoaching?” and “How do I get started?”  as well as emphasize the curricular connections of geocaching.  This will follow up on the PAECT Geocaching events from this summer.

This year, there are  two different webinars:

Geocaching 101
Monday, May 3 (Presented by STAR Jim Clark. Registration link)
Thursday, May 13 (Presented by STAR Bridget Belardi.Registration link)

Curricular Connections of Geocaching
Thursday, May 6 (Presented by STAR Conni Mulligan.Registration link)
Monday, May 17 (Presented by STAR Tom Turner.Registration link)

Across the country DEN Guide have been organizing local events in places like Shreveport, LA with DEN Guide: Susan Tompkins, Battle Creek, MI with DEN Guide: John Phillips, and Kennett Square, PA with DEN Guide: Robin Martin

PACET is hosting an event as well in Allentown, PA with DEN Guide: Chris Champion
Register here: http://tinyurl.com/DENAllentown

If you are interested, please use the link to register and come spend the day finding treasures with us!

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When I got the invite about this tweet-up in March, I didn’t want to RSVP and commit myself to a Wednesday night when I wasn’t sure of my plans yet.  I received an email reminder from Kristin on Tuesday and thought, “Alright, I have nothing going on tomorrow night, I’ll head over to Kildare’s.”  When I walked in, I saw Mark Perlman, Tracey McGrath and Chris Champion right away.  I thought, “Ooh people I know!”  Then I found out more people were upstairs, so I ventured up the stairs to find more people that I “knew” – familiar faces that I had met at Educon and PETE&C.  While I was iffy about some names, Kristin initiated introductions before the “meeting” started.  Everyone was very friendly and talkative.  It was nice to be surrounded by like-minded people who want to learn, collaborate and share but don’t expect anything back in return.  I got to reconnect with Cathy Laguna, whom I first met at PETE&C just over a month ago.  We shared lots of ideas during a session at PETE&C and continued to do so during the tweet-up on Wednesday.  I don’t even know how our conversations began, but I had to start writing ideas down on paper because I couldn’t keep them all in my head!  I hope I see her at future PAECT meetings so we can continue to bounce ideas off of each other.

While chowing down on some awesome food from Kildare’s, we discussed what types of events/workshops our regional members might be interested in attending.  We’re looking into providing Google and Thinkfinity trainings for teachers.  How awesome would it be to attend a full day of training with Google certified teachers (in our region, nonetheless) and then become part of the Google certified teacher network?  I’ve always been hesitant to apply to the Google Teacher Academy due to the amazingly talented people who also apply, so I would definitely attend an event like this.  We also discussed having a “sharing” time at upcoming meetings so we can hear about the amazing things members are doing in their schools.  I only exchanged ideas with Cathy, but if I could’ve heard the ideas of everyone else in attendance, that would’ve been awesome!  Plus, it’s nice to be able to share about your successes with people who understand what you’re talking about    I’m already looking forward to our next meeting.  I hope more members attend so we can connect in person and share great ideas!

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Mark your calendars – edcamp philly – coming May 22, 2010 to Drexel University!

Have you heard? A group of educators from Pennsylvania and New Jersey is planning the Greater Philadelphia area’s first “unconference” dedicated to K-12 education. It’s called edcamp philly and it will be held on May 22nd at Drexel University. This day-long, FREE professional development event is unlike any conference you’ve ever attended – which is why it’s called an “unconference.”

According to Wikipedia, an unconference is “a facilitated, participant-driven conference centered around a theme or purpose.” All sessions are determined – and led – by participants on the day of the event. Educators of all levels, areas and specialties can expect up to 60 hour-long sessions on a wide range of topics. The environment is casual and interactive – more like a conversation among friends in a café than a “sit and get” classroom-style presentation. This event promises to be a day of relaxed learning, exploration and fun!

For more information, and to register now (space is limited!) visit the edcamp philly website at http://www.edcampphilly.org!

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It was great to see and meet so many folks from the southeastern region at the PETE & C conference in February.  I was glad that many of you were able to attend the regional directors reception and President’s reception and there was a lot of excitement not only surrounding this past summer’s geocaching workshops but potential for more regional and local events.  One suggestion was to have a series of informal topic driven tweet ups to discuss ideas, tools, instructional strategies that impact us in the k-20 teaching world.

I’d like to start by extending an invitation to our first SEPAECT “Tweet-Up”

When: Wednesday, March 24th from 5:30 – 7:30 pm

Where: Kildare’s Irish Pub in King of Prussia.

Cost: Free to PAECT Members $10 non-PAECT members (event fee can be used towards new membership)

This tweet up will be informal in nature with the goal of planning events for the coming year. While I am excited about this location as they have great meeting rooms, free wifi and it seems like all roads from my region run to King of Prussia,  I am certainly opened and willing to explore other locations in the different counties.  Hopefully 5:30 will allow folks to get there after work if you need to leave early can do that too!  PAECT will supply appetizers and light sandwiches with cash bar.

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Hopefully everyone is staying warm and counting down to PETE & C at “The Sweetest Place on Earth” We wanted to extend an invitation to the events hosted by PAECT during the conference. Don’t forget to stop by the PAECT booth across from registration to get your PAECT ribbon.

Sunday February 21st
PAECT Board Meeting, February 21; 4:30 pm, Suite 3339 of the Hershey Lodge. All members are welcome to attend

Monday February 22nd
If you’d like to find out more about PAECT, please plan on joining us for one of the following events
PLEASE FILL OUT THIS RSVP form to help us with our planning!
Everyone is invited to the Regional Directors’ reception from 6:00-7:00 pm on Monday February 22 (during PETE&C) in the Hershey Lodge President’s Suite (Suite 3338/9). Come meet up with fellow PAECT members and your regional directors from your region of the state for light fare and conversation from 6:00 – 7:00 PM.

If you are unable to make the Region Directors’ reception, you can catch up with us at the President’s Reception starting at 9 pm in the Hershey Lodge President’s Suite (Suite 3338/9).

Tuesday February 23rd

Chief Technology Leaders – SIG of PAECT (CoSN state chapter meeting) 12:30 pm
RSVP at the PAECT booth across from conference registration on Monday

PAECT Awards Dinner Tuesday, Feb 23 6:30 pm Empire Rooms ABC
General annual meeting followed by dinner and then PAECT awards. Come celebrate with your peers the many accomplishments done throughout the year!!

To help us in our planning, please let us know if you are able to join us for any (or all of these events)

Lots to do at PETE&C! We’ll see you in Hershey!
The PAECT Board

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This summer attendees of the KTI / PAECT Geocaching seminars were invited to apply for a  Matching Grant opportunity for the purchase of GPS equipment for educational projects.  Congratulations to Linda Nitsche and Erin VanGuilder of OJR school district for their winning Grant application:  Puzzle Project was the winning project from the MCIU workshop!

See more of the grant lessons submitted and look out for a Geocaching workshop in the Spring.

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