This school year Mercy will be hosting its fifth annual Tech Talk for K-12 Educators. We have moved the conference to November for the first time, so planning began over the summer. I have not minded a bit. The collaborations involved are rewarding and fun– I have the opportunity to scheme, plan, and share with so many fine people. Check out this incomplete list:

• When we moved the date I wanted to be sure that our past rock stars could make the shift with us– mainstays like Jeremy Badiner of Gull Lake,  Megan Black of Grosse Pointe Academy,  Stacy Cushman, from Marian, Dr. Alison Kline-Kator, Lauren Marquard, and Angela Harris-Schultheis from MHS, Dr. Jason Siko for Madonna, and Lori Wetzel from Fraser. All are returning.

• I recruited workshop leaders Steve Dickie, from Divine Child,  Marnie Diem of  Hillel Day School, John Sowash, Google Education Trainer, Jason Gribble from Riverview.

• I have had many conversations with our keynote speaker,  Brent Coley. We are flying Brent in from California for the event.  I have introduced him by video-conference to Chris Janusch and we planned together Brent’s topic, now titled #eduinfluence. I learn something every time I communicate with Brent.
• I met twice this summer to plan a session with Charli Migoski which we are calling, “Let’s Get Everyone Involved in Our English Class”. It will be so fun to present with her and if you want to learn Charli’s incredible digital techniques for involving all students in class discussions, you should attend.
• I recruited four presenters who will be streaming into N-13 form remote locations: Katie Morrow from Nebraska, Derek Rhodenizer from Ottawa, Aaron Hogan from Texas, and our crazy Aussies stationed in Dubai, the amazing Steve Bambury and Luke Rees.
• I set up two panels of five luminaries each. Our new principal Pat Sattler will moderate one about supporting teachers with tech adoption The social media panel will be moderated by our communications director Julie Earle.
• Julie does the marketing for Tech Talk. She, Ann Lusch, Lisa Robinet and I meet regularly to coordinate the event. Ann and Lisa do all the heavy lifting with speaker/sponsor communications, logistics and registration.
• I have even enjoyed soliciting sponsors. I was blown away when Performance Environmental offered to sponsor our lunch  and Aquatic Source doubled what I asked for to sponsor the ever-popular snack table. Other sponsors like Plante Moran, One Earth Writing, F.A. LaFontaine, and TMP Architecture are helping us underwrite free vouchers for teacher interns by sponsoring workshops and individual speakers.
• And of course it is fun to collaborate by offering free admission to universities. This has already given me the wonderful opportunity to be in touch with two wonderful long-time school of ed collaborators — Dr. Liz Kolb of the University of Michigan and Dr. Karen Obsniuk of Madonna University. (We will once again offer SCECH credit trough Madonna thanks to Theresa King.

So many more incredible collaborations to come! Check out the marvelous web site that Ann Lusch has built  http://www.techtalkmercy.com/ .  And follow news about the conference @TechTalk_mhs   #mhtt17