Instructional Technology Leadership Committee

The Committee is tasked with the following major duties:

Communication

Develop two-way communication and reporting mechanisms for current and future instructional technology initiatives.  This communication is intended to generate ideas, input, feedback, and opinions of staff.

Vision

Identify, define, prioritize, and select instructional technology integration projects to address the needs described above that are supportive of district goals, performance measures, and instructional priorities.  Technology may include, but not be limited to, software and hardware such as computing devices, instructional presentation technologies, phones, productivity software, online grading and report card system(s), web pages for staff, schools and departments, online IEP systems, student learning technology, and other forms that have not yet been developed or identified that address these needs.  Technology that is unrelated to instruction, such as District administrative software, shall not be part of the committee’s jurisdiction.

New Initiatives and Innovation

Assist in the review of project proposals to ensure they meet needs described above and align with and are supportive of district goals, performance measures, and instructional priorities.

Implementation

Serve as clearinghouse and forum for the discussions and challenges and issues related to instructional technology initiatives, including implementation.

Subcommittees

Act as an oversight committee for projects and/or work that may be planning and carried out in subcommittees.

Research

Remain informed of emerging instructional technology issues, capabilities, and tools and incorporate those, as appropriate into a dynamic instructional technology vision.

Levy

Propose instructional technology projects and initiatives to TAC for upcoming capital levy and bond measures.  The recommendations shall be specific, unless the committee agrees that specificity is not useful.

Reporting

Report to AALT, CMAC, STSs, and Administration.

Professional Development

Develop plans for the District’s Technology Professional Development Programs.

Other Duties

Other duties that serve the purpose described above.

NSEA Representatives:

1. Patrick Holmes (Co-Chair, Bothell HS)
2. Renee Huizenga (Librarian, Maywood Hills EL)
3. Zane Mills (Teacher, Inglemoor HS)
4. Nancy Nygren (School Technology Specialist, North Creek HS)
5. Jennie Gardino (School Technology Specialist, Lockwood EL)
6. Phil Razem (Teacher, Kenmore MS)

District/Administrative Representatives:

1. Shelby Reynolds (Co-Chair, Asst Director for Instructional Technology and Library Services)
2. Forrest Baker (Executive Director, Technology)
3. Sarah White (Principal, East Ridge EL)
4. Derek Tucci (Asst Director for Assessment)
5. Jennifer Hernandez (Asst Principal, KMS)
6. Craig Foster (Director of Research and Evaluation)

ExOfficio Member
Maddie Oakley: Secretary (Instructional Technology Coordinator)

Please reach out to one of the co-chairs of the committee for any inquiries:

Patrick Holmes (pholmes@nsd.org)
Shelby Reynolds (sreynolds@nsd.org)

Staff can submit an idea through the staff toolbox here.

Meeting Overview: The group approved the previous meeting’s minutes and confirmed upcoming logistics.

Technology Updates: Recent projects have been completed including presentation system modernization and email domain transitions.

AI Survey Insights: Spring survey results showed evolving perspectives on AI use in education. Discussion included topics such as staff guidance, student literacy, and ethical concerns. Additional data collection methods are being considered to inform future planning.

Tech Levy Discussion: An update was shared on the proposed technology levy. The board is reviewing funding options to align with community expectations, with a final decision anticipated in the fall.

Operational Adjustments: Due to storage limitations, changes to Google services are being planned. The team reviewed Responsible Use Procedure and discussed additional methods for sharing the procedure with staff and community members. The group also discussed potential tools for meeting documentation and compliance considerations.

Meeting Overview: The group approved the previous meeting's minutes and formalized a process for creating and publishing public-facing meeting summaries to ensure greater transparency.

AI in Education: The committee analyzed survey data regarding staff perspectives on AI needs and usage. The discussion centered on exploring student-facing AI platforms that support instruction, scaffolding, and feedback. The group emphasized the importance of aligning these tools with district goals while strictly prioritizing student safety, data privacy, and content moderation. The potential formation of a taskforce to further evaluate these tools across the curriculum was also considered.

Communication Strategy: The group discussed methods to enhance communication between the committee and the district. Strategies included utilizing various internal channels to share updates and the development of feedback mechanisms to gather input and concerns from staff.

Operational Updates: The team reviewed data related to current cloud storage usage and discussed future initiatives to manage digital resources and costs, including "digital declutter" campaigns. Additionally, hardware accessory needs for specific curricular programs were reviewed, and the committee noted the successful completion of recent security credential updates.

Meeting Overview: The group approved the previous meeting's minutes and confirmed the ongoing process for creating and publishing public-facing meeting summaries.

AI Work Group: A new Work Group has been commissioned to standardize the AI experience for staff and students, moving toward a structured district-wide approach. The committee reviewed a draft charter for this group, discussing recruitment strategies to ensure diverse representation across grade levels and subject areas. The Work Group will operate on a phased timeline to evaluate existing literacy frameworks and tools, with the goal of adapting or adopting them to fit district needs.

Communication Strategy: The committee finalized plans for a new input form designed to collect feedback and questions from staff. A process was established to ensure all committee members can review these submissions, with relevant feedback to be addressed in future meeting agendas.

Operational Updates: Discussions continued regarding cloud storage limits, including necessary accommodations for staff with specific job functions. The group also reviewed data retention policies regarding student access after graduation and planned for upcoming professional development opportunities to support staff in managing their digital resources.

Meeting Overview: The committee approved the minutes from the November 13 meeting and finalized the public-facing summary for that session. The meeting focused on finalizing the charter for the AI Work Group, refining digital citizenship strategies, and reviewing district technology policies.

AI Work Group: The committee reviewed and finalized the charter for the AI Work Group, which will launch in early 2026. The group is targeting a membership of approximately 30 participants to ensure broad representation. A district-wide interest form and information-gathering survey are scheduled for distribution in early January to guide the group’s evaluation of AI literacy frameworks.

Digital Citizenship & Curriculum: Discussions focused on ensuring a consistent digital citizenship experience for all students. The committee explored methods for embedding digital literacy into core content areas and discussed professional development opportunities for staff, including the provision of "bite-sized" instructional tips and STEM clock hour opportunities for educators.

Operational Updates & Safety: The group continued planning for the upcoming Google storage limit, focusing on support for high-usage staff and developing clear account maintenance policies. Additionally, the committee evaluated classroom management tools and discussed potential refinements to web-filtering (specifically regarding YouTube and Amazon at the elementary level) to better align with student safety and instructional needs.

Policy & Feedback: The committee began drafting a mid-year survey to assess the impact of the district’s mobile device policy on classroom instruction and student well-being. The group also reviewed the first submission from the ITLC input form, affirming their commitment to addressing staff feedback and maintaining direct lines of communication between the committee and district employees.

Meeting Overview: The committee approved the minutes from the December 11 meeting and reviewed recent midyear survey data. The session focused on debriefing the district’s recent network outage, analyzing staff feedback on technology tools, and finalizing the selection process for the newly commissioned AI Work Group.

Operations & Stability: A technical recap of the January network outage was provided, identifying a core router issue as the root cause. The committee discussed improvements for incident communication and maintenance scheduling to ensure greater network stability during transition periods.

Data & Feedback: Midyear survey results from over 400 staff members highlighted a strong desire for professional development in AI and creative tools like Canva. The committee also addressed technology support for substitute teachers, focusing on training resources available through the district's Summer Institute.

AI Work Group: Preparations are complete for the AI Work Group kickoff on January 28. The committee is finalizing a diverse group of approximately 28 participants representing various grade levels and specialized programs to evaluate AI literacy frameworks and tools for the district.

Meeting Overview: The committee approved the January 15 meeting minutes and reviewed the first phase of the AI Work Group’s report. The session focused on refining device approval processes, auditing elementary school Google sharing settings, and finalizing the timeline for K-5 YouTube restrictions.

Operational Updates & Safety: The committee discussed a new proposed pathway for staff to request approval for innovative hardware not currently on the district network. Additionally, an audit of K-5 Google Drive settings was reviewed to enhance student privacy by restricting broad link-sharing capabilities.

AI Literacy & Integration: The AI Work Group presented its Phase 1 draft report. The committee provided feedback to ensure the report addresses the impact of AI on foundational skills like reading and writing, as well as the social-emotional well-being of students.

Technology & Communication: Feedback on the recent district-wide phone deployment was reviewed, leading to plans for more targeted staff training materials. The committee also finalized plans for a March survey to gather staff feedback on the impact of the current mobile device policy.

Content Filtering: Following recommendations from the December meeting, the committee finalized the plan to restrict YouTube access for K-5 students, hopefully effective in March, ensuring educational content remains accessible through tools like Edpuzzle.