Melissa McCalla - Pasadena ISD
Amanda Lanicek - Springtown ISD
In the EdTech World Cup, winning takes more than a star striker—it requires a strong defense, a visionary coach, and a clear path to goal. Whether you lead a three-person team in a rural district or a metro-sized operation, the early years define your legacy. Hear from two veteran captains—a Small-District United and a Metro FC—sharing winning tactics, costly fouls to avoid, and set plays for a championship tech department.
Additional Information
Draft Workshop Structure and Content:
Workshop Structure & Content
I. Pre-Match Strategy: The First 90 Days- Building the Roster: Identifying "influencers" vs. "decision-makers" in your district.
- The Audit Kick-off: What to look for in your first tech audit (Security, Infrastructure, and Instruction).
- Small vs. Large:
- Small District: Wearing multiple hats without losing your head.
- Large District: Navigating the bureaucracy to find the "lever" of change.
II. Defensive Maneuvers: Cybersecurity & Policy- Hardening the Net: Prioritizing the TETL/CoSN "Trusted Learning Environment" (TLE) framework early on.
- The "Yellow Card" Incidents: How to handle your first major outage or data breach with transparency and grit.
III. Offensive Plays: Innovation & AI- Scaling the Score: Implementing frameworks that work for 500 students or 50,000.
- The "VAR" (Video Assistant Referee) Approach: Using data visualization to prove the ROI of your tech spend to the School Board.
IV. The Post-Game: Longevity & Leadership- Mental Fitness: Avoiding burnout in the "always-on" era of educational leadership.
- Mentorship: Leveraging the TETL/CoSN network to ensure you aren't coaching on an island.
Interactive Elements (Engagement)
- "The Penalty Shootout": A rapid-fire Q&A where attendees submit their "nightmare scenarios," and the presenters give a 30-second "pro-fix."
- "Draft Day" Networking: Grouping attendees by district size to share one "win" and one "worry" using a shared digital workspace.
Essential Skill
Leadership & Vision; Strategic Planning; Team Building & Staffing
