Westonka Educators Named TIES Exceptional Teachers

By Lorrie Ham

Grandview Middle School teacher Megan Lhotka and Westonka High School teacher Kristin Wallace received Exceptional Teacher Awards last month at the TIES 2011 Education Technology Conference in Minneapolis. The two were among 83 teachers from 43 districts to be honored.

Nominated by their principals and chosen by Superintendent Kevin Borg, the two educators were selected for the award, which recognizes teachers who model the best practices in using technology in their classroom and engaging students in learning.

Megan Lhotka, a seventh grade math teacher at Grandview, is a technology trailblazer in her school. From the moment she walked in the door, she has embraced technology in her classroom and was one of their first SMART Board users. She has since become SMART-certified. 

Lhotka shares this expertise with her colleagues by assisting them and inspiring them to improve their own use of this tool.  Always looking to engage kids, she was asked to pilot a “paperless” class taught entirely using the iPad 2. She spent countless hours familiarizing herself with the iPad 2, researching the best uses of the iPad in the classroom, networking with other users and attending workshops to perfect her practice.  

“Megan is an outstanding teacher and is always looking for ways to engage kids,” said Grandview Principal Christine Zachow. “Her kids make incredible gains as a result. We are so fortunate to have her at GMS.” 

Kristin Wallace, an English teacher at MWHS, was recognized for her technology integration leadership that has resulted in her bringing the first TV production course to MWHS, developing the audio and visual system framework for the theater, establishing a Webcast America to MWHS stakeholders, initiating SMART Board technology in the classroom, integrating Web 2.0 concepts into her classroom writing efforts and providing leadership on the Technology Integration and Learning Team (TILT).

In addition, she has been on the forefront of the implementation of School Fusion web pages development, serving as an internal trainer for Westonka staff.

“Kristin Wallace has demonstrated great teacher leadership relative to technology," said MWHS Principal Keith Randklev. "As a Technology in Learning Team member (TILT), she has actively trained her peers and participated in the vision and planning of district technology needs. As an English teacher, she has modeled the writing goals she has of her students, generating an interactive blog that is regularly updated."

Principal Randklev went on t say that Wallace continues to "embrace innovation" and serves as a pilot for the implementation of cloud-based instructional delivery and curriculum through the use of Google Chromebooks.

Besides being recognized at the conference, each teacher is featured in the TIES Exceptional Teachers publication and received a certificate.

School districts participating in the TIES Exceptional Teacher award program are members of TIES, an education technology consortium of 46 Minnesota school districts.