In July of 2014, I stepped out of my high school classroom at Oldham County and into a newly created district position that was both exciting and terrifying. As the first Technology Integration Coach for Shelby County Public Schools, I fully felt the weight of the task -- to help launch a technology 1:1 initiative for seven thousand students and hundreds of staff. Over the years, the position and responsibilities changed (as did the title to Digital Learning Coordinator!), and my educational journey at Shelby has taken me far and wide. Project-based learning, personalized learning, competency-based education, blended learning best practices -- all this and more has been infused into my educational DNA along the way. I've been very fortunate to grow my pedagogy in such an innovative district. My colleagues have become co-learners, friends, and an extended family.
And now, a new chapter of my educational journey is about to begin.
Late last July, I accepted my next challenge. This Monday (8/22/22), I'll be starting a new position as a Deeper Learning Design Specialist at the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC). I'll be joining the just launched Deeper Learning Team (with Lacey Eckels and Rachel Albright) that's led by the legendary Carmen Coleman. Beyond the DLT itself, I'm also looking forward to working with the many other fantastic educators at OVEC, including the new incoming CEO Jason Adkins. Lastly, I am excited to collaborate with the Deeper Learning Teams from the other seven regional co-ops around Kentucky.
What is Deeper Learning? It is a broad concept, and one that I will undoubtedly blog more about in the future, but this "elevator pitch" definition is a great introduction:
Our mission. Great things happening in Kentucky. #KYDL #thrive #transfer pic.twitter.com/njkJhynOu2
— Robb Smith (@DrSmithKAEC) August 11, 2022
I am eager to spread, support, and celebrate the Deeper Learning innovation throughout OVEC's fifteen districts and 150,000+ students -- which includes Shelby as a member!
On August 1, 2014, I published the first post for this blog, initially started as a way to share information and innovation with Shelby staff. At the end of the entry, I used the words "humbled" and "thankful." Those are definitely the words that come to mind now. I am thankful for the opportunity to work at OVEC, humbled to be chosen among many deserving applicants. But I am also so, so humbled by the teachers, staff and students of Shelby County Public Schools, who are amazing people and are doing amazing things. You have inspired me to grow, and stretch, and dream. I am thankful for all that you have personally done for my own learning journey, but even more importantly, I am full of gratitude to have been a part of your innovative, impactful team of educators for eight wonderful years.
