First Annual Charter Schools Educators’ Conference Celebrates Technology, Innovation, Best Practices

Atlanta, GA (September 16, 2013) – The Georgia Charter Schools Association (GCSA) will convene its first annual Charter Educators’ Conference,Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at the Busbee Center at Gwinnett Technical College, Lawrenceville, GA.  The full-day conference targets teachers, school leaders and academic administrators, offering 15 sessions on charter school best practices. PLU credits are available for qualified registrants and on-site walk-in registration is available on the day of the Conference.

EdModo, known by many teachers as “Facebook for schools,” will be the social networking and collaboration platform of the Conference. Using a free Edmodo app, registrants can connect with other attendees before, during and after the Conference to discuss ideas, download presentation materials and network with each other.

Keynoting the GCSA Educators’ Conference is 20-somethingwunderkind Travis Allen, now a senior at Kennesaw State University. Travis Allen is a visionary whose goal is nothing short of revolutionizing education by turning all students into digital learners. Allen created the nonprofit iSchool initiative to help teachers integrate digital technology in the classroom after being reprimanded for using his smartphone to take notes in class.  Along with 11 other young “digital natives” Travis is crisscrossing America in a large bus, training students and teachers in technology. He believes the iPad is just the beginning of the digital classroom revolution.

Also addressing the Educators’ Conference will be Martha Ann Todd, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement and one of the architects of the new Georgia Teacher and Leader Effectiveness evaluation system.

The charter school sector is growing steadily in Georgia. Today there are 314 public charter schools of all types in the state. They are tuition-free public schools that operate with more freedom from state and local regulation than traditional public schools. Charter schools are held to high academic standards in return for more flexibility and autonomy. 

“Parents are not the only ones seeking better public school options in Georgia.  More and more teachers are choosing to work in the charter school sector because they value autonomy, innovation and flexibility,” said Dr. Tony Roberts, CEO of the Georgia Charter Schools Association. “Charter schools offer teachers the option to choose from single gender schools, project based curricula, environmental themed programs, and dual language instruction. Charter schools often have more flexibility in determining teacher compensation, and offer prospects for advancement that cannot be found in the traditional public school system.”

For a closer look at the Conference sessions, information on pricing for on-site registration and how to earn PLU credit, visitwww.georgiacharterconference.org .