About UNITE

Kristina Mrzywka

Ed Tech Specialties: G Suite, Grant Writing, Online Student Portfolios, Green Screen

Email: kmrzywka@lvjusd.org

Noah King

Ed Tech Specialties: Photoshop/Google Drawings, Breakout EDU, Coding, Google Apps

Email: nking@lvjusd.org

Janine Mains

Schoology support for all sites and grade levels

Ed Tech Specialties: Raspberry Pi, Scratch, 3D Printing, Online Student Portfolios, Google Sites

Email: jmains@lvjusd.org

UNITE (Utilizing New and Innovative Technologies in Education) was formed in 2015 funded by the voter-approved Measure G Parcel Tax.

We work to empower teachers in building capacity in integrating technology into curriculum - make links between what is being learned (content), how it is taught (pedagogy), and the appropriate tools (technology).

Mission:

Provide and support staff with the necessary technology resources and capability to best prepare all students with the skills needed to contribute and thrive in a changing world.

Vision:

We will seamlessly employ technology to continue transforming our classrooms to:
- become student-centric
- increase rigor, engagement, and efficiency
- promote the use of 21st century skills
- foster independent thinking and lifelong learning

Overarching Goals:

Develop 21st century lessons that integrate ISTE Standards
Transform focus of the classroom from teacher-centric to student-centric
Use “SAMR” to move teachers from:

substitution, augmentation → modification, redefinition, when appropriate

UNITE Team: Link Between Technology and ClassroomsThere is a wave of technology in the day-to-day lives of students, who are growing up in a time of ubiquitous devices and apps competing for their attention. At the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD), the UNITE team wants to ensure that education rides the wave rather than being swept up in it.

Green Screen Fun Brings New Life to Presentations at Junction Avenue K-8Michelle Seugling, Teacher on Special Assignment at Junction Avenue K-8, reminds the room full of students to keep the noise down while she films. The students are already politely quiet, save for the muted patter of fingers on keys, so rather than stopping a conversation, they silence their Chromebooks. Most are still focused on tuning up or rehearsing scripts, while others who have had their fill of preparation, are taking a break with coding drills or putting together animated book reports.

Hour of Code Week Opens Doors to 21st Century SkillsLivermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) students, along with students across the world, recently participated in the Hour of Code. Now in its fifth year, the Hour of Code is an initiative by Computer Science Education Week and Code.org to introduce millions of students to one hour of computer science and computer programming.

Bot Program Increases InterestMore students have become interested in robotics in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District after being part of a unique educational experience this summer. In at least one case, the challenge-bot program proved to be life-changing. Through a partnership between Livermore’s Migrant Education Program and challenge-bot -- an innovative robotics education start-up -- twenty-five LVJUSD middle and high school students spent the summer learning the craft of engineering and computer science from an expert robot designer.