Two Anoka-Hennepin educators recognized by TIES as ‘Exceptional Teachers’
Two educators with the Anoka-Hennepin School District have been named 2017 TIES Exceptional Teachers, an honor that recognizes those who model best practices in their classroom and engage students in learning with technology.
Marilyn Rota, a media specialist at Oxbow Creek Elementary School, and Anoka High School teacher Rachel Frosch, received the awards at the TIES 2017 Education Technology Conference, held Dec. 9-12.
Rota and Frosch were nominated for the award by their superiors and then the superintendent for the positive impact they have on student learning through technology.
According to LeeAnn Clauer, Anoka-Hennepin’s library media teaching and learning specialist, Rota has a laser-like focus on learning and understands every moment presents itself as an opportunity to develop powerful, empathetic, and tenacious learners.
“Her school library opens a world of possibilities to students, sparking curiosity, inspiring questioning, creating joy, and extending learning far beyond the school itself,” Clauer said. “Marilyn understands deeply that the future belongs to those who love learning
and designs student experiences around the potential of 'anys' - anytime, anyplace, anyone, any device, any path .”
Meanwhile, according to Tom Skoglund, the district’s instructional technology facilitator, Frosch has been an innovator in technology integration throughout her career in education and has used a variety of tech tools to document and share the great things that teachers and students are doing in the classroom and school community.
“Rachel has used her technology skills and passion for helping others by creating great resources for staff and students at Anoka High School and throughout Anoka-Hennepin,” he said. “Recently, Rachel visited a number of schools in the district documenting how teachers were beginning to implement standards-based instruction in the classroom. This hard work has helped move the district in a positive direction in taking a look at our grading philosophies and making sure our grades are accurate, and promote hope and optimism.”
TIES is an education technology consortium made up of 48 school districts statewide.