Cost-Effective Strategies for Creative Advancement on Limited Resources
Michelle Chenevert, Director of Technology at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, Wins Innovative Award
Michelle Chenevert, the Director of Technology at the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been recognised with the Innovative Director of Technology Award at the Pre-ISTE Summit in San Antonio.
Chenevert's innovative approach to technology management shines in times of crisis and tight budgets. She emphasises mobility, readiness to pivot quickly, and creative resource management. For instance, following Hurricane Katrina, she and her team enabled displaced New Orleans students to access technology resources swiftly by adding computer accounts and ensuring Wi-Fi access overnight, helping students continue their education despite the disruption.
In the face of emergencies like hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic, Chenevert places great importance on being mobile and ready to shift plans. She also uses creativity and careful planning to maximise technology investments.
Chenevert's strategy involves proactive preparation, rapid response, and leveraging existing resources effectively to support students and staff during challenging times. However, the specific tools she uses are not detailed in the available information.
In 2016, a flood at the school caused four buildings to flood, with the main issue being the outlets. Chenevert started a slow shift away from physical servers to cloud backups as a result.
Chenevert also advises checking vendor sites for the remaining life of technology to avoid unexpected interruptions or expensive rush fees. She maintains a strict schedule on the health and wellbeing of her tech to avoid surprises.
When Title II and IV funding froze, Chenevert had to evaluate her software. She also had to pivot and set up temporary classrooms due to the flood in 2016.
Chenevert encourages educators to consider earning microcredentials for relevant software programs and to run access reports for technology to discover unused devices or licenses. She also recommends attending conferences to stay updated on new technology and features.
The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge uses a variety of tools, including Aruba Cloud, Fortinet, Verkada, Gage Cloud Voice, JAMF, Microsoft Intune, Managed Methods, PowerSchool SIS, Canvas LMS, Seesaw, Clever, Adobe, Microsoft, Google, Discovery Education, BrainPop, EdPuzzle, Book Creator, Gimkit, IXL, Apple Classroom, Canva, Copilot, Gemini, Magic School, ClassVR, and others.
When the pandemic hit, Chenevert had enough spare devices and iPads for the lower school teachers to teach from home. She monitors usage of devices to start conversations about their usefulness and need for training.
Chenevert maintains a long-range plan for technology replacements, understanding that it may need to be adjusted. She also advises staying on top of expiring back-end hardware to ensure proper functioning.
- Michelle Chenevert, the Director of Technology at the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, leverages technology to facilitate learning, as seen in her swift provision of laptop accounts and Wi-Fi access for displaced students after Hurricane Katrina.
- In her role, Chenevert promotes the use of technology in education-and-self-development, such as online-education platforms like Canvas LMS and Seesaw, which are used at the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge.
- As a proponent of technology in education, Chenevert encourages students and teachers to utilize stem learning resources, like digital tools from Microsoft, Google, and Adobe, for a comprehensive learning experience.
- Chenevert also advocates for the use of iPad devices, ensuring that teachers have enough spares for home teaching during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To make the most of technology investments, Chenevert recommends running access reports to discover unused devices or licenses and staying updated on new technology through conferences and continuous learning, such as earning microcredentials for relevant software programs.
- In the long run, Chenevert plans for technology replacements and maintains a schedule to ensure the health and wellbeing of tech equipment like servers and back-end hardware, avoiding unexpected interruptions.
