Diman Regional Voc Receives Award | Mass. House Speaker Preside | Nellie Mae Ceo Gives Keynote

June 3, 2012 - PRLog -- (Boston) - Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School received the JFYNet http://www.jfyboston.org Innovation Award for Technology in Education at a ceremony in the State House Wednesday, May 30.  Representative Alice Peisch, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Education, presided as the sponsor of the event. House Speaker Robert DeLeo gave congratulatory remarks. Senator Michael Rodrigues and House Speaker Pro Tempore Patricia Haddad of Somerset assisted in the presentation of the award.

“I can tell you I have been out there to observe JFYNet and I have seen the results, DeLeo said. “I’ve seen the results of the personalized training on overall test scores and reducing achievement gaps. So I’m here to show my support for JFY and all the schools they work with.”
   
Nicholas C. Donohue, President and CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, New England’s largest education funder, gave the keynote address on student-centered education. He stressed the importance of technology as the way to provide student-centered instruction to the digital generation.

“Today’s students are digital natives,” he said. “In order to compete for their attention, education must meet them where they are: on line.  There are two reasons why technology is an essential and unavoidable contribution to education.  One is that it makes things better, makes them more adaptive, more flexible.  The other is that it’s ubiquitous and there’s really no turning it back. Technology is here to stay and it’s deeply effective for these things.”

The JFYNet Innovation Awards are presented each year to a select group of individuals and schools that have made significant contributions to the cause of improving student achievement through the use of technology. This year’s awards were focused on innovative uses of technology in STEM education and college readiness.  The awards are presented by JFYNetWorks, a Boston-based non-profit enterprise that develops and supports JFYNet blended learning programs in schools.  

PICTURED Left2Right
Ryan Camire, JFYNet Educational Specialist;
Representative Patricia Haddad; Mary Ferrarini, Math Teacher;
Representative Michael Rodrigues

Diman Tech was represented by Lead Mathematics Teacher Mary Ferrarini.  The school is headed by Superintendent/Director Marta Montleon and Principal Brian Bentley.

“Student- centered learning is the foundation of this collaboration,” Kaplan said, “using technology to provide personalized, self-paced instruction to students. When we proposed the new College Readiness program to prepare students for the Accuplacer so that they can leapfrog over non-credit “developmental” courses in college and start right out in credit-bearing courses, Marta and Brian jumped right on it. In our economy, this is a step our education system simply must take. With its forward-thinking leadership, Diman Tech is showing the way.    

The JFYNet blended learning program helps schools use technology effectively to improve student achievement. In 12 years of operation in schools throughout Massachusetts, JFYNet has helped more than 60,000 students meet high school graduation standards, close achievement gaps, and prepare for college-level work.