NWP Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, November 2009
Cyndi Dwyer, Technology Liaison for the Nebraska Writing Project, has been appointed to the Technology Liaisons Network (TLN) Leadership for the National Writing Project.
Cyndi, also an English and journalism teacher at Lincoln Southwest High School, has provided technology leadership for the Nebraska Writing Project in a variety of ways over the last several years. She has co-facilitated the NeWP Technology Institute, led NeWP’s Technology Board, and implemented the use of NeWP Ning.
Cyndi will be working with the TLN to provide specific programming for technology liaisons and associated technology teams at local sites. The TLN works to support local writing project priorities as they pertain to technology. TLN programs focus on the following:
- expanding the local knowledge base about the connections between new technologies and literacy
- supporting local institutes, inservice, and continuity programs as they include content about digital literacy and/or use digital tools as part of professional development
- strategically planning and implementing web presence
- facilitating national online projects, such as the e-anthology
- engaging in other site- and classroom-based work involving technology.
Cyndi has worked on previous projects with the TLN, including a podcast project with Susan Martens-Baker at Technology Matters Conference in Chico (summer 2007, 2007-2008 school year), and TLN Resource Development Retreat with Jane Connealy in Tahoe City, Calif. (summer 2009).
Cyndi joins the ranks of several other NeWP teacher leaders who have served in various capacities at the National level with NWP. They are the following:
Kim Larson, Instructional Facilitator at Papillion-LaVista Schools and former Reading and Writing Director at the Nebraska Department of Education, also served at the national level. She participated in a National Writing Project leadership research project where people involved in Writing Project sites from across the country came together to write vignettes, telling their own unique stories of leadership development because of local Writing Project opportunities. Her vignette tells the story of how she took what she learned as a NeWP participant and incorporated it into the many projects she worked on at the NE Department of Education.
Cathie English, English teacher at Aurora High School and Ph.D. candidate at UNL, has also served at the national level of the National Writing Project. She was Co-Director of the Technology Initiative’s design team, an E-anthology team member, a New Site Leadership Retreat leader, and Writing and Technology Professional Writing Retreat co-coordinator for three years. In addition, Cathie represented NWP as a special Technology Consultant for the Virgin Islands Writing Project site for their first technology institute.
Sharon Bishop, former NeWP Co-Director who teaches at Heartland Community High School in Henderson, served as a consultant for the Rural Voices, Country Schools Team, 1997-2000.
Kim Ridder, former NeWP Co-Director who teaches at Scott Middle School in Lincoln, served on the Teacher Inquiry Communities Network.
Congratulations, Cyndi, and thanks to Kim, Cathie, Sharon, and Kim for your years of local, state, and national leadership!
