TCEA is pleased to announce that the Call for Nominations to the Board of Directors is now open! We are seeking qualified individuals who share our commitment to advance teaching and learning through the use of technology. Specifically, supporting the teaching, leading, and learning happening through and with technology – and on how educational technology can make learning more equitable, engaging, and meaningful for all learners.

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Nominations are open from October 2 – October 30, 2023.
Elections will be held from November 6 – November 17, 2023.

ELIGIBILITY OF MEMBERS TO RUN FOR OFFICE
Any Regular Member who is a teacher, administrator, or other employee of an educational entity in the state of Texas shall be eligible for nomination and election to any office of the Association. Educational entities, for the purpose of these Bylaws, shall include public and private schools, colleges and universities, and governmental agencies concerned with education.

Area Directors must reside or be employed in the TCEA Area in which they are running for election and must continue to reside or be employed in the TCEA Area that they represent for the duration of their term.

Executive Committee candidates must have served as a voting member of the Board of Directors for two full years prior to election year and completed the three full years prior to taking office.

OFFICES UP FOR ELECTION THIS YEAR:
Vice President (3-year term) – The Vice President shall succeed to the President. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the event of the President’s inability to be present. The Vice President serves one year as Vice President, one year as President, and one year as Past President.

Member Services Chair (2-year term) – The Member Services Chair shall be responsible for nominations and elections of officers, membership, and Board training.

Convention Chair (1-year term) – The Convention Chair shall serve as the Program Chair of the State Convention, including the Chair of the Convention Committee.

Area Directors 6, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, and 20 (3-year term) – Area Directors are the chief elected officers for each of the TCEA defined geographical areas. The Area Director attends and has voting privileges at all Board meetings. The Area Director also acts as a liaison between Area members and the Organization.

TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION:
From October 2 – October 30, 2023, fill out the online Nomination Form and follow with an email to nominations@tcea.org that contains a digital photograph (professional headshot preferred if available) of the nominee.

To view our Bylaws, click here.

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AUSTIN, Texas: Each year, Tech & Learning, an award-winning producer of publications, websites, newsletters, and events for education leaders, recognizes extraordinary administrators for leading innovative teaching and learning in their schools and districts through their Innovative Leader Awards.

We are proud to announce that two TCEA Board Members were recognized with Innovative Leader Awards on September 23, 2022. Jessica Mays (Area 11 Director) received the Best Implementation of Digital Curriculum award, and Brad Stewart (Area 7 Director) was recognized with the Best Implementation of Data Privacy award.

Lori Gracey, the Executive Director of TCEA, congratulates Mays and Stewart for their recognition, saying: “Jessica and Brad are doing fantastic work in their districts and these awards are so well-deserved. We are proud and honored to have such innovative leaders on the TCEA Board of Directors. They continuously offer a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their professional communities, our staff, and our TCEA members.”

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Austin, Texas: At TCEA, it has always been our goal to support educators. And since the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a phrase that everyone is ready to no longer hear, we acknowledge that teaching– and education– have changed drastically and quickly. More has been placed on the shoulders of educators, and the needs of educators have changed. Not only that, student learning has been impacted. That said, TCEA has been adapting, adjusting, and rethinking what we do in order to best realize our vision of “Learning without Limits” through our mission of “advancing teaching and learning through the use of technology.”

After much thought and debate, TCEA and the TCEA Board of Directors have decided to discontinue the TCEA State Robotics Contest moving forward. Additionally, TCEA will no longer require area directors to provide a TCEA area robotics contest; however, TCEA area directors may offer area robotics contests if they choose. TCEA will support registration and sell robotics mats should an area continue with its area robotics contest. Areas can use previous contest manuals for future contests, or they may choose to create their own. TCEA will continue to provide professional learning and support for educators in robotics through online courses, Robotics Summer Camp, and other events.

This was not an easy decision. Robotics has been a big part of our association for many years. But while we understand that this news may come as a surprise and/or cause disappointment, we have had to acknowledge how the past few years have affected education and impacted student learning. With that in mind, this decision will allow us to support educators in new ways in order to maximize student learning in classrooms around Texas and beyond.

If you have any questions about robotics, please reach out to your TCEA area director who can best address the specifics of TCEA robotics in your area.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ronnie Gonzalez, TCEA President

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Hutto, Texas: Hundreds of students from across the state participated in the 2021- 2022 State Robotics Contest at Hutto High School on April 23, 2022. Participants in TCEA robotics contests compete in teams of two to four, organized into four categories: Advanced Arena, Intermediate Arena, Advanced Inventions, and Intermediate Inventions.

Advanced and Intermediate Arena teams worked in alliances with their team-built robots to complete several autonomous and driver-controlled tasks. Advanced and Intermediate Inventions teams designed custom robots to specifically solve a unique problem of the team’s choosing. After verifying the results, the top teams in each category have been announced.

2021-2022 State Robotics Contest Results

Advanced Arena

1st Place Alliance- Bryson ISD • Ctrl-C

1st Place Alliance- Bryson ISD • Ctrl-V

2nd Place Alliance- Hamshire-Fannett ISD • Robotians

2nd Place Alliance- Keene ISD • Fresh

Intermediate Arena

1st Place Alliance- Bryson ISD • Lightning

1st Place Alliance- Bryson ISD • Thunder

2nd Place Alliance- Little Cypress Mauriceville ISD • Robobears

2nd Place Alliance- Little Cypress Mauriceville ISD • RoverZilla

Advanced Inventions

1st Place- Emmanuel School of Fine Arts • T.A.A.S.K.

2nd Place- Keene ISD • CleanBot

3rd Place- Wall ISD • Agro-Dream

Intermediate Inventions

1st Place- Mason ISD • T.O.S. The Underwater Surveyor

2nd Place- Diocese of Dallas • Lions4

3rd Place- Beaumont ISD • Blue and White

“I am continuously impressed by the ingenuity, creativity, and teamwork of the participating robotics teams,” said TCEA Executive Director Lori Gracey. “Students have been building important critical thinking, design, and problem-solving skills under the guidance of their supporting sponsors, and we are so pleased each year to see their skills in action at the TCEA State Robotics Contest. Congratulations to the contest winners and all participating teams.”

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Austin, Texas: TCEA is pleased to announce Jacki Wright as the association’s new Area 12 Director. As the Area 12 Director, Jacki will unite with 25 other educators to guide TCEA in its mission to advance teaching and learning through technology and its vision of learning without limits.

Jacki has been an involved member of TCEA and a TCEA Convention & Exposition attendee since 2013. Additionally, she was a presenter at TCEA for six years. She has presented at various TCEA Area 12 events and at TCEA’s System Administrator and Technical Support Conference.

Jacki earned a bachelor’s degree in history, and she is currently certified in history and social studies for grades 8-12. Jacki is also a certified Google trainer and educator (levels 1 and 2) and has completed Flipped Learning Global training.

Jacki previously served as a high school history teacher and later as a technology specialist in Temple ISD, where she collaborated with district-wide teams to integrate technology and advocated for technology in education to state legislators on the Education Committee. In her experiences, Jacki has designed a strategic training system for faculty and students, launched a blended learning program in partnership with Raise Your Hand Texas, led a 1:1 technology device initiative, and founded a student-led technology program. Jacki currently serves Academy ISD at the District level as an instructional technology specialist and webmaster.

“​​Each day is an opportunity to help others, share my passion for technology, and affect positive change in education,” says Jacki. “As a service-minded professional, I am committed to cultivating meaningful relationships and collaborating with colleagues to attain goals.” Jacki is excited to serve on TCEA’s Board of Directors and continue sharing her passion for technology.

“Our board is comprised of exceptional educators who champion the mission and vision of TCEA and make our work possible,” says TCEA Executive Director Lori Gracey. “We are thrilled to welcome our new members and continue working with returning members, mixing new, fresh perspectives with valuable experience and insights. It’s going to be a great year.”

2022-2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

TCEA Membership is divided into areas that correspond to the 20 Education Service Centers in Texas. The full board is made up of one representative from each of the 20 areas and seven directors elected to the executive committee.

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Austin, Texas: TCEA is pleased to announce Alyssa Butler as the association’s new Area 8 Director. As the Area 8 Director, Alyssa will unite with 25 other educators to guide TCEA in its mission to advance teaching and learning through technology and its vision of learning without limits.

Alyssa has been an involved member of TCEA since 2015. She has attended four TCEA Convention & Expositions, TCEA’s Campus Technology Specialist Academy, and various TCEA sponsored webinars.

Alyssa earned a bachelor’s degree in English, and she is currently certified in English language arts and English as a second language for grades 8-12. Alyssa has been a professional educator since 2013 when she started as an English teacher in Sulphur Springs ISD. During her seven years in the classroom, she has taught freshman through junior English classes. Currently, Alyssa is an Innovative Learning Design Specialist at Sulpher Springs High School. Alyssa is dedicated to providing hands-on, technology-rich opportunities to her students.

For six years, Alyssa was a student council advisor. During this time, her campus became a TASC Sweepstakes school for their involvement in TASC and their work on campus. Additionally, for her last three years as student council advisor, her school received the National Gold Council of Excellence award through the National Board of Student Councils.

“The future of TCEA lies in area unity,” says Alyssa. “Areas coming together to learn and work as a PLN will bring so many new and exciting opportunities to make bigger impacts in the classroom.” As Area 8 director, Alyssa is excited to be a part of making area unity and connection happen through TCEA.

“Our board is comprised of exceptional educators who champion the mission and vision of TCEA and make our work possible,” says TCEA Executive Director Lori Gracey. “We are thrilled to welcome our new members and continue working with returning members, mixing new, fresh perspectives with valuable experience and insights. It’s going to be a great year.”

2022-2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

TCEA Membership is divided into areas that correspond to the 20 Education Service Centers in Texas. The full board is made up of one representative from each of the 20 areas and seven directors elected to the executive committee.

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Austin, Texas: TCEA is pleased to announce Meredith McCune as the association’s new Area 4 Director. As the Area 4 Director, Meredith will unite with 25 other educators to guide TCEA in its mission to advance teaching and learning through technology and its vision of learning without limits.

Meredith has been an involved member of TCEA for several years. Her involvement includes the Area 4 Robotics Competition and presenting at and attending the TCEA Convention & Exposition. She was also the chairman of vendors for the Area 4 TCCA (Technology and Curriculum Conference of Aldine) for two years and helped with event implementation for five years.

Meredith earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation, parks, and tourism sciences, and she is currently pursuing her master’s in instructional system design and technology. Meredith is a certified classroom teacher (generalist and English as a second language) for EC through grade 4. She is also a certified Clever, Google, and Nearpod educator.

Meredith has been a professional educator for more than 14 years. She was an elementary ESL teacher for five years and a digital learning specialist for nine years. In 2021, she was promoted to coordinator of digital learning in Cleveland ISD’s Curriculum and Instruction Department.

Meredith is excited to be a part of how TCEA is “empowering teachers to expand their mindset about blended learning and technology in the classroom,” she says.

“Our board is comprised of exceptional educators who champion the mission and vision of TCEA and make our work possible,” says TCEA Executive Director Lori Gracey. “We are thrilled to welcome our new members and continue working with returning members, mixing new, fresh perspectives with valuable experience and insights. It’s going to be a great year.”

2022-2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

TCEA Membership is divided into areas that correspond to the 20 Education Service Centers in Texas. The full board is made up of one representative from each of the 20 areas and seven directors elected to the executive committee.

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Austin, Texas: TCEA is pleased to announce Jennifier Krnavek as the association’s new Area 2 Director. As the Area 2 Director, Jennifier will unite with 25 other educators to guide TCEA in its mission to advance teaching and learning through technology and its vision of learning without limits.

Jennifier has been an involved member of TCEA since 2010. Her involvement includes presenting and volunteering at the TCEA Convention & Exposition, presenting at the TCEA Area 2 Conference, completing TCEA online courses, attending Google Summer Camp, and attending the Campus Technology Specialist Academy.

Jennifier earned a master’s degree in library science and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. She recently completed a professional principal preparation program. Jennifier holds certificates in elementary self-contained (grades 1-8) and elementary reading (grades 1-8), and she is a certified school librarian, principal as instruction leader, and Google educator (levels 1 and 2).

Jennifier has been a professional educator for more than 26 years. She has served campuses as an elementary teacher and high school librarian, proving herself to be a technology leader while in these roles. Presently, Jennifier is the Librarian and Instructional Technology Specialist at Flour Bluff Junior High.

“I see TCEA as playing an important role in the training and support of educators and their use of technology in schools,” Jennifier says. “As the educational process becomes more complex, the role of technology can make this process easier. TCEA can lead the way in being the foremost trainer of educators.”

“Our board is comprised of exceptional educators who champion the mission and vision of TCEA and make our work possible,” says TCEA Executive Director Lori Gracey. “We are thrilled to welcome our new members and continue working with returning members, mixing new, fresh perspectives with valuable experience and insights. It’s going to be a great year.”

2022-2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

TCEA Membership is divided into areas that correspond to the 20 Education Service Centers in Texas. The full board is made up of one representative from each of the 20 areas and seven directors elected to the executive committee.

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Austin, Texas: The TCEA Board of Directors is comprised of 26 professional educators representing each of the 20 Education Service Centers in Texas. In addition to the 20 area directors, the board has six directors who make up the executive committee. This group of dedicated professionals guides TCEA in its vision and mission, actively volunteers their time to advocate for technology, and offers their expertise to ensure TCEA members are supported. The TCEA election for 2022 officers and a Bylaws change has now ended and been vetted.

“We are so thankful to those who ran and to all our board members. We are grateful to have a board who is so dedicated to the leadership and needs of this association. We are also very appreciative of our members for taking the time to vote and make their voices heard,” says TCEA Executive Director Lori Gracey.

In the 2022 TCEA Election, two board positions were won by election, seven positions were won by acclamation, and the proposed Bylaws change was passed. The results of the election are as follows:

The following individuals won their position by acclamation since they went unopposed.
Mindi Vandagriff, Anna ISD – Vice President
Jennifier Krnavek, Flour Bluff ISD – Area 2 Director
Meredith McCune, Cleveland ISD – Area 4 Director
Alyssa Butler, Sulphur Springs ISD – Area 8 Director
Lydia Croupe, Richardson ISD – Area 10 Director
Jacki Wright, Academy ISD – Area 12 Director
Tammy McLain, Dimmit ISD – Area 16 Director

All of these officers will assume their positions on April 1, 2022.

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Jessica is currently a member of TCEA and was the recipient of the TCEA 2020-2021 Jeri Hodges Leadership Scholarship. She has attended various TCEA events, including the Elementary Teacher Conference, the Area 12 FOCUS Conference, and Connected: Online and Blended Innovators (COBI). In addition, Jessica has presented at the TCEA Convention & Exposition.

Presently, Jessica is serving as a blended learning coordinator at Arlington ISD. She is also project manager for the Raising Blended Learners (RBL) grant, which the district was awarded through Raise Your Hand Texas. Prior to joining Arlington ISD, Jessica served as a digital learning specialist in Temple ISD and was also the project manager for the district’s RBL grant. She also has experience as a secondary ELAR teacher and department chair. Jessica co-founded the Texas Blended Learning Consortium, is a Google Certified Trainer, and holds a Flipped Learning Global Certification.

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