It isn't every day that you get an invite to the White House.  But for Upper Perkiomen, that invitation came Oct. 29.

        As part of a symposium run by the US Department of Education, #GoOpen, Upper Perkiomen appeared as one of only six school districts in the nation asked to be an ambassador school district.  As an ambassador, Upper Perk has signed up to mentor a school district in California on moving toward using open educational resources, said Superintendent Dr. Alexis McGloin.

        A leading movement in education, open educational resources (OERs), are openly licensed, free online materials used for teaching, learning and research.

        "I can tell you my whole time in education, hearing our name announced and seeing Upper Perk listed when they announced the Go Open ambassador districts, that was probably one of my proudest moments," McGloin said.

        The superintendent also sat on a panel for a question-and-answer session with three other superintendents and the director of open education resources from Washington State.  On the panel they discussed how OERs were being implemented and how they can benefit districts across the nation from all socio-economic backgrounds.

        "To be sitting at the White House, it's amazing, and the feeling – it's something I've never had before.  I'm so proud of Upper Perk and proud to be the person to represent Upper Perk.  For me, to be recognized at a national level like that as a school district is amazing and isn't something that typically happens.  I was so proud of being here and what our teachers have accomplished.  Everyone should be so proud of what's been accomplished." 

        They also met in small groups with representatives from big business, like Amazon, Microsoft, and Edmodo, as well as the Library of Congress.  Sixteen superintendents from across the country were invited. 

        "Everybody has a vested interest in moving toward open educational resources," McGloin said.  "They have big businesses that are on board to help make this happen. It will help create resources that are free and out there to use.  The US Dept. of Education is pushing it because they see it as a leveler, so all students can have access to the same types of materials, because it's a free resource and a good resource.  Whether it's urban, suburban or rural, they can still have access to these things."

        Upper Perkiomen garnered attention from the US Department of Education earlier this year when they signed a "Future Ready" pledge, stating they were ready to use digital technology to enhance learning in the district and prepare students for future success.  The district also formed a Future Ready committee.

        "I definitely learned a lot because we were all doing different things at different parts of the process," said McGloin on implementing the latest technology in the classroom.  "We're three years into the process and we still have a lot to do.  It was interesting to see what was out there that we didn't even know about."

        McGloin said she also felt she made some great contact at the symposium and said Amazon has already contacted the district to do some work with them.

        "The connections we made and what I feel we'll be able to accomplish because of those connections is enormous," she said.  "To be in a room with huge companies that are working across the world and have such a big footprint, to have them work with us is an opportunity we're going to have that other people aren't going to have." 

        At the symposium McGloin said the US Dept. of Education also announced any resources developed using grants from that department will now be free and available to educators across the country.  She said she also learned about a national directory run by the department, available to all districts, that will help teachers navigate online educational resources and rates them, making them available all under one roof, so to speak.  

        At Upper Perk, McGloin said the technology initiative will continue into 2017-18.

        In January, as part of a 1:1 initiative, Upper Perk will roll out computers to all seventh-, ninth- and tenth-graders.  By September 2017, students grades 6-12 will have Google Chromebooks or HP touchscreen laptops for use in the classroom and at home.  The 1:3 program at the elementary level is already complete, McGloin said.

        Equipment and software updates are ongoing, she said, as is updating the district's wireless access.  A new server room is scheduled to be finished in February.

        "The goal is to never get to the point where we were; where nothing is supported," McGloin said of the large-scale upgrades.  "We are working hard to get it accomplished and it's going to be great."