Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovative School Leaders!
InnovateK12 Newsletter: February 19, 2019
“We Believe in You and Your Ideas!”
a note from Kristin Daniels, InnovateK12 Executive Director

Hello! It’s an honor to introduce myself as the Executive Director of InnovateK12. Since 2014 I have watched the Minnetonka Public Schools Innovation Program, under the leadership of Eric Schneider, embrace crowd-based innovation, human centered design and the lean startup model. While understanding and buy-in of this unconventional process grew over the years, the message from district leaders was consistent from the start; We believe in you and your ideas.

It is this unwavering commitment to - and trust in - staff that hooked me immediately and it’s the amazing projects impacting students that continue to inspire me today.

In my role as the Innovation Coordinator for Cambridge-Isanti Schools (MN) I cannot overstate the benefits of the InnovateK12 network. Innovation can be isolating . Being able to network with like-minded and persistent educators is critical. As the Executive Director of InnovateK12, I am thrilled to watch new leaders be inspired by the success stories of our members and commit to creating a culture of innovation in their own districts. The InnovateK12 network is the source for the innovation stories, resources, and best practices needed to empower frontline staff and fast-track their solutions. There are so many exciting things coming up for InnovateK12 member districts and so many ways to Innovate K-12 Education!

Thank you for being with us!
Three Ways to InnovateK12
Take a Test Drive
If you’re excited about the possibility of working with InnovateK12 to build a true culture of innovation in your district but are worried about a full-scale implementation, why not take us for a test drive? Here's how...
Drive Strategic Planning
Let’s face it, most strategic planning efforts stall or fail to produce the desired results because frontline staff don’t feel connected to the plan. Learn how InnovateK12 can change the dynamic of your current process. Read more...
Sneak a Peak
Are you new to InnovateK12? Connect with cohort members and hear about their experience. The K12 Innovation Summit is a great place to learn more about this collaborative network. More...
InnovateK12 Cohort Updates

THIS Friday
2/22/19

Wednesday
4/3/19

Friday 5/3/19
End of Year
Celebration
February Cohort Meeting This Friday!

One of the most powerful aspects of InnovateK12 membership is the monthly meet-up. Cohort members, please make plans to join us for our monthly cohort meeting this Friday, February 22.

Please complete this form prior to Friday. We will check in regarding results from idea workshops and progress with lean prototypes. We will also give a sneak peak into some new and exciting features of the Spigit software.

We will meet face-to-face from 9:00am to 11:00am CST at the District Service Center in Minnetonka, and via Zoom from 1:00pm to 2:00pm CST. Don't miss it!
Attention Cohort Members : Please complete a short survey (regarding top ideas and idea workshops) prior to the cohort meeting - whether you are able to make it to the meeting or not! Survey Link HERE
InnovateK12 Tweets
InnovateK12 is now the exclusive K-12 provider for Spigit’s innovation event and idea management software!
What does this mean for member districts?
As one of the top crowd-based software companies in the world, Spigit brings a wealth of experience in running crowd-based events, managing ideas, and delivering software features that will make your district’s event an enjoyable and exciting experience. For the first time ever, school districts will have affordable access to the same powerful innovation software that drives successful companies like IBM, AT&T, Polaris, CocaCola, Siemens, and countless others. If you are a school leader looking for a toolkit that will help you actualize your district’s core values around innovation, then InnovateK12 is the solution you’ve been looking for.
 
What we are excited about:

  • We are currently building event sites (now called “Communities) for our 2019-2020 member districts. If districts sign their agreement and submit a down payment prior to April 15th, then their event site will be ready to go for the K12 Innovation Summit in July!

  • FEATURES! The InnovateK12 team is thrilled that the newest release of Spigit software includes features that we know you will love. These features include:

  • Innovator Profiles with pictures, skills, and interests. When “Teams” are enabled for your event, these profiles are the perfect way to form design teams even before your event is over.

  • Event Badging includes automatic achievements based on participation (thresholds set by your team) and achievements that can be given to participating staff by event administrators.
  • Advanced Sorting so that you are able to sort and view ideas based on stage, category, keyword, author, tags, and post date.

  • We are developing the InnovateK12 Idea Hub where member districts can share their top ideas with other districts as well as participate in cross-district or regional innovation events. This new collaborative innovation community will be one of the best reasons to join the InnovateK12 network!


Get Your Team Registered for the Summit… and Save!
Free Summit Registration until the end of February! Register your district team and get your 5th registration FREE! Interested districts can register here .
"Hearing from those that had been through the process was beneficial - hearing their mistakes and successes."

Peter Winkler, Elementary Assistant Principal
Ruth Moyer Elementary, Fort Thomas, KY
2018 K12 Innovation Summit Attendee
Spotlight on InnovateK12 Partners
As the InnovateK12 network continues to grow, we encourage our friends in the world of K-12 innovation to consider developing a strategic partnership with us so that we can promote one another’s work. Our upcoming K12 Innovation Summit in July provides yet another great way for our partners to connect with our membership and raise awareness for the innovative products and services that are available to them. Contact us and let’s get the conversation started!
Here at InnovateK12, we know how important it is to tell your innovation story. When we were looking for a storyteller who understands education and knows how to tell an amazing story, we chose Jake Sturgis and his team at Captivate Media . Jake is an expert at helping you craft compelling messages that get to the heart of the story and connect with the intended audience on both an emotional and intellectual level. Captivate Media prides itself on crafting products and services that are professionally designed and executed. Contact them and start telling your amazing story today!
2018-2019 InnovateK12 Districts