Settling back in

As November and the school year settle in around us, it has been nice to see our member boards and IT professionals move slowly back into a sense of normal. While the effects of the pandemic are undeniably still with us, we’ve been able to avoid the urgency and unknowns that we experienced at this time last year.

At the same time, how we have adapted over the past two years will have a lasting effect on technology in education for many years to come. This will be one focus area of our Board of Directors’ upcoming strategic planning as we look at ECNO’s goals for the next three years. As always, we welcome our members’ input and insights as we approach these critical conversations: never hesitate to reach out to me or your Board for discussion.

All the best,

Wayne Toms
Executive Director
Case Study: Azure Labs pilot shows savings and equity

A solution to enable virtual learning during the pandemic has become a permanent step away from desktop computers and into cloud computing at London District Catholic School Board. Microsoft’s Azure Labs meant that students could access sophisticated software from home regardless of their device’s computing power. Not replacing hardware was an added benefit.

Read our case study or contact Tim Hall at ECNO to discuss how Azure Labs might work for your Board.

In-person ECNO Conference returns in 2022

Mark your calendar and keep a suitcase by the door! I cannot overstate how delighted I was the day ECNO’s Conference Committee agreed that we will return to our in-person event in June 2022. I know first-hand how valuable this face-to-face learning and interaction is for our members, vendors, and partners, and personally, I’ve missed those connections and can’t wait to see you in-person again.

The theme for the 2020 Conference is IT: Integral Today – Securing the Future. As our shift to virtual learning, inclusion and shared technology solutions is only continuing to evolve, and with it also comes a critical need for privacy and security oversight. This theme captures our current outlook perfectly and will embody many of the discussions and workshops at the Conference.

 Plan to attend ECNO’s Virtual AGM

ECNO’s Annual General Meeting is on Thursday, December 2, 2021. The AGM will highlight our accomplishments together over the past year and preview our strategic directions for the coming year. We will also present ECNO’s first fulsome Annual Report.

This brief but important meeting is an essential part of transparent governance for any organization. In addition to learning about ECNO’s activities, members can pose questions and share their comments into how ECNO can best serve our members, boards, teachers and especially students across Ontario.

Registration Link for the Annual General Meeting will be included in the Annual General Meeting package of materials being sent to you mid-November.

 
Finally, in case you missed it…

…this exceptional report Connecting to success - Technology in Ontario Schools released by People for Education is now a couple of years old and written in a pre-pandemic time, but its findings and directions remain relevant and required reading for any IT professional working in education.