Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 23

What are your Nerd Herd Specialties?
MD: I have created and used my own iBook for one of
my classes that I teach. I also use eBackPack, Geogebra,
Explain Everything, and countless of other tools to
help me plan and keep connected with my students
during class time and after.
JC: eBackpack (I am currently learning all of the new
features and the new layout that they rolled out over
the summer, so I will be ready for Day 1!); Google
Suite (Docs, Forms, Drive, Calendar, Sites), Turnitin
JR: Twitter, eBackpack, Spark Video, Post, and Page,
eating cookies. (Mr. Raby has also been known to
bring homemade brownies to school to share with the
faculty and staff)
Melissa Dubovik specializes
in project based Mathematics
learning. She wants her students
to feel empowered to take control
of their own learning.
John Raby serves as the chair of
the History Department and a
Technology Integration Coordi-
nator. His classes utilize technol-
ogy on a daily basis.
For the future, the members of the Nerd Herd share
similar goals for themselves and the Thornton
Academy faculty.
What are your Nerd Herd goals?
MD: Each year I continue to keep the same goals. I
want to continue to use the pieces of technology that I
have learned throughout the years, as well as to share
my knowledge with my colleagues. I would also like
to continue to learn about new ways to integrate more
technology into my daily tasks with the most up to
date technological advances.
JC: To improve my own instruction and assessment.
To help other teachers embrace the technology that is
available to teachers and students at TA.
JR: To continue to work towards being a better
teacher. While the technology expertise of the group
is a wonderful resource, it’s the inspiration that the
group provides that keeps me coming back. Seeing a
colleague do something amazing in their classroom
motivates me to do a better job for my students. It’s a
group that challenges its members to break through
any barriers they see in front of them.
Jessica Cardosi teaches Honors
Biology and prepares her students
for the rigor that they will face in
post-secondary education.
Nerd Herd Specialties
eBackpack
Explain Everything
Geogebra
Google Suite (Docs, Forms, Drive,
Calendar, Sites)
Page
Post
Spark Video
Turnitin
Twitter
Eating cookies (very funny, John Raby!)
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