Middletown City School District administrators Debbie Sander, Sr. Director of Student Services, and Fran Morrison, Sr. Director of Curriculum and Innovation, were among the nearly 50 school administrators in Charlotte, N.C., July 22-24, 2018, as part of AASA’s Digital Consortium. Created in 2014, the purpose of the consortium is to support school district administrators as they scale successful models of effective learning experiences using digital media to be a leading national voice for digital innovation in our nation’s public schools.

The summer meeting was hosted by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, Fuel Education and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Attendees leading successful digital transitions in their home districts had ample opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue with their peers about digital content and professional development to improve student achievement.

“Being part of AASA’s Digital Consortium is a professional honor, not just for me but for the students and faculty of Middletown City Schools,” said Sander. “I’m excited to share what we learned with my colleagues, and even more excited to get to work!”

Consortium members saw a successful model at work: How the school system is providing a pathway for top-notch students to gain invaluable experience in the local workforce through the district’s apprenticeship program.

“Our visit to Charlotte gave us a firsthand look at how a school system is serving as a pipeline to the business community.  The partnership Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools created is bolstering the workforce in the area while investing in young people—the future leaders of the community. I know we can use this model and apply it here in Middletown,” said Morrison.

“We know that we are the pipeline for our community business leaders,” said Valerie Truesdale, associate superintendent for personalization and school partnerships at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “(Business leaders) are appreciative for our understanding that we’re building the next workforce and so they partner very aggressively with us.”

Click here to learn more about the CMS apprenticeship program.

The 2018-19 Digital Consortium will host its next meeting on Oct. 8-10, 2018, in Cleveland, Ohio, hosted by Avon Local Schools.

To learn more about the program, visit the AASA Digital Consortium website, which includes AASA’s recently produced case studies featuring several members of the consortium. Superintendents and other school system leaders can also contact Mort Sherman, AASA associate executive director, leadership services, at msherman@aasa.org or Debbie Magee, program manager, at dmagee@aasa.org.