On Friday, June 5, at the Conference Center at Mercer County College, NJSBA hosted a Technology Conference to address the most pressing school technology issues impacting districts.
The day kicked off with a keynote address from Kevin Dehmer, the chief technology officer for the State of New Jersey. Mr. Dehmer spoke about using technology to find process automation opportunities and “more of what matters, not more with less,” suggesting, “Use technology to elevate the work staff does to allow them to focus on the parts of the job they find fulfilling.” He also discussed the human aspects of education that cannot be replaced by AI, such as human connection, empathy, and whole-child support.
Breakout sessions focused on ways to reclaim budget dollars by consolidating technology, using technology developments to improve school security, and using AI to build classroom tools and to support student IEP goals.
The day closed with an interactive panel discussion featuring school technology professionals from NJETA who are working on the front lines. During a lively discussion featuring audience Q&A, panelists discussed ways to work creatively within budget constraints while strengthening security and student data privacy.
To summarize the day, one attendee reported, “I left inspired, energized, and with several ideas I can bring back to my school community and explore further.”
Panel addresses attendees during NJSBA's Technology Conference.
