Orange Unified School District Educators Participate In Exclusive Professional Development Event From Discovery Education Focused on Using Digital Content and New Technologies To Support Student Achievement

Silver Spring, Md. (July 21, 2017) – Five educators from Orange Unified School District (OUSD) recently joined over 100 colleagues from around the world for the 2017 DEN Summer Institute (DENSI), an immersive professional development and networking experience. A global community of education professionals supported by Discovery Education, the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.  The two-part professional learning experience was held July 13-22 at the University of California, San Diego, in San Diego, CA.

Fayroze Mostafa, principal at Anaheim Hills Elementary and Gigi Kelley, principal at Imperial Elementary School, participated in a four-day long summit designed specifically for principals, where they learned new strategies for using technology and digital content to energize their own leadership and empower their teachers from Discovery Education experts and their peers. DENSI Principal Summit attendees also engaged in dialogue on topics such as supporting teachers through the digital transition, digital literacy across the curriculums, building their school’s brand, and how to showcase their school’s success to the community.

Christina Baroldi, Instructional Specialist at OUSD, Dana Johnston from West Orange Elementary School and Chris Rotsios from Anaheim Hills Elementary School joined a six-day professional learning event designed to support educators as they combine the latest technologies and digital content to create authentic digital learning environments. They participated in a series of interactive workshops led by the Discovery Education professional development team and other DEN members about creating digital content and integrating mobile and web-based tools into instruction; collaborated with fellow educators on a variety of educational technology projects; and shared ideas and best practices with their peers. 

“We are very proud of the educators and principals from our district selected to participate in DENSI 2017, and our community is inspired by their commitment to using the latest technologies and digital content to help all students reach their highest potential,” said Deputy Superintendent Gunn Marie Hansen Ph.D. “The students of Orange USD will benefit tremendously from the new approaches to using educational technologies these educators have taken away from this great professional learning opportunity.”

 “The exceptional group of educators selected to participate in the 2017 DENSI and Principal Summits have demonstrated their leadership and commitment to using the latest technologies and innovative teaching strategies and techniques to improve student achievement,” said Lance Rougeux, vice president of learning communities and innovation for Discovery Education. “What these educators learned during this unique event will support their district’s effort to prepare all learners with the critical skills they need to succeed beyond the classroom.”

After participating in the DEN Summer Institute, the OUSD educators will return to their school system with new strategies and techniques to integrate digital resources into curriculum and instruction to transform teaching and learning.

For more information about the DEN Summer Institute, visit DEN Summer Institute.

To learn more about the DEN and Discovery Education’s other services and initiatives, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.

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About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.