The Capital Region Society for Technology in Education

How Your Nominee Has Shown Leadership Successfully Implementing Technology into Instruction?

Working across a very large variety of educational environments as a full time educational researcher at Boston College,  I have been particularly impressed with the leadership and practices of Deb Socia, who launched the first 1:1 public middle school in Boston over 4 years ago.  Although my work brings me to hundreds of classrooms, Deb's innovative methods and ability to incorporate new technologies advancing teaching and learning in her community are unprecedented, particularly for a public school serving an urban high needs population.

Since founding the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School in one of Boston's most high needs neighborhoods 7 years ago, Principal Deb Socia has leveraged incredible resources and odds to provide her students and staff with a world-class educational experience.   Building on her decades of experience as a math and science teacher as well as the Dean of Curriculum at Cambridge Rindge and Latin, Deb fully realized the host of challenges facing today's inner city youth as well as the unique challenges to the educators who serve them.   Believing that all children deserve a rigorous academic curriculum within a stimulating and nurturing environment, Deb integrated the use of 1:1 student and teacher laptop computers to foster "Inquiry, exploration, connections and hands-on learning to facilitate and complement the core academic curricula and to support the school’s vision of developing life-long learners". 

In an effort to provide increased educational resources to her students beyond the school day, Deb has championed Boston Public School's Tech Goes Home program, which donates laptop computers to nearly 200 Frederick students and their families each year who would otherwise not have technology access in their homes.  Today, the Lilla G. Frederick School is home to the state’s only self-sustaining 1:1 program in a public middle school and serves as a model and inspiration for 1:1 programs in communities around the globe.  Indeed, through all of the school and community efforts, Deb has made a priority of sharing their experience, expertise, and resources with the greater educational community through published articles, conferences, international partnerships, the school web site, and hosting hundreds of international visitors to the school each year. 

Deb's pioneering work has recently met with many accolades as the Frederick school was named an Apple School of Distinction in 2009 and 2010, and school efforts have been acknowledged by a diverse cast of national and local organizations including a Verizon Tech Savvy Award (2008), JFYNetworks Outstanding Use of Technology in Support of Student Achievement 2009, Crispus Attucks Award (Academic Achievement) 2006, The Bridge Award 2008, and the The Caribbean Foundation Award for Providing Outstanding Educational Opportunities to the Community 2010.   Using these recognitions to build new partnerships, raise funds, and further develop and sustain school programs, Deb Socia has proven a tireless crusader for her students and one of the nation’s most innovative school leaders.

Web Resources Displaying Nominee's Work:

http://www.lgfnet.org

http://vimeo.com/channels/lgf 

http://www.bc.edu/research/intasc/researchprojects/fwle/frederick.shtml