Data Privacy in Our Connected Learning World: Earning the Trusted Learning Environment Seal

Presented by Bruce Gearing, Ed.D., Superintendent, Leander Independent School District (TX); Dr. Allan Markley, Superintendent, Raytown Quality Schools (MO); and Linnette Attai, Project Director, CoSN Privacy Initiative, CoSN (Consortium for School Networking)
Moderated by Ann McMullan, Project Director, EmpowerED Superintendent Initiative, CoSN (Consortium for School Networking)

Sponsored by ClassLink
This edWebinar series is co-hosted by CoSN, AASA, and edWeb.net

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Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation.
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Student data is a critical component for navigating student success and making informed decisions within any school system. Today’s highly connected learning environments present real challenges when it comes to balancing technology advances with the need to protect both student privacy and school data.

In this edWebinar three superintendents review five critical guidelines for ensuring data privacy in any school system’s use of technology. They will share how their leadership teams make data privacy a priority across an entire school system. Effective strategies for communicating their district’s commitment to assuring student data privacy will also be reviewed.

Additionally, the project director for CoSN’s Privacy Initiative and Trusted Learning Environment Program shares information about how school districts can earn CoSN’s Trusted Learning Environment Seal and why that process benefits stakeholders across a district. Each of the superintendents on the edWebinar panel represents a school district that has earned the Trusted Learning Environment Seal. They discuss how they each led that process in their own districts and the lessons learned along the way.

This recorded edWebinar will be of particular value to school superintendents, K-12 school and district leaders, and aspiring leaders. 

About the Presenters

The 2019 Region 13 Superintendent of the Year, Bruce Gearing, Ed.D. has served as the Leander ISD (TX) superintendent since September 2019. Leander ISD is a fast-growth district, adding approximately 1,000 new students every year and serving more than 40,000 students. Prior to joining Leander ISD, Dr. Gearing served as Superintendent of Dripping Springs ISD from 2012-2019 and as Superintendent of Marshall ISD from 2009–2012. Dr. Gearing is a frequent presenter at state and regional conferences and has participated in national educational leadership activities such as the Connected Superintendents Summit at the White House. He earned his doctorate degree from Texas A&M – Commerce, master’s degree from Texas A&M – Texarkana, and bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and chemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand. A native of South Africa, Dr. Gearing and his wife, Aldine, moved to the United States 22 years ago, and he proudly became a U.S. citizen in 2010.

Dr. Allan Markley is in his 13th year as Superintendent of Raytown Quality Schools in Missouri. Formerly, he served as Superintendent of the Sparta R-III and Logan-Rogersville R-VIII School Districts. Dr. Markley earned his Ph.D. from St. Louis University. He serves on the Board for the Raytown Chamber of Commerce, Cooperating School Districts of Greater KC, and is Chairman of the Greater KC Suburban Conference and Missouri Securities Investment Program. He is a member of the Greater KC School Administrators Association, Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA), Missouri School Boards’ Association, Midwest Suburban Superintendents Association, Kansas/Missouri Superintendent Leadership Forum, American Association of School Administrators, Raytown Rotary, and Raytown Kiwanis. Dr. Markley often testifies on bills affecting schools. He has overseen the development of a community wellness center, an award-winning employee health clinic, and expansion of early childhood offerings in Raytown. He was the 2018 recipient of MASA’s Robert L. Pearce Award.

Linnette Attai is Project Director for CoSN’s Privacy Initiative and Trusted Learning Environment Program. As founder of the global compliance consulting firm PlayWell, LLC, Linnette delivers strategic advice and training, policy development, and technology assessments, and builds cultures of compliance across a wide range of organizations. She also serves as Virtual Chief Privacy Officer and GDPR Data Protection Officer to select clients. Linnette is a recognized expert in the youth and education sectors and speaks nationally on data privacy matters. She is a TEDx speaker, advisory board member for the Ithaca College Cybersecurity Program, and author of the books, Student Data Privacy: Building a School Compliance Program, Protecting Student Data Privacy: Classroom Fundamentals, and Student Data Privacy: Managing Vendor Relationships.

About the Host

Ann McMullan is Project Director for CoSN’s EmpowerED Superintendents Initiative. Ann served as Executive Director for Educational Technology in Klein ISD, near Houston, Texas until September 2013, when she and her family moved to Los Angeles, California. For 16 years Ann led the district team that provided professional development on technology and 21st century instructional strategies to 4,000 educators serving 50,000 students. She was co-chair of the Texas Education Technology Advisory Committee which developed the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology.

Today, Ann works as a public speaker, writer, and education consultant focused on leadership to meet the needs of today’s students. Ann serves on the Advisory Council for ERDI’s Alliance for Education Impact and Project Tomorrow’s Advisory Council. She is also a leadership consultant with Executive Service Corps of Southern California, serving non-profit associations. Ann is the co-author of Life Lessons in Leadership, for leaders ages eight to eighty-eight.

Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation.

Join the Super-Connected community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.

AASA is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill.

CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community, best practices and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in the digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education.

ClassLink empowers your students and teachers with instant access to their learning resources. ClassLink® OneClick® includes a library of over 5,000 single sign-on apps and instant links to file folders at school and on Google, Office 365, and Dropbox cloud drives. ClassLink Roster Server easily and securely delivers class rosters to any publisher using open technology standards. ClassLink Analytics gives decision makers the usage data they need. Accessible from any computer, tablet or smartphone, ClassLink is ideal for 1to1 and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives.