Jessica Sepke Receives Lenovo ThinkTank Award

Head of School Theo Wilkes Coonrod at Saint Mary’s School (www.saint-marys.edu) in Raleigh announced that Director of Technology Jessica Sepke has been selected as the recipient of the Lenovo ThinkTank Award. The ThinkTank Award recognizes personal and institutional achievements in enhancing teaching and learning through the innovative use of technology. The global award recognizes a commitment to collegial collaboration among educational institutions around the world. Each year, the ThinkTank Award winner is selected from over 500 institutions in 23 countries.

At Saint Mary’s School, Sepke implemented the ATLAS Program (Applying Tablets to Learning and Academic Success) which was started in August 2005. This program equips each student and faculty member with a Lenovo X41 portable tablet computer. These notebook PCs can be used as a normal PC or can be converted into a flat tablet that users can write on using an electronic pen.

Related Links:
www.saint-marys.edu
www.lenovo.com
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News Facts:

• Head of School Theo Wilkes Coonrod at Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh announced that Director of Technology Jessica Sepke has been selected as the recipient of the Lenovo ThinkTank Award.
• The ThinkTank Award recognizes personal and institutional achievements in enhancing teaching and learning through the innovative use of technology.
• At Saint Mary’s School, Sepke implemented the ATLAS Program (Applying Tablets to Learning and Academic Success) which was started in August 2005.
• This program equips each student and faculty member with a Lenovo X41 portable tablet computer.
• These notebook PCs can be used as a normal PC or can be converted into a flat tablet that users can write on using an electronic pen.

Quotes:
"Faculty are using the tablets in creative ways," said Sepke. "They have students do individual and small group research online in class to explore topics of discussion. They have students create traditional presentations and also do more involved projects in which students use their technical skills and creativity to help them learn more about the subject."

"Ms. Sepke’s leadership in integrating technology into Saint Mary’s curriculum and students’ daily lives, while maintaining the great traditions of the school, have been an internationally recognized success," said Michael Schmedlen, education industry executive at Lenovo. "Her absolute commitment to the global community of independent education made her an easy choice for the award committee. Sepke’s ability to share best practices learned at Saint Mary’s and her ability to articulate strategies for success have helped dozens of other schools be successful."

"Sepke’s knowledge and creative ideas have greatly impacted our use of technology at Saint Mary’s," said Coonrod. "It is a great honor for her to be recognized by Lenovo."

About Saint Mary’s School (SMS):
Saint Mary’s School in Raleigh, North Carolina, is an independent, college-preparatory, girls boarding and day school dedicated to academic excellence and personal achievement for grades 9-12. Founded in 1842 in the Episcopal tradition, Saint Mary’s School is the sixth-largest girls boarding and day school in the country. The school offers a comprehensive range of opportunities enabling girls to compete in college and today’s global economy. The historic, residential 23-acre campus is within easy driving distance of world-renowned Research Triangle Park and the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Sixty percent of the school’s nationally recruited faculty and staff live on campus, and 75 percent of the faculty hold advanced degrees in their field. Saint Mary’s School offers 18 Advanced Placement courses and a full complement of honors courses, competition in 11 sports, a comprehensive fine arts program, and signature technology, advising and co-curricular programs to prepare students for independence and success in college and life. For more information, contact the Saint Mary’s School Admission Office, 900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-424-4100, or visit the Web site at www.saint-marys.edu.

Keywords:
Saint Mary’s School, SMS, Theo Wilkes Coonrod, Raleigh, College-Preparatory, Boarding School, Episcopal, Jessica Sepke, Lenovo, ThinkTank, Tablet PC, Michael Schmedlen, North Carolina Education, ATLAS, Girls Boarding Schools, Independent Schools, Girls Private Schools, Saint Mary School, Saint Mary High School, St Mary School, St Mary’s Raleigh

Patty Briguglio
MMI Associates, Inc.
919-233-6600
patty@mmimarketing.com
PR Firms Raleigh, NC

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