Technology Applications Readiness Grants for Empowering Texas
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The History of the SUPERNet Consortium

The SUPERNet Consortium is a collaboration of 17 East Texas school districts united to provide educational resources within the network consortium.  This consortium was initially established in 1996 to provide affordable Internet access and enhanced resources to remote areas.  The first member districts to form the consortium were Arp, Big Sandy, Carlisle, Hawkins, Henderson, Jacksonville, Lindale, New Summerfield, Van, Union Grove, Whitehouse, Winnsboro, and Winona.  The SUPERNet Consortium has now grown to include the original districts plus five more; Chapel Hill, Hallsville, Tyler, and White Oak.

SUPERNet has dedicated the last six years forging milestones in curriculum and instruction advancement.

In 1999 SUPERNet received the Technology Integration in Education grant (TIE) with the Voyage Discovery Project and was selected as one of two Texas Spotlight Schools to the Secretary’s Conference on Educational Technology in Washington D.C.  In 2000, as continuation recipients, the CORD research group adopted SUPERNet’s plan for teacher professional development collaboration as their model for replication in Missouri, an area very similar to the demographics of the SUPERNet districts.

In 2003 SUPERNet received the Technology Application Readiness Grant (TARGET) from the Texas Education Agency with the SUPERNet Super Bowl Project.  The consortium was granted continued project funding through June 2006.

SUPERNet efforts have greatly increased collaboration and communication throughout the East Texas Region.  Working with Austin based Southwest Educational Development Laboratories (SEDL) on research based constructivist model; these projects dramatically changed SUPERNet teachers by: 

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creating classrooms conducive to the integration of technology

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creating a network of collaborating teachers throughout the member districts

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creating a core of trainers capable of taking the responsibility of professional development throughout member districts

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establishing a principals’ forum enabling collaboration between member districts

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acquiring and utilizing a video network throughout the consortium with a gateway to colleges, universities, and other resources through a partnership with  Northeast Texas Consortium, (NETNet)

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introducing parents to the positive effects on student achievement using online interaction with classroom lessons that can be done from home with parents

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establishing a Virtual High School for member districts as well as offering courses to other surrounding districts.

 The SUPERNet Consortium continues to strive for excellence in education and is committed to search out ways to increase student performance through innovative teaching strategies. 

 

 

 

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