RETN Newsletter Page 1		Vol. 9 - May Issue 2007
In This Issue: ESC Region XI Distance Learning Educator Conference Connect2Texas Schedule-at-a-Glance Important Dates RETN Summer Professional Development Duke University Professional Development Texas Distance Learning Association Distance Learning Support Contest ________________________ Schedule-at-a-Glance Don't forget the month-at-a-glance calendar of RETN events. See what is going on for students, teachers, administrators, and program providers in Region XI. Click here to access the Calendar of Events. ___________________________ Each newsletter will announce a contest winner and his or her reward for the RETN District Support Award! May '07 Contest Winner Jacqueline Taylor Burleson ISD Jacqueline may choose a free program from one of our local providers, or a free dial-out connection to a national provider. Thank you Jacqueline, for all your hard work and support of videoconferencing in Burleson! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Important Dates Remember that ESC Region XI will be closed Monday, May 28 and Wednesday, July 4. Friday hours during the summer are 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Please check the RETN calendar and the ESC Region XI Web site for any scheduled closing dates.	Don't forget the Connect2Texas content providers are ready and willing to help you in your next staff development project. Plan to include them in your training for incorporating videoconferencing in your next staff development. _________________________________________________ RETN Summer Videoconferencing Professional Development Put Some Distance in Your Classroom June 12 - 14, 2007 Make plans to attend this professional development training designed to show you how to integrate videoconferencing into your classroom. Connect to content providers to expand your curriculum, find out how to develop a collaborative project with others, and see how desktop videoconferencing can be used for effective and efficient communication. Registration coming soon (http://www.esc11.net), and there is no cost to RETN member districts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Duke University Professional Development Programs Alcohol Pharmacology Education Partnership (APEP) APEP is a national project developed to share teaching materials for high school biology and chemistry teachers through participation in a professional development training and field-testing (research study) the learning modules. Teachers will learn how to integrate pharmacology topics on alcohol into their teaching of basic high school biology and chemistry concepts, and will then field-test the APEP modules in their science classes. Several teachers in the Region XI area will be participating in this exciting program with their students in fall 2007.	Education Service Center Region XI October 17, 2007 Fort Worth, TX The Call for Proposals is now OPEN! Click here to go to the conference Web site.   Make plans now for the 3rd Annual Distance Learning Educator Conference, to be held on October 17, 2007. This is a great way to get new ideas, make new contacts, see the latest and greatest technology solutions, and develop new collaborative relationships. Teachers, administrators, campus technology specialists, and technology directors will all find something here! _____________________________________________ RETN Help Desk News Don't forget to call the Help Desk to schedule tests, for technical assistance, or if you are having problems with a connection. Keep the number handy and posted in your videoconferencing room. RETN Help Desk (817) 740-7616 Summer Shutdown - If you won't be using your videoconferencing system this summer, and your campus will be closed, don't forget to shut down your system and make sure you have surge protection on it. If there is no surge protector, unplug it. If you have a CSU, please make sure it keeps power.
	Texas Distance Learning Conference - 2007 The TxDLA 10th Annual Conference at Moody Gardens in Galveston was a big success. Treasure hunters were plentiful and with new preconference workshops; record numbers of breakout sessions, exhibitors, and attendees; and entertainment and food galore, there was something for everyone! Click here to see the photos, hear the audio clips, download presentation materials, and watch the streams of some of the general sessions. If you didn't make it, see what you missed! Congratulations to Gerri Maglia for being named the individual recipient of TxDLA's Outstanding Commitment to Excellence and Innovation in Distance Education Award! Don't miss next year - Mark your calendars for March 24 - 27, 2008 when TxDLA will be back at beautiful Moody Gardens and will "Sail into Distance Learning." Click here for more information.
For more information and to see a listing of programs, events, courses, sites, and the designated Site Manager, visit the RETN Web site. http://www.esc11.net/retn To quickly see events in a month-at-a-glance format, check out the RETN monthly event calendar.
Click here to see past newsletter issues.