Amy AL-Khalisi Brings her Passion for Education and Technology to CTL
CTL would like to welcome Amy AL-Khalisi, our new Ed Tech Project Manager for CTL’s Nevada 21 Contract. She will operate as a liaison between Nevada school districts and CTL as part of the Nevada Ready 21 (NR21) program. CTL will provide Chromebooks, networking wireless infrastructure, a rich suite of apps and online tools and a robust package of service and support for the NR21 program. This program initially targets middle schools, while future phases will target high schools. With a background in both education and technology, Amy is an ideal fit to help Nevada middle schools make the transition to deploying Chromebooks in their classrooms.
Amy was inspired to become an educator by her mother, who was a special education teacher. She began volunteering in her mother’s class at a young age and developed an interest in education. Amy has a Masters of Special Education: Cross-Categorical, K-12 from Grand Canyon University and holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Warner Pacific College. With over 10 years of classroom experience that includes using technology to enhance the learning experience, Amy is enthusiastic about helping schools to make the most of 1:1 solutions. She is thrilled to combine her passion for teaching and technology in this position.
“The NR21 program is exciting to me because it offers equal access to technology for all economic levels. Giving middle school students their own Chromebook will prepare them for the workforce and open up new opportunities for them. Technology is the future and we’re putting it in their hands,” she said. “As a teacher, I see 1:1 implementation as a valuable way to collaborate with students and customize lesson plans for a variety of learning styles. Not all kids learn by reading. Some need to see video, hear audio and have a more interactive experience.”
Amy believes that the NR21 program will make a difference in students’ lives and she looks forward to seeing the positive changes after CTL Chromebooks are deployed. Nevada Middle Schools who participate in the NR21 program will receive on-site visits from Amy to help ensure a smooth transition. CTL is partnering with Google and other software partners, and Amy will help to facilitate the professional development needed to introduce teachers to using Chromebooks in the classroom. Each CTL NL6B Education Chromebook deployed for NR21 will include education-specific apps such as Google Apps for Education, NcLab, WeVideo, PocketLab, LabCamera, Noteflight, Securly and more. Amy is looking forward to working with Nevada educators and collaborating with CTL’s software partners to help schools get the most out of their 1:1 solutions.
“In the classroom, time is a big factor – most classes are under an hour,” Amy said. Once the Chromebooks are implemented, it will open up more time for learning. When teachers can share their educational tools, that saves valuable lesson planning time. The ability to create a dialog with students even when they are not physically in the classroom can allow teachers to give more personalized attention and offer students the chance to expand their learning beyond the four walls of the classroom,” she added.
A certified Speech Pathologist, Amy is also a member of the National Teachers Association. She enjoys getting involved in her community and has been a Special Olympics volunteer and organizer as well as a Pace Director for the Portland Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon. Amy enjoys CrossFit and will be competing in the “Everyday Warrior” competition February 20 in Salem Oregon. Proceeds from this event will go towards Everyday Warrior, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded with the primary mission to inspire, empower, and financially support individuals in the CrossFit community who have been diagnosed with cancer and are currently undergoing treatment. Amy is also an avid trail runner who is sponsored by Pearl Izumi. She’s looking forward to running the beautiful trails in Reno/Tahoe area.
