The Belmont Day team had another fantastic year at the MassCUE Conference this past week. MassCUE, a partner organization of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), provides community and professional learning for educators passionate about innovation and technology. Its annual fall conference, hosted at Gillette Stadium, draws educators from across the state and country to explore the future of teaching and learning.
Brit Conroy, innovation coach, partnered with the founders of the Gif-o-Graf to lead an interactive workshop called “Joy in GIFs.” She inspired fellow educators to use stop-motion animation to deepen learning, promote creative expression, and bring storytelling to life in the classroom.
Annie Fuerst, director of innovation, presented a session titled “Not Just Cool Tools: Redefining Innovation in Schools.” Annie guided participants in exploring how the future of education isn’t just about the latest tech but about fostering timeless skills like collaboration and creative problem-solving.
Both Brit and Annie were also selected as peer coaches for MassCUE Connections, a new program offering one-on-one coaching sessions designed to share insights and spark new ideas with fellow educators.
The highlight of this year’s conference came on Thursday afternoon, when four Belmont Day seventh and eighth graders joined middle school science teachers Bill Hamilton and Maggie Small to present “Letting Go of Done: Student Reflections on Valuing Process Over Product.” Eighth graders Ashley Fleming and Ewan Wheeler, along with seventh graders Ashwin Balakrishnan and Indira Yeshwant, captivated their audience as they shared how the STEAM Expo taught them the importance of iteration and that the journey often matters more than the finished project. Our students truly shone during the Q&A session, guiding educators in considering how they might bring a little bit of the Belmont Day magic back to their own schools.
Sharing their reflections with a wider community of educators was an invaluable experience for our students, reminding them that their voices and ideas have real impact beyond our campus. And, of course, getting to watch the Patriots practice and taking home plenty of swag didn’t hurt either!
