In 2019, I attempted to implement IT Matters at a large local district. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the buy-in I needed to move forward.

In 2020, I reached out to a smaller district, who was open to working with me. I was assigned a school, a principal, an IT director, and a group of teachers who were enthusiastic to work with me. Everything was set to go: We had our initial first meeting, scheduled observations...and then, COVID struck. There were school closures, the mass pandemic spread worldwide, and it felt like my project crashed and burned. I was devastated. However, I didn't have time to mourn, because I was swept up with the huge demand for distance learning support.

In the Fall of 2020, I accepted a position as a Distance Learning TOSA (Teacher On Special Assignment) to support teachers in Distance Learning. It's been a rollercoaster of a ride. My Innovator project has taken a back seat eversince.

However, I don't believe COVID has destroyed the need for IT teams and Teachers to have a discussion about student safety, access, and equity. In fact, I believe this pandemic has revealed and put a spotlight on the deficiencies of students' safety, access, and equity. These issues will continue to grow in the post-covid world, as education navigates the new normal of online learning.

So what now? I've accepted a 5th-grade position at a local school in Bakersfield, California, where I can apply all the things I've learned as a coach, specialist, and TOSA. This will be my first time back in the classroom in 7 years. In the meantime, I hope to have another opportunity to implement IT Matters in education.