This summer marks the first time that CUERockStar will host an all Google Edition!

How is this RockStar different?

This RockStar will focus on Google and Google related applications. In addition, all faculty members are Google Certified – either Google Certified Teachers or Google Educators.

Why attend the Google Edition RockStar Camp?

Like all RockStars, there will be 3 days of direct hands-on learning. The ratio of faculty to attendee is 10:1 per session. Each session is 2 hours; with only 2 sessions per day. This means attendees can really dig deep, and receive individualized attention.

There is also a 2 HOUR LUNCH! When was the last time a teacher got a 2 hour lunch? The 2 hour lunch allows you to network, ask questions, share your learning, and relax! Oh, and there will be ice cream at each lunch. The last day features HOMEMADE ice cream cookie sandwiches! (Note: for those with dietary needs, non-dairy products are available).

flickr photo shared by vasta under a Creative Commons ( BY-NC-SA ) license

In true Rock Star fashion, each day will begin at 9 am (yes, this means you get to sleep in!) with a ‘Shred Session’ by the faculty. The faculty will try and woo you to attend their session. These are fun, light-hearted, and show off each faculty member’s passion. These are a must-see!

You will end your day with the option of extending your learning and networking with other attendees and faculty members. After days 1 and 2, there will be a meet-up at a local place of interest.

The amazing faculty:

Dan Bennett is an EdTech Coach and Science Teacher at Los Alamitos High School. He is also a Google Certified Teacher and Education Trainer. Within the classroom he has supported student learning in 1:1 iPad, Chromebook and PC laptop environments. Beyond the classroom Dan provides professional development and support to teachers across his district and at conferences. Above all Dan’s passion is helping others discover new and more powerful ways to learn.

Jed Butler is a groupie of the math and tech community (#MTBoS, mathbutler.wordpress.com). He specializes in visualizations for relationships and numbers (making sense of math with pictures). You can see more at transformulas.org. You’ll find him playing with Desmos, Geogebra, and Google Apps most days of the year.
He’s taught nearly every math course and grade for the secondary classroom. Throughout his careers he’s found that leading, facilitating, and supporting groups has been a natural position for him. He’s lead successful small PLC groups and is now the Math TOSA/coach for Perris Union High School District.

Ed Campos grew up in Earlimart, CA. He’s been teaching high school math for 11 years in Central California. Before he started teaching, he was an IT consultant in the Bay Area for 3 years. He knows first hand what an education in math and technology can do for a young person and has dedicated his life to sharing what he’s learned and what he’s continuously learning. Ed has successfully incorporated 360 Degree Math into his classroom.

Robert Hochberg is a content specialist for Teacher Support Services at the Ventura County Office of Education. He is a Google Certified Teacher, a Microsoft Innovative Educator, and holds a Master’s Degree. He is member of the Gold Coast Cue Board of Directors and an organizer of #edcampvc. He has been in education for 10 years and formerly taught middle school history. He was also the Director of Technology for his school and introduced a 1:1 “BYO Laptop” program in the middle school. In his spare time he adjuncts for Concordia University Irvine in the Masters of Educational Technology program. He is passionate about technology use in education and tries to make learning engaging and enjoyable all at the same time.

Eric Jarvis is sixth-grade ELA/STEAM teacher at Los Osos Middle School where students work in a one-to-one laptop environment using Google Apps for Educators to demonstrate their knowledge of content by CREATING products that require a multitude of twenty-first century skills. Eric is a Google Certified Teacher. Eric has been an innovative ed tech leader for over a decade.

Joe Keays has an inescapable passion to create a learning environment that is timeless, physically boundless, nurturing and empowers students and parents. He desires every student to live passionately, think creatively, expect excellence from themselves, recognize the beauty to look, see and be seen, and to control their lives from their position of authority. Joe has taught high school mathematics for the past 17 years at Agoura HS and has been a natural leader integrating technology, creative methodology and modeling risk. Joe is also a Google Certified Teacher and 2014 Edublog Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tara Linney is a Google Certified Teacher, and Google Education Trainer, currently working as an Instructional Technology Coach for a K-8 district in Crest Hill, IL. She has worked in education for 5 years. She holds an M.S. degree in Instruction from Drexel University and is certified as an Instructional Technology Specialist. Her primary background is grounded in helping educators incorporate meaningful technology experiences into their instruction.

Nancy Mincozzi has been teaching in one way or another most of her life. She holds several degrees, including a Master’s degree in Educational Technology. For the past 3 years, she has worked in the Las Virgenes Unified School District as a media specialist, helping teachers integrate technology into their classrooms. She is passionate about helping other educators to innovate their practices and has presented at local CUE events and at the annual CUE conference. A firm believer in collaborative professional development, Nancy is the founder of PLAYDATE Los Angeles and is a member of the EdCamp Ventura County organizing team. She blogs at http://www.coffeenancy.com. She is a former attendee of CUE Rock Star.

Lisa Nowakowski is a Google Certified Teacher & Trainer, and has presented at CUE RockStar events in California. She was in the first cohort for Innovative Educators Certificate and a Leading Edge educator. In 2010 Lisa was awarded the Crystal Apple Award sponsored by the local NBC affiliate. She has been an Ed Tech innovator in her district for over 15 years. Lisa currently teaches 5th grade at King City Arts Magnet. As a district technology leader, she has brought 1:1 Chromebooks to her classroom with great success. As a 3rd grade teacher, she incorporated GAfE into her classroom.

Teresa Ozoa is a lawyer turned educator, credentialed for both primary and secondary school, now teaching AP English Language, American Lit and a Contemporary Lit elective at University High School in Irvine. An edtech early adopter with a lifelong fascination with tech, from a Kaypro II to an iPhone 6+, she is also an energetic professional development presenter in tech for Irvine Unified SD, SGVCUE and the UCI Writing Project.
Her CUE RockStar Manhattan Beach experience inspired this year’s motto and a new approach to student creation: “Make Good Stuff and Share!”

Amanda Steinacher is a Teacher on Special Assignment in Technology Integration for the Redondo Beach Unified School District. Before her job on special assignment she taught 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st grades in elementary schools for 15 years. As a teacher on special assignment, her job has been to “Googlify” her district. Through the roll out of 7,100 Chromebooks in grades 3rd-12th grade and a pilot of 650 Android Tablets in TK-2nd grades, Google has become her new language this school year. If you peek into Amanda’s day, you’d find her creating support documents for teachers in docs, building sites that support the common core standards, answering questions on all things Google, blogging, growing her PLN on Twitter and Google+, and HAPPILY supporting the teachers of RBUSD. She is a new blogger, new Tweeter, and a new Google Educator.