Breaking Out of Isolation: Becoming a Connected School Leader

About Jessica J. JohnsonSpike C. CookTheresa C. Stager

Dr. Spike C. Cook is currently serving in a leadership position as the Principal of RM Bacon Elementary for the Millville Public School District located in the City of Millville New Jersey. He joined RM Bacon staff in April of 2011. Since that time he has been influential in increasing technology use with students and teachers reorganized the Basic Skills Program and worked on improving the climate and culture of the building.  He began his educational career in 1999 and has worked in higher education middle school and elementary school. Dr. Cook has served as a counselor teacher adjunct professor Executive Director vice principal guidance director and principal. His blog Insights Into Learning received a nomination for the Best Administrator Blog by Edublogs. Dr. Cook has presented at numerous state and local conferences. In addition he has presented at the 2012 ASCD Texas in Dallas 2013 ASCD National Conference in Chicago and the 2013 National Association for Elementary School Principals in Baltimore. He was the keynote speaker at the Millville Public Schools Opening Day for over 1200 staff. Dr. Cook was one of the featured connected educators in the 2014 Corwin Press book Digital Leadership by Eric Sheninger. Jessica Johnson is an Elementary School Principal and District Assessment Coordinator for Dodgeland School District in Juneau Wisconsin. She is the 2014 Wisconsin Elementary School Principal of the Year.  She has previously taught in Minnesota where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Bemidji State University. She also taught and worked as an Instructional Coach and Assistant Principal in Arizona earning her Master degree at Arizona State University. As an continuing learner she is passionate about literacy principal productivity social media technology integration and the concept of leading with a coaching hat as an administrator. She has a self-published childrens novel Adventures in Blockworld: A Novel for the Young Minecraft Fans. She co-moderates the #educoach chat on Twitter each Wednesday night at 9pm CST and also co-hosts the PrincipalPLN Podcast. You can follow Jessica on Twitter as@PrincipalJ follow her blog at principalj.net or contact her at jessica@principalj.net. Theresa Stager earned her Bachelor of Music Education from Wayne State University in Detroit MI in 2003 and a Master in Educational Administration (Assessment and Evaluation) at University of Michigan-Dearborn in 2007. She taught for 8 years as a public school music educator teaching general music band and high school choir. She worked for 2 years as an Implementation Director at an Human Resources company until 2013.  Theresa has presented at many music administration and technology conferences in her career. Her music education blog was nominated and chosen as one of the Top 75 eCollegeFinder Music and Arts Enthusiasts Award Winners. Theresa was featured in Dr. Spike Cooks first book Connected Leadership: Its Just a Click Away.   Theresa is a Co-Host of PrincipalPLN podcast which can be found at principalpln.com and on iTunes. She is currently in her second year as Lead Learner and Building Principal at St. Mary Catholic School in Rockwood MI. She has implemented a 1:1 iPad program and is excited to be able to merge her love of technology learning and education with this position. She lives in Huron Township MI with husband Brian and two children Audrey and Jacob. Theresa believes her biggest educational accomplishment is yet to come.