Phil Hintz wins Illinois Computing Educators 2015 Educator of the Year Award
Congratulations to Phil Hintz, director of technology at Gurnee Elementary School District 56, for being selected as the 2015 "Educator of the Year" in the Technology Administrator category by the Illinois Computing Educators.
Hintz was presented with his award at the closing session of the Illinois Computing Educators State Conference, held Feb. 24-27, at the Pheasant Run Resort and Convention Center in St. Charles.
Each year, Illinois Computing Educators selects one educator in each of two categories - one teacher and one technology administrator, for this prestigious award. Educators are nominated for this award by colleagues, fellow teachers, students, and school administrators who feel that the nominee has made outstanding contributions to the integration of technology and the improvement of teaching and learning in their school or district. Once nominated, candidates must complete an extensive application process that is reviewed, evaluated, and scored by members of the ICE Educator of the Year Committee. Selections are then confirmed by the ICE Executive Board for final approval.
Hintz has been the director of technology for Gurnee Elementary School District 56 in Gurnee for the past nine years. Previously, he was the director of technology for the Zion Elementary School District 6 in Zion. He also served as a band director in Texas for over eight years.
Currently, District 56 is in its third year of a district-wide, 1:1 iPad initiative for all 2500 students and teachers in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Under Hintz's leadership, District 56's district-wide 1:1 iPad initiative was recently awarded the Apple Distinguished Program Award for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence for 2013-2014. It is currently one of only six school districts in the world to be featured on Apple Education's website for Distinguished Programs.
Hintz is both a presenter on the local and the national level. He has presented at several Illinois technology conferences including the ICE Conference and the University of Illinois' Tech Feast. Most recently he presented the highlights of his district's iPad initiative to Tech and Learning magazine's School CIO Summit in San Diego, San Antonio, and Atlanta. In 2014, Hintz facilitated half-day workshops at the International Society of Technology Educators conference in Atlanta, Georgia, and at the Florida Educational Technology Conference.
The mission of the ICE statewide organization is to promote the development, growth, and use of technology in all facets of education. The Educator of the Year award has been designed to honor ICE members from throughout the state of Illinois who are exemplary educators and leaders at the school or district level, and who have made significant contributions leading to the integration of technology into the educational process. ICE is truly grateful to the many outstanding nominees each year, and for all they do for children in Illinois schools. The true winners are students in the many school districts throughout the state where these outstanding educators teach and work.