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Welcome to Comet Tech!

I am Daniel Mares. I am new here. I am in the brand new role of Instructional Technology Specialist, and I am here to help you! Really. That is what I am here to do. I am here to assist you in using the Chromebooks and Google Apps for Education in your classrooms. I have a strong history of implementing technology into the classroom, starting with laptop carts during my first year of teaching. I then progressed to managing and implementing Google Apps for Education for an entire school. I also planned and developed the professional development for the staff on all of the awesome things that technology can do to enhance education. Finally, in the past year, I was an agent for more technology immersion, including using learning management systems and moving my old building to a 1-1 environment.

That being said, I am here to help you. I am a certified Google Educator at Level 1 and Level 2. I have used many different systems and have a strong knowledge of best practices when using technology in the classroom. If you have questions or want to try something, please let me know. I am more than available to assist and aid you in increasing student achievement and making your life easier as a teacher. I will be coming around and doing informal observations, I am available for one-on-one or PLC meetings, and I can come in and model a tool to help you launch it with students. I am a resource for you.

I am using this space to provide updates and share new information with you, as well as working to build up a repository of resources for you to use. Under “Chromebooks,” you will find tips, tricks, and strategies for using the Chromebooks. The “GAFE” tab provide tips and tricks for working with the Google Apps for Education Suite of tools. You will find tips about Chrome, Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Drawings, Forms, etc. Finally, the last tab will be “Toolboxes.” This will be set up to provide you with helpful ideas for when you are planning lessons. For instance, if you are planning to have the students complete presentations, then you can use tools from the list that I have provided. I will even come to your class to help introduce and see the final products.

If you have suggestions for things that will work better or things that you think that I should incorporate on this site, please let me know. I am here to serve you and your students. I am nothing if I am not available to you and your students.
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