We the Metcalf Team’s FETC takeaways , focusing on tools that serve pedagogy, not hype. From Apps to Hardware, to walks in the woods - there’s a tech tool for anything and everything. But knowing which to use is the question. In this episode:

• why a cross‑disciplinary team attended FETC
• balancing early childhood play with responsible technology
• concrete upgrades for multi‑display teaching
• turning on built‑in accessibility for inclusion
• student‑led showcases for authentic family engagement
• art, STEAM, and keeping process at the center
• teaching AI concepts without more screen time
• choosing iPads when creation and capture matter
• visual note‑taking to boost retention
• building tool selection processes and pilot teams
• cataloging current tools and revisiting evolved platforms
• team learning as accountability and momentum

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We talk with ROE 17’s Molly Allen about how regional services support lab schools, alternative programs, and teacher pipelines while keeping student voice and literacy at the center. We map the real challenges of AI, phones, and shortages to practical steps that help schools move forward with hope.

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BONUS EPISODE

We sit down with Dr. Brian Zugelder, Dean of the College of Education at Illinois State University, to unpack a nontraditional journey that now fuels a bold vision for the university’s lab schools. We dig into the educator continuum—recruitment, preparation, induction, leadership, and retention—and why keeping great people in the profession requires real pathways and support. From clinical practice to statewide partnerships, he explains how ISU can model promising practices and help shape policy rather than wait for mandates.

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