Elizabeth Helfant is the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction for MICDS, a JK-12 school of 1250 students in Missouri. Following graduation from Davidson College in 1984, Ms Helfant began her career in education teaching chemistry, physics, and mathematics. She has been in education for 34 years, 23 of which have been at MICDS. She had an integral role in implementing a 1-to-1 tablet program in grades 7-12 at MICDS. She recognized that proper use of technology to advance learning required shifts in pedagogy and assessment and helped MICDS look more deeply at the strategies being utilized in the classroom. Elizabeth has presented at numerous conferences, including ISTE, ASB Unplugged, the Lausanne Laptop Institute, and NESA. She presents on a wide range of topics including Best Practices in Assessment, Teaching Skills with Technology, Using Brain Research in the Classroom. Designing Student-centered Curriculum, Engagement Strategies, Design Thinking, and STEM Education. Elizabeth is also well-versed in designing and delivering professional development for faculty and connecting it to faculty growth aligned to either Danielson's or Marzano’s frameworks. Elizabeth has worked as a consultant for the last 15 years with Educational Collaborators and Consilience Learning providing workshops on her favorite presentation topics and doing school audits. Her past also includes teaching online courses for the American School of Bombay, The Online School for Girls, and Global Online Academy.
