The Tennessee Educational Technology Association (TETA) announced that Collierville Schools Chief Technology Officer Lisa Higgins has been selected as the recipient of the 2021 Outstanding CTO Award. Higgins was presented the award at the annual TETA Conference held December 1-3 in Murfreesboro.
“She is absolutely a shining model of what we hope all of the CTO’s across the state are doing,” stated Terry Sue Fanning, TETA Executive Director. “She is supporting technology and supporting technology in a way that supports teachers and supports the instruction for students. She weaves all of that together beautifully so that students get the best possible learning situation and teachers get the best possible support they can get. She is the epitome of what we like to see in our CTO’s across the state.”
The Outstanding CTO Award is a nomination-based award. Nominations are presented to the TETA Board of Directors Awards Committee, and the winner is selected based on those nominations.
“Technology plays an integral role in education these days,” said Dr. Gary Lilly, Director of Schools. “Collierville Schools is fortunate to have exceptional instructional and support personnel in our Technology Department. We are proud of Ms. Higgins for receiving the 2021 Outstanding CTO Award from the Tennessee Educational Technology Association. The honor validates and recognizes the vision, hard work, and unwavering commitment to our students that Ms. Higgins and our entire technology team display on a daily basis.”
Higgins also represented Collierville Schools in a platform presentation about Apple along with two colleagues from different districts. West Collierville Middle’s Instructional Technology Facilitator, Austyn Scruggs, also presented at the TETA Conference on behalf of Collierville Schools. Scruggs presented on line drawing in Keynote.
After moving to Tennessee in 2003, Higgins began working at Shelby County Schools in 2004 and has been with Collierville Schools since its inception in 2013. She was named the Chief Technology Officer in 2019 and leads a team of ITF (Instructional Technology Facilitator) and STS (School Technology Support) staff members at all 10 Collierville Schools and the Central Office. Higgins leads and supports an innovative technology staff that has assisted in securing the recognition of two Apple Distinguished Schools in the district.
As the winner of the Tennessee Outstanding CTO Award, Higgins is eligible for The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) National CTO Award, which will be awarded at the national conference in April.