News Detail
Sewickley Academy hosts edtech conference, TRETC
Sewickley Academy hosted the Three Rivers Education Technology Conference (TRETC) on Monday, Jan. 20.
Why it matters: TRETC is an annual professional development conference sponsored by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, which aims to advance educational technology integration in the classroom.
- The event attracts hundreds of teachers, K-12 administrators, industry experts, and higher education decision-makers from southwestern Pennsylvania each year.
The big picture: The conference theme was "The Evolution of Education: From Chalkboard to Chatbots."
- The keynote speakers included Dr. Rachlle Dené Poth, an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author and teacher, and Dr. Aaron Sims, associate professor of education at Saint Vincent College.
Zoom in: Two Sewickley Academy faculty members—Marina Buratti, Senior School French and Italian teacher, and Dr. Ron Kinser, Senior School science and global studies teacher—presented.
- Burratti's session, "Elevate Language Learning: Integrating AI and Tech Tools in the World Language Classroom," discussed how tools such as Drift and Flint–AI can enhance language learning by personalizing and streamlining the learning and teaching process to improve engagement.
- Dr. Kinser led "Lights, Camera, Learn: Enhancing Science Assessments with Video Production," a session that explored how teachers can use video production as a creative assessment method. The session detailed the process from brainstorming to editing.
Yes, but: Grade 6 student Saketh Veeramachaneni also represented the Academy as an exibitor. He discussed the project his FIRST LEGO League robotics team, Band of Steel, is working on this year.
- Their project aims to raise awareness about the importance of healthy oceans. They created educational videos and materials to show why oceans matter and how everyone can help protect them.
- Their online content has reached over 5,000 people worldwide (and counting)!
Between the lines: Band of Steel includes 10 middle school students from five schools in the Pittsburgh region—Fox Chapel, North Allegheny, Seneca Valley, Sewickley Academy and Winchester Thurston.
- They participate in FIRST LEGO League, which is an international STEM program that focuses on designing and coding robots to tackle various challenges, a research project, and the demonstration of core values.
Save the date: Sewickley Academy will also host the 2026 TRETC conference on Monday, Jan. 19.
