Press Category: On the Wire

Charlotte, NC (Monday, June 16, 2025) – Discovery Education, the creators of essential PreK-12 learning solutions used in classrooms around the world, now offers a new collection of summer professional development resources that help prepare educators nationwide for back-to-school success.  

Available within Discovery Education Experience, the essential companion for engaged K-12 classrooms, the Summer of Learning channel offers readily accessible, standards aligned professional development content that enhances instruction across in a variety of disciplines including ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Careers Exploration.  

In addition, the new summer professional development content, organized by topic and available at no cost, includes: 

• Immersive: The new immersive learning professional development resources let educators earn microcredentials as they build confidence with immersive technologies and learn how to create powerful instructional moments in any lesson plan. Created in partnership with Verizon, these resources let educators quickly dive into new and innovative techniques and teaching strategies that help increase student engagement.
• Literacy: Discover new ways to teach literacy essentials in this series of microlearnings from Discover Literacy – a program created in partnership with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the National AfterSchool Association. With these resources, educators learn to create everyday connections to the five foundational keys of literacy through on-the-go microlearnings and flexible instructional support. These hands-on resources provide an explicit, systematic approach to instruction and opportunities to practice applying new skills.
• Digital Citizenship: In a new Masterclass Video, Sharo Dickerson, Director of Digital and Learning Resources at Norton, shares best practices for teaching students how to be safe online and good digital citizens. Made available through My Digital Life, a program with Norton, the accompanying multimodal activities empower students to explore the important topic of digital citizenship. 
• Health: To help educators better prepare for conversations with students about the most common forms of substance misuse threatening their communities, a powerful on-demand webinar outlines all the primary drug categories and how educators can communicate with students about their impact. This content is made available by Operation Prevention, a program created in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Designed to work alongside the innovative product enhancements announced earlier this year, these professional development resources show teachers how to create personalized learning experiences with inquiry, excitement, and exploration that will hold students’ attention while challenging them academically. Learn more about all the exciting Discovery Education updates for Back-to-School 2025 here. 

“At Discovery Education, we believe professional learning should be relevant, collaborative, model innovative strategies, and give teachers time to reflect so they can immediately transfer to their practice. From learning new engaging instructional strategies to growing their art of teaching, these resources span topics and disciplines to ensure all educators can make the most of their professional learning this summer,” said Jaime LaForgia, Senior Director of Professional Learning at Discovery Education. 

Educators using Discovery Education resources can augment their professional learning using Discovery Educator Network. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Educator Network connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration. Learn more about professional learning at Discovery Education here. 

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.  

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Charlotte, NC (Friday, June 13, 2025) – SmartBrief on EdTech has honored two Discovery Education services in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards. The Readers’ Choice Awards 2025 presented by SmartBrief on EdTech celebrate the companies and products making a lasting impact on the education industry. Discovery Education is the creator of essential PreK-12 learning solutions used in classrooms around the world 

The 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards recognize the innovative solutions, latest technologies, and pioneering problem-solving that are changing the education landscape for the better. The following Discovery Education services were selected as winners in the Readers’ Choice Awards 2025: 

DreamBox Math: Math Instruction Category

DreamBox Math by Discovery Education is a K-8 online math program that supplements core instruction in the classroom or at home and is independently proven by several third-party research organizations to increase math achievement. Updated earlier this year with a host of improvements that empower teachers to create even more personalized learning experiences, DreamBox Math by Discovery Education adapts dynamically to the learner, providing tailored instruction within a highly engaging, gamified learning environment. DreamBox Math lessons are available in both English and Spanish and are standards-aligned  

Along with actionable reporting and tools that empower differentiation for all learners, DreamBox Math offers teachers content-specific professional learning and provides administrators critical insights into student progress. With DreamBox Math, every student is empowered to independently engage in interactive problem solving so they can develop conceptual understanding, apply a variety of strategies, and gain competence and confidence in mathematical reasoning and skills.  

Career Connect:  STEM and CTE Category 

Career Connect promotes student curiosity by connecting classroom learning to potential careers. Through Career Connect, educators request virtual classroom visits from industry professionals, selecting from an array of job types, industries, languages, and locations. Then, students meet with professionals from industries like biotechnology, science, finance, computer engineering, human resources, education, and more, exploring potential career pathways through these interactions. 

“These awards recognize and shine light on new and existing products and solutions that impact and transform education through technology. Our readers and subscribers have selected our winners as the best of the best. Every winner should be really proud of their accomplishments – a well-deserved congratulations from the entire awards team,” said the SmartBrief on Edtech’s editorial team. 

Submissions were evaluated by both industry professionals and SmartBrief readers. SmartBrief is the leading digital news service for top-level education professionals in K-12, higher education, and specialized fields. Learn more about the SmartBrief Readers’ Choice Awards here. 

“We are proud to be among those honored in the Readers’ Choice Awards! Thank you to the judges and educators who voted for DreamBox Math and Career Connect by Discovery Education,” said Brian Shaw, Chief Executive Officer at Discovery Education. “Every day, our team works hard to deliver to educators the solutions that will empower students to succeed. This award is a powerful validation of this work and will inspire us to continue creating the highest quality solutions for PreK-12 classroom worldwide.”

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.  

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SANTA BARBARA, CA—June 12, 2025— Today, Chief, the most powerful network of senior executive women, revealed the winners of its second-annual The New Era of Leadership Awards, recognizing Anupama Vaid, Founder and President of ParentSquare, as one of 100 exceptional executive women who are redefining what it means to lead.

“I’m deeply honored to be recognized by Chief alongside so many remarkable women who are paving the way toward a more inclusive, equitable future,” said Vaid. “At ParentSquare, our mission is rooted in purpose—ensuring every family is meaningfully connected to their child’s school. I believe in leading with empathy, listening to those we serve, and innovating with heart.”

Vaid was selected by an esteemed panel of judges, including executives from Morgan Stanley, Squarespace, The Walt Disney Company, National Geographic, Axios, Tripadvisor, Etsy, and more. The judges evaluated each nomination based on the following qualities:

• Innovation: Demonstrating disruptive thinking to drive impact
• Empathy: Approaching leadership with a focus on inclusion
• Creativity: Reimagining traditional practices with original solutions
• Purpose: Influencing their industries, teams, or communities positively
• Resilience: Navigating adversity or uncertainty successfully

“The New Era of Leadership honors the trailblazing women who are redefining what it means to lead—driving transformation, breaking barriers, and shaping the future of business,” said Alison Moore, CEO of Chief. “We are thrilled to recognize another 100 exceptional executives and 25 standout honorees in the second year of these awards—a reflection of the powerful impact women are making across industries every day.”

Today, ParentSquare serves more than 20 million students across all 50 states, offering a comprehensive suite of communication tools built for K-12. The platform enables districts to streamline mass notifications, facilitate two-way classroom communication, manage accessible school websites, and automatically translate messages into more than 190 languages. Recent innovations include Virtual Phone, which allows staff to make and automatically log calls to families directly from the platform while keeping personal numbers private, and ParentSquare Pay, a school payments solution that helps districts go cashless.

Under Vaid’s leadership, ParentSquare has accelerated its growth and impact across the country—helping districts ensure equitable access, foster deeper family engagement, and strengthen school-home partnerships.

To read more about the significant accomplishments that contributed to Anupama Vaid’s recognition, visit https://thenewera.chief.com.

About ParentSquare

ParentSquare is the trusted leader in school-home engagement, helping K-12 districts nationwide reach every family with an award-winning, all-in-one communication platform. Reaching over 20 million students across the country, ParentSquare replaces one-size-fits-all legacy systems with personalized messaging, websites, forms, payments, and more—built together in one easy-to-use platform. With powerful features for achieving 100% contactability, two-way translation into 190+ languages, and purpose-built AI enhancements, ParentSquare empowers districts to invite every family to be involved in their student’s education, no matter their home language or the device they use.

Recognized for growth and innovation by Inc. 5000, GSV 150, and more, ParentSquare was founded in 2011 in Santa Barbara, California. Learn more at parentsquare.com.

About Chief

Chief is the most powerful network of senior executive women. Our members represent senior leaders from more than 10,000 organizations across every sector. In our vibrant community, they find the connection, insights, and support they need to maximize their impact. Learn more at chief.com.

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CENTEGIX^®, the industry leader and most widely adopted wearable safety technology provider for K-12 education, today released its 2025 School Safety Trends Report, the only comprehensive and data-rich analysis of school safety available in the wearable panic button market. The report identifies and outlines the top tech and legislative movements relevant to school safety in the U.S. and draws on data collected in the 2024/2025 school year through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform™, including more than 265,000 incidents of CrisisAlert use. CENTEGIX solutions are utilized by 800+ school districts nationwide, including 71 of the 250 largest U.S. school districts. The flagship of the CENTEGIX Safety Platform is CrisisAlert™, a wearable panic button solution with dynamic incident mapping. Safety Blueprint™ displays digital campus maps and school safety assets and provides real-time locating features for incident response and Visitor Management, which CENTEGIX recently innovated to offer more check-in versatility and efficiency.

Key 2025 Report Findings Include:

• Most Safety Incidents Occur Outside of the Classroom, Underscoring the Importance of Campus-Wide Coverage — Nearly 60% of incidents occurred outside the classroom—in spaces like hallways, parking lots, and sports fields—highlighting the importance of precise location information in reducing response times. And in situations when a campus is under threat, the need for dense coverage of multi-sensory emergency notifications maximizes adherence to safety protocols.
  
  
  
• Data-Informed School Safety Decisions Are Driving Positive Change — Districts are leveraging alert data to reduce suspensions, optimize staffing, deploy resources, guide professional development, and build community trust. Behavioral incidents accounted for 88% of all alerts, reinforcing the system’s value in managing day-to-day safety. In Missouri’s Normandy Schools, for example, suspensions dropped by 81% over three years, a shift attributed to proactive, data-informed de-escalation supported by CENTEGIX insights.
  
  
  
• Digital Mapping Legislation Is Accelerating Nationwide — With 23 states passing or introducing legislation mandating digital campus mapping, more district leaders and legislators are recognizing the value of precise location information in improving emergency response times and situational awareness for responders. Studies have shown that a significant number of life-threatening emergencies occur on school campuses each year, highlighting how critical it is for first responders to have situational awareness of the location of the emergency and the nearest safety devices.
  
  
  
• Integrated Safety Systems Are Now Expected — Districts and policymakers are demanding interoperable safety solutions that work seamlessly to facilitate a safety ecosystem, from visitor management solutions and access control to video surveillance and intercoms.

“We’re working with hundreds of K-12 districts across the country to protect schools by providing the most comprehensive, proven safety technology every day,” said Brent Cobb, CEO of CENTEGIX. “Superintendents are increasingly framing safety as a strategic priority and the foundation of an environment conducive to teaching and learning. The CENTEGIX Safety Platform with CrisisAlert wearable panic button technology is more than just a solution to compress time in emergency response—it supports every stakeholder, from teachers to administrators to school resource officers, in doing their jobs more confidently and efficiently.”

With CENTEGIX, K-12 teachers and staff are empowered to respond to any incident—from the everyday to the extreme—anywhere on campus. To learn more about 2025 School Safety Trends: Together, Training and Technology Save Lives, download the full report.

About CENTEGIX

CENTEGIX is the industry leader in wearable safety technology for K-12 education, with nearly 700,000 badges in use. The cloud-based CENTEGIX Safety Platform™ initiates the fastest response time for emergencies campus-wide. Leaders in over 15,000 locations nationwide trust CENTEGIX’s innovative safety solutions to empower and protect people (every day). To learn more about CENTEGIX, visit www.centegix.com.

Media Contact:

Annmarie Ely

Zer0 to 5ive for CENTEGIX

annmarie@0to5.com

267.454.4686

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ORLANDO (InfoComm, Epson booth #3427) – June 11, 2025 – As schools and businesses place greater emphasis on flexibility, collaboration and visual impact, demand is rising for intuitive, high-quality display solutions that support BYOD and multi-platform streaming. Epson, the number one selling projector brand worldwide,¹ today announced its newest 3-chip 3LCD PowerLite^® L-Series laser projectors are now available and are compatible with Apple^® AirPlay^®. This enhancement addresses the growing demand for effortless content streaming on large, vibrant displays in education and corporate settings, allowing users to share videos, photos, music, and more from Apple devices directly to their projector.

The new lineup delivers higher brightness and pro level features in a portable design, with an expanded range of throw ratios that solve placement challenges. With standard throw projectors and newly added optical zoom on two short throw options, the PowerLite L-Series now covers an expansive range of throw ratios between .5 to 2.2. This allows greater installation flexibility across applications, from floor and rear projection to meeting rooms and lecture halls.

“The new PowerLite L-Series models are a unique combination of compact form factor and professional-level features,” said Chris Teguh, product manager, large venue projectors, Epson America, Inc. “The addition of Apple AirPlay combability demonstrates our commitment to enhancing user experiences and connectivity to allow users to easily share content in classroom and business settings.”

Apple AirPlay compatibility allows users to stream movies, music, games, and photos directly to the new PowerLite L-Series projectors from iPhones, iPads or Macs. Users can watch movies and shows from favorite apps or Safari, share photos with everyone in a room, or play music and podcasts on the projector and other AirPlay speakers.

Powered by Epson’s 3-chip 3LCD technology, the lineup ranges from 6,000- to 8,000-lumens,² with options featuring Full HD WUXGA resolution and 4K Enhancement Technology³ for sharp, detailed images – even for up close viewing. Built for a variety of environments – classrooms and lecture halls, conference rooms, hybrid workspaces and more – these powerful projectors produce exceptionally vibrant, high-resolution images up to 500 inches in 16:10. Plus, they are capable of projecting in a variety of other aspect ratios, including ultra-wide 16:6 and 21:9 for enhanced content display and visibility.

Previously only available in Epson’s interchangeable lens lineup, the new projectors include robust installation tools such as NFC,⁴ advanced geometric correction and the optional PixAlign^® camera for simplifying complex multi-projector installations such as screen matching, blending or stacking. They also offer powerful features, such as optical zoom, wide lens shift, geometric correction tools, and more for simple and seamless installation. With built-in wireless communication, users can monitor and control projector fleets remotely from a web browser using the Epson Projector Management Connected app, as well as enable advanced screen casting tools like Apple AirPlay, Epson iProjection™⁵ and Miracast^®.⁵

“Customers are looking for more accessible ways to build complex multi-projector systems, and these latest PowerLite L models enable that. And now with AirPlay compatibility, they deliver stunning visuals while integrating into today’s smart ecosystems,” said Teguh.

Availability

All new PowerLite L-Series models are now available through authorized Epson resellers.

Models with built-in Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility include the PowerLite L690U, L790U, L890U, L690E, L890E, L895E, L690SU, L695SU, L790SE, and L795SE. The PowerLite L690SE and L695SE are available without AirPlay functionality. For existing compatible models, Apple AirPlay 2 is available via a firmware update on Epson’s website and will be preinstalled on future models.

Special education pricing is available through the Brighter Futures^® program. A unique sales and support initiative available specifically for schools, Brighter Futures is designed to help educators select and implement the best products for their classrooms while making the most of their budgets. In addition to special pricing, Brighter Futures offers dedicated education account managers and toll-free technical support for all Epson projectors and associated accessories.

For additional information on Epson large venue solutions, visit www.epson.com/powerlite-l-series-projectors.

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson’s goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/

Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), X (x.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica).

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1 Epson is the #1 projector brand worldwide and in the U.S. according to most recent quarterly data from PMA, a leading high-tech market research and publishing firm specializing in the display market.

2 Color brightness (color light output) and white brightness (white light output) will vary depending on usage conditions. Color light output measured in accordance with IDMS 15.4; white light output measured in accordance with ISO 21118.

3 4K Enhancement Technology shifts each pixel to surpass Full HD resolution on screen.

4 NFC requires use of a device that includes NFC and may require additional software.

5 The projector supports direct peer-to-peer wireless casting of local content from Miracast-enabled devices or via the Epson iProjection app. For best performance when using Epson iProjection, it is recommended that the projector and connecting devices be configured on a network, either through the Ethernet port on the projector or via a wireless connection. The Epson iProjection App does not support all files and formats. See www.epson.com/iprojection for details.

EPSON and PowerLite are registered trademarks and Epson iProjection is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Brighter Futures and PixAlign are registered trademarks of Epson America, Inc. Miracast^® and Wi-Fi^® is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance^®. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2025 Epson America, Inc.

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Boston – June 10, 2025 – Eleven schools have joined the hundreds that have opted to renew their partnerships with VHS Learning. Many educational institutions that are associated with the nonprofit are so pleased with the quality of its online courses that they remain affiliated for years.

“At VHS Learning, we empower schools with the industry’s best teacher-led online learning program,” said Carol DeFuria, President & CEO of VHS Learning. “Our ongoing partnerships with schools across the nation and around the world reinforce VHS Learning’s value as a reliable and high-quality provider of online education.”

The 11 schools currently renewing their partnerships with VHS Learning are:

Bacon Academy in suburban Colchester, located in eastern Connecticut. The Academy serves more than 570 students in grades 9 through 12.

Wilton High School, a comprehensive college preparatory high school located in the suburban community of Wilton, Connecticut. The school serves approximately 1,250 students.

Northbridge High School in the suburban town of Whitinsville, Massachusetts. The school has a population of more than 470 students.

Madison High School in the suburban community of Madison, New Jersey. The school has over 800 students.

Audubon Junior/Senior High School in the suburban community of Audubon, New Jersey The school serves approximately 777 students.

Hammonton High School in the suburban community of Hammonton, New Jersey. The school has a population of over 1,300 students.

Pitman High School in the suburban community of Turlock, California. The school serves 2,000 students.

Wellesley High School in the suburban community of Wellesley, Massachusetts. The school serves approximately 1,260 students.

Watertown High School in the suburban community of Watertown, Massachusetts serving approximately 770 students.

Springfield International Charter School in the urban community of Springfield, Massachusetts. The school serves more than 1,500 students in grades K-12, with approximately 450 students in grades 9-12.

Douglas High School in the rural community of Douglas, Massachusetts. The school serves approximately 320 students.

“Large and small schools of all types in urban, suburban, and rural communities benefit from adding VHS Learning courses to their programs of study. Our long-term relationships with our partner schools speak volumes about the trust they place in our program and the value they find in giving their students more educational choices,” said DeFuria. “We’re proud to be a consistent part of their efforts to expand learning opportunities and ensure every student, regardless of their geographic location or circumstance, has access to high-quality, engaging coursework that helps them prepare for the future.”

About VHS Learning

VHS Learning is a nonprofit organization with almost 30 years of experience providing world-class online programs to students and schools everywhere. More than 500 schools around the world take advantage of VHS Learning’s 250+ online high school courses — including 29 AP® courses, credit recovery, and enrichment courses — to expand their programs of study. VHS Learning is accredited by Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS) and the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC). Courses are approved for initial eligibility by NCAA. For more information about VHS Learning please visit https://www.vhslearning.org/ and follow on X at @VHSLearning.

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