ABOUT US
Chicago Chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association
Logistics / Publicity:
Dale Reed (reed@uic.edu) University of Illinois. Director of Undergraduate Recruitment.
Jake Baskin (jake.baskin@gmail.com) CSTA
Andy Rasmussen (andyras@gmail.com) CS Group, Chicago Public Schools; DePaul University
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Anchor Sessions Organization:
Baker Franke: (baker.franke@gmail.com) (also will help on the eval plan) Code.org
Dan Law (drlaw@cps.edu) Lane Tech High School (CPS)
Shandor Simon (ssimon@latinschool.org) Latin School
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K-8 Sessions and Community Outreach:
Katie Lechowski (kllechowski@cps.edu) Mark Sheridan Math and Science Academy
Farrah Falco (flfalco1@cps.edu) K-8 Technology Specialist, STEM Magnet Academy (CPS)
JD Pirtle (jdpirtle@gmail.com) Director of Innovation and IDEA lab/program, Catherine Cook School
Dale Reed and Baker Franke were founding members of the Chicago CSTA and ECS PD facilitators.
Jake Baskin and Dan Law have been involved in the Chicago CSTA since the earliest days, and both have also been ECS PD facilitators. Dan recently received the Northern Illinois AiC Educator Award.
Shandor Simon has hosted multiple CSTA events at his school and hosted nationally recognized speakers.
Baker Franke is a curriculum lead for Code.org, and Katie Lechowski is a Code.org PD facilitator.
Farrah Falco has helped develop K-8 curricular material and is a recipient of the CSTA award for Teaching Excellence.
JD Pirtle has an MFA from the Electronic Visualization Lab (EVL) at UIC and has brought his media expertise to bear on K-8 curricular innovation.
Andy Rasmussen is one of the leaders within the CS Education Group at Chicago public schools and is part of the Chicago CAFECS group that got CS to be a graduation requirement in Chicago Public Schools.
Jeff Solin is a 2018 NCWIT National AiC Educator Award Winner and creator of our amazing Logo. Jeff Solin, left a career in the tech industry 17 years ago on “a quest to help change Computer Science education.” After several years at Chicago’s Northside College Prep, Jeff joined the faculty at Lane Tech to help develop that school’s computer science department.
We are a passionate group of educators dedicated to promoting and supporting computer science in education.