DeKalb Schools’ technology chief wins IT award

Gary Brantley, the DeKalb County School District’s chief information officer, is making IT happen.

The International Society for Technology in Education honored Brantley and four others in education technol- ogy for their commitment to increasing digital learning opportunities for students. Honorees were recognized last month at ISTE’s Conference & Expo in Chicago.

The Making IT Happen award honors outstanding educators and leaders who demonstrate extraordinary commitment, leadership, courage and persistence in improving digital learning opportunities for students.

“I am honored to receive this and extremely surprised,” Brantley wrote on Twitter afterward.

Last fall, Brantley said his district was handing out more than 70,000 laptops and desktops to enhance student-teacher interactions as well as help get students in the district better prepared for college.

Brantley came to the district as chief information officer in 2011 from Ohio. Recently, he was selected as a Premier 100 Technology Leaders for 2017 by Computerworld, a digital Information Technology magazine. He also was named one of the “Top 30 Technologist Trailblazers” by the Center for Digital Education.

“ISTE Making IT Happen awardees are committed to transforming teaching and learning and understand the potential technology brings,” ISTE CEO Richard Culatta said on the group’s website.

Gary Brantley won a prestigious IT award in June.