from Technology & Learning

The sad facts of escalating campus violence and global warming's extreme weather patterns are two reasons every school district should have a solid emergency backup plan.

In this month's cover feature, "Surviving Disasters," author Karen Greenwood Henke talks to district leaders who experienced disaster firsthand and showcases the strategies they deployed to communicate with parents and staff. We're happy to announce this edition our new Multimedia Classroom column, which you can look forward to seeing regularly. Graphic arts teacher Doug Martin kicks off the new column with details of an energy-drink design lesson for middle and high school students.

On the product side, Jeffrey Branzburg brings you the latest on laptops ("Notable Notebooks"), with a look at buying considerations and descriptions from different hardware vendors. Also, be sure to visit this month's Reviews, for evaluations of Microsoft Office 2008 and ExploreLearning Gizmos, online math and science simulation software.

Administrators and others responsible for backend systems implementations will be happy to see Lane Mills's best practice tips on business intelligence and data storage in this quarter's School CIO.

And innovation gets a boost with fabber. See our Emerging Tech department to learn about a new printer that lets even young kids design and build their own three-dimensional structures using household-friendly products such as peanut butter and cheese.

And finally, don't miss out on the early bird registration for our upcoming Tech Forum events in Illinois and California. Network with colleagues and get up to speed on topics such as Web 2.0, safety and social networking, 21st-century tools, distance learning, and technology academies. Visit www.techlearning.com/events/techforum to register.

Susan McLester
Editor in Chief