The October meeting of the Southside Virginia Regional Technology Consortium (SVRTC) was held virtually on October 15, 2025. Representatives from 15 SVRTC school divisions were in attendance, including: Mecklenburg County Public Schools, Appomattox County Public Schools, Dinwiddie County Public Schools, Prince Edward County Public Schools, Amelia County Public Schools, Sussex County Public Schools, Hopewell City Public Schools, Halifax County Public Schools, Charlotte County Public Schools, Nottoway County Public Schools, Brunswick County Public Schools, Buckingham County Public Schools, Lunenburg County Public Schools, Pittsylvania County Public Schools, and Petersburg City Public Schools. Staff from ITTIP at Longwood University also attended, along with guest speaker Ryan Champney from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
The featured presentation was led by Ryan Champney, Digital Learning Specialist at the VDOE. Ryan provided an in-depth update on Virginia’s Digital Learning Integration (DLI) efforts. He began by outlining the upcoming review and revision process for the DLI Standards of Learning, which is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2026. He encouraged SVRTC members to consider participating in the review process.
Ryan emphasized how the current DLI standards align with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate and its five key competencies: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, citizenship, and creativity. He noted that the standards are designed to adapt to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence while still grounding students in essential digital learning skills.
Additional updates included progress on incorporating DLI standards into instructional materials for subjects like mathematics and computer science, as well as expanding available teaching resources through GoOpenVA. Ryan encouraged educators to explore, contribute to, and offer feedback on these platforms. He also shared plans for a micro-credential course designed specifically for ITRTs, which will be announced once finalized. To make the session interactive, Ryan invited participants to engage in activities via Puzzle.org and Padlet to reflect on digital integration in their divisions.
Before concluding, Ryan shared that the VDOE Office of Fine Arts had recently received an Emmy award for the Virginia Roots video series—an exciting recognition for the department.
Following the presentation, Dr. Paula Leach announced two significant grant awards received by ITTIP. The first is a SCHEV grant that will support middle school campus visits. The second is a $7 million GEAR UP grant, which includes a STEM initiative that will follow 7th-grade students across 14 partner schools—11 of which are SVRTC member divisions—for the next seven years. As part of the GEAR UP grant, Kyle Kayhart will lead an E-Sports initiative aimed at increasing student engagement and participation in STEM-related activities.
In addition to these updates, Kyle shared that ITTIP is planning to host a STEM Summit and encouraged members to volunteer for the planning committee. He also noted that the Cybersecurity Masterclass—a free, one-day professional development opportunity offering certification—is being scheduled for later this fall, with more information to be shared with technology directors and superintendents.
Looking ahead, members were informed that a teacher from Cumberland County Public Schools will present on AI tools in education at the November meeting. The group also voted to hold the 2026 SVRTC Technology Awards Banquet on March 24, 2026.
The next SVRTC meeting will take place on November 19, 2025.