Competence, depth of understanding, energy, and teacher-focused work ethic are the terms that best describe the person that I write about in this letter. The purpose of this letter is to offer a reference on behalf of Carol LaRow, a professional development consultant in software applications and technology innovations.  My association with Carol has been not only as Superintendent of Schools for the Bethlehem Central School District, but as a colleague and friend. 

In her career as an outstanding English teacher for the Niskayuna Central School District she energized a love of learning in hundreds of middle school children. Her understanding of professional development needs of teachers is first-hand and applicable to the greatest depths of comprehension a teacher should have in their work with children.

In all of her activities, Carol has proven herself as an outstanding educator, and a talented, humanistic individual who aspires to develop her potential in order to serve others. Her dynamic, and motivating presence, coupled with her ability to ascertain the “big picture” issues of education make her a wonderful consultant and presenter for the professional growth needs of educators.

Her tenacious spirit advanced the understanding of many applications for computer and Internet use for the educators in our school district. Her visits to classrooms and modeling lessons, as well as observing faculty and assisting with the needs of a variety of learners were outstanding.

Carol works unceasingly to provide a quality educational experience for the people that participate in her workshops. She works from a team perspective in ascertaining the needs of groups of people, as well as their readiness level in working through the educational strategies of the applications she is presenting. Her perceptive ability adapt to the needs of the group and the organization make her an exceptional individual to have as a presenter for the applications and products she features.

It is my honor to offer this letter on her behalf. I wholeheartedly encourage her work for a school district or professional organization interested in advancing their faculty and administrators as 21^st Century educators.

Dr. Michael D. Tebbano
Superintendent, Bethlehem Central Schools

Mr. Craig Shull, Principal
Ichabod Crane Central Schools, Valatie, NY

An Excellent Google Apps for Education Trainer!

I have had the pleasure of working with Carol LaRow for two years at our school district. As an assistant principal at Ichabod Crane Elementary/Middle School, as well as a member of our professional development committee, I have worked with Carol in a variety of contexts. I am pleased to recommend her to work alongside any school district.

For two years, Carol has been our "go-to" for professional development on Google Apps for Education. She has provided overview presentations to our faculty and even hands-on training to staff on Google Forms and Docs. She consistently receives positive reviews from our staff as they appreciate the fact that she can present from a teacher’s perspective in the classroom. Carol is a wealth of knowledge for ideas and application of GAFE in real-life teaching environments.

In our district, Carol has been extremely accommodating to our requests and has even redesigned presentations with short notice in order to meet staff requests and suggestions.

Carol's preparation and delivery of material is incredibly thorough and specific. She works closely with administration and staff to learn the needs of her "students" and applies incredible energy and attention to meet every need. Carol prides herself on presenting information that can be used in classrooms immediately.

Now a friend of our district, Carol continues to work with our staff during presentations and via email communication.

Craig Shull
Principal, Ichabod Crane Central Schools, Valatie, NY

Mr. Kevin W. Kolakowski, Principal
Mechanicville Junior/Senior High School, Mechanicville, NY

In my tenure as a secondary principal, few presentations have caught my attention like that of Carol LaRow.  After seeing her in multiple venues and conferences,  it was clear that her capacity and ability to bring about an excitement amongst educators using Google Apps For Education was superior. 

Bringing in Carol to my district to start training in Google Apps has opened new doors and new pathways to excite staff and engage students in the classroom using a variety of approaches and online vehicles.  Carol's ability to hook staff to show meaningful, easy, and practical uses for Google apps is amazing.  From day one my staff could not stop talking about all of the visions they had for use of the Google apps in their classrooms and respective curricula. Her dynamic presentation and hands on exemplars give staff the tools they need to start using GAFE immediately.

Carol’s willingness to create overviews and references for the Google Apps is wonderful.  These are very useful resources for implementation of the Apps by staff after their time with Carol.  The step-by-step directions and care taken to remind staff of function and form of each app is superb and allows for immediate use of GAFE.  Carol and Peter work together in tandem to ensure that every participant is engaged and understands practical uses for each application presented. 

Carol's website is a wealth of information and a resource for all staff in my building to reference during their journey to integrate Google apps in their respective classes.  Carol's work ethic is superb and her contagious attitude and love of what she does is clearly shown in each of her presentations.  She is well prepared, knowledgeable, friendly, and real.  She treats staff as a peer and gives meaning and practical use throughout each of presentations.  We have been honored and privileged to have Carol work with our staff to bring about a new excitement for technology integration in the classroom and look forward to working with her in the future.

Kevin Kolakowski
Principal, Mechanicville Jr./Sr. High School, Mechanicville, NY
Phone: 518-664-9888

Dr. Patrick McGrath, Superintendent
Burnt Hills - Ballston Lake Central Schools, Burnt Hills, NY

Very Knowledgable and Lots Of Fun

As the Superintendent of Schools in the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District, I am in a unique position to evaluate Carol's abilities as a trainer. I have known her in each phase of my career.

As a teacher, Carol always incorporated cutting edge technology into her middle school classroom. She loved to teach and she loved her students. Her room was always abuzz with activity and excitement.

Now- her classroom has changed... Her students are teachers. Her curriculum is Google Apps. However, the same buzz and excitement typifies her classes.

In my role as an administrator- first as a principal and now as a superintendent, I have had the pleasure of attending Carols training sessions. She's always extremely well-prepared. Her presentation material is clear and interesting. She backs that up with customized materials on websites that she designs for her students.

Carol infuses humor throughout her lessons. She is great at "reading the room" and adjusting her lesson to fit the experience level of the students in front of her. Most importantly, we have gotten great feedback each time Carol visits our district. Teachers enjoy the sessions, learn from the sessions, and consistently apply what they have learned with our students.

I strongly recommend Carol LaRow for Google Training.

Patrick McGrath
Superintendent, Burnt Hills - Ballston Lake Central Schools, Burnt Hills, NY

Mr. David B. Estes, principal
The School of Sacred Heart St. Francis de Sales

This letter is written on behalf of Mrs. Carol LaRow, an Educational Technology Consultant, who worked with our school staff training them to effectively work with the Google platform.  I am pleased to be able to attest to Mrs. LaRow’s high level of professionalism, her superb knowledge base, and her strong work ethic exhibited in this training experience at our school.

As a school’s administrator, one is always searching for the best possible experience for the teaching staff. I was so fortunate to find Mrs. LaRow. After completing a needs assessment, our teachers were definitely looking to increase their effectiveness in the classroom by using technology. Our school had just adopted Google as a learning platform and our students were expeditiously learning how to use it in our technology lab. It was apparent that as a teaching staff we urgently needed someone who could show us the ins and outs of Google and provide us with practical teaching tools so we could be prepared for our students.  

Using Title II funds, we were able to contract with Carol to provide part time training. It was apparent that three days wasn’t enough for all that we needed to know, so we continued to work with Mrs. LaRow over a three year period. She was absolutely amazing. She took our teachers through a comprehensive training of Google Docs, Forms, Maps, Sites, and Classroom.

Carol LaRow became a part of the fabric of our school. The teachers were amazed at what they learned and what they could do after Carol finished her in-service trainings. Realizing that there is so much more to learn and with new advances being made in Google all the time, our plan is to have her back again next year to keep us abreast of all the latest innovations.

Having been a teacher for a number of years in New York, Carol knew what our teachers needed. She was patient and understanding. She was able to take each teacher from where they were, some knowing very little and some knowing much more, to a point where everyone felt comfortable and knowledgeable using Google. This was always done in a highly professional manner. Carol was extremely well prepared, always seeking input from the faculty. She showed kindness and empathy and brought us to new levels of thinking and performance. Our teachers are better because of what Carol provided them. We are very grateful.

I would recommend her highly for any school that needs an excellent educational technology consultant.

David B. Estes
Principal, The School of Sacred Heart St. Francis de Sales, Bennington, Vermont

Deborah Miller, Connecticut Educators Computer Association, President
CECA Conference, State of Connecticut, Statewide Technology Conference

It is my pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Carol LaRow. As an organizer of the CT Computer Educators Assoc. annual conference, I have had the pleasure of knowing Carol both professionally and personally for over 10 years. She is always a joy to be around. Always a smile and always will to help. She openly shares all she knows in an effort to help fellow teachers succeed with technology integration into their classroom.

Carol has been one of the most respected and sought after presenters at our conference. She brings to our conference both her enthusiasm for educational technology, high energy and enthusiasm. She goes above and beyond what is expected of her. Each year her presentations are filled with the practical classroom experiences gained during her 30 years of teaching. Our attendees can relate to her teacher-to-teacher.  Her presentations are consistently high quality, innovative, and ideas that educators can take back and use in their own classrooms. Her room is always filled with people looking forward to what topics she will cover this year. As we were planning the 2010 conference, a committee member said, “If  Carol is not a speaker, we will have people who will not come to the conference.”

It is important to Carol that she contribute to the success of our conference as a whole not just her sessions. She has always been more than just a presenter. She has been an integral part of the entire conference experience and a friend of CECA and CASL. She is a presenter that people look forward to year after year. She has broad appeal. Classroom teachers, media specialists, administrators and many others all gain valuable information from her sessions. Her evaluations are full of enthusiastic comments and high marks.

It is with great pleasure that I have had the opportunity to share with you what a special part of our conference Carol LaRow has been over the years.

Deborah Miller
CECA President, Connecticut (www.ceca-ct.org)

Mr. Stephen Broadwell, Superintendent
Willsboro Central Schools, Willsboro, NY

As the Superintendent of Schools, we were looking for staff development in area of technology and specifically Google. We had Carol LaRow at Willsboro Central School for an all day workshop and she was fantastic. She kicked off our year with a keynote address to the entire faculty regarding all the power of Google and how educators can use Google in the school setting.

After the keynote, she did "hands-on" training with both our elementary and secondary teachers. She excited and engaged both groups as to the power of Google and how it can be applied in classrooms. Based on her professional development our teachers are now using Google more than ever. We hope to have her back in the near future! I would highly recommend her for staff development. Her knowledge and excitement of Google gave us just the right kick start we needed. Our staff continues to reference the "Google Lady"

Mr. Stephen Broadwell
Superintendent, Willsboro Central Schools

Knowledgable, Inspiring, Motivating, and Passionate

Over the past couple of years I have attended sessions that Carol LaRow presented at NYSCATE. She is so knowledgeable and engaging.

As a teacher at Attica Central Schools and a member of our District Technology Team who is responsible for planning a Technology Day for our entire staff, I knew Carol would be a great presenter to bring in. This is an event that we hold annually. We decided to get our school rolling with Google Apps for Education and knew Carol would be a great presenter and resource to us in this process. Carol gave an amazing keynote to our entire faculty and staff and presented three follow up sessions on Google Forms. Our staff had nothing but positive things to say about Carol and the material she presented. Many wrote "bring her back; we need more time with her."

As well as giving our keynote and presenting, Carol was instrumental in getting us up and running with GAFE. I can't say enough about her passion, dedication, professionalism, enthusiasm, and knowledge. It was a pleasure to work with her in planning our Technology Day! Thank you Carol!

Ms. Karen Veilleux, Technology Director
Southington Public Schools, Southington, Connecticut

Awesome Google Apps For Education Trainer!!

I am the Technology Director for Southington Public Schools in CT. We had Carol LaRow to our district for a day of training both teachers and principals on 12/18/13. I had recommended having Carol in to show us how we can better use Google Docs in our district after seeing a presentation she gave at the CECA Conference.

I’m so glad I did! All the buzz the day after was about how great the training was! Carol gave us an overview of examples of Google Docs, and forms and then we had hands-on training in the afternoon. By the end of the day, both teachers and principals were already thinking of forms they could use and one teacher already designed one for her parents!

The Asst. Superintendent said she definitely wants to have her back and she thought Carol was wonderful! The superintendent said that everyone was just as engaged at 2:30 pm when he popped in as they were at 8:30 am. An elementary teacher who already uses google docs did not really want to come (another day out of the classroom, and a whole day!) Afterward, she said she was SO GLAD she went - she learned so much!

I can't recommend Carol LaRow enough – she is energetic, exciting and most of all knows how to relate to teachers. Carol has a way of demonstrating how Google Apps for Education can save teachers time and enhance their teaching instead of just adding “one more thing” to the many things they need to learn and do. I couldn't have asked for anything more...Karen Veilleux

Ms. Karen Veilleux
Technology Director, Southington Public Schools

Ms. Lori Faulkner, Technology Director
Maine School Administrative District. 49 (M.S.A.D.), Farifield, Maine

What An Amazing Educator

We hired Carol to come to M.S.A.D 49 in Fairfield, Maine to do a 2 day training of the Google Apps for Education package. The training sparked such an interest in our staff that Google has taken off in our district. We usually do peer to peer sessions but as the Technology Director for our district, I felt it would suit us to move towards bringing in "Some Big Guns". Needless to say we all loved her and her husband "Mr. Google". I am hopeful that our district will be able to bring them both back next year.

Many of our staff approached me after to express how much they learned during the sessions, and now I am truly seeing how they are putting it all to use. One of our Science teachers is using the presentation and collaboration tools daily and is actually have kids who are home sick for the day joining in during class time to contribute.

If anyone is toying with the idea of bringing in Carol, take it from me... She is AMAZING.
If you are interested in any more information or feedback on Carol and her skills please email me:
Lori Faulkner at lfaulkner@msad49.org

Donna Teuber, Technology Integration Coordinator
Richland School District 2, Blythewood, South Carolina

Great Reviews

As a member of the South Carolina Midlands Summit planning committee for our annual technology conference, I had the opportunity to work with Carol on our session needs. Carol was a featured presenter and presented five different session topics for us during the two day Google Summit on June 6-7.

Teacher responses to Carol's sessions on Edmodo, in blogs, and on our evaluation have all been extremely positive. The teachers and other district staff learned wonderful integration ideas for Google Earth, Google Forms, and Google Search tools. Our media specialists are asking to have her come back for extended workshop sessions. I am happy to endorse Carol for workshops and conference sessions.

Christina Rivera, Special Projects Librarian
Long Island Library Resources Council, Bellport, New York

Outstanding Google Apps Trainer!

It is an absolute pleasure to recommend the training services of Carol LaRow. On May 14, 2013, Carol provided a superb hands-on Google Tools for Librarians workshop to a sold-out crowd of 28 librarians from public, academic, and medical libraries across Long Island.

Carol provided a customized training session for our diverse group and the evaluations received from our participants were very positive—and for a good reason! It only takes a few minutes after meeting Carol to see that she is an extremely passionate, knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic teacher and trainer. Although our session had participants from diverse organization types, Carol leveraged her exceptional teaching skills to meet the needs of all of our attendees. Our session covered Google Docs and Forms and participants explored the features available. Participants were engaged with hands-on activities, real-life examples and applications, practical exercises, and support as needed—both prior to and during the workshop. Carol successfully delivered a half-day workshop to our group that was rich in content, well presented, and well received.

Carol LaRow is an expert teacher who is a pleasure to work with! Thank you, Carol, for sharing your time, talent, and expertise with Long Island librarians!

Robert Leo, Model Schools Coordinator
OCM BOCES, Syracuse, NY

It is with great pleasure that I recommend to you the services of Carol LaRow. On November 9, 2009, Carol delivered an outstanding Google workshop to a group of 20 teachers, librarians, and administrators from our OCM BOCES component districts. I was especially impressed with the breadth of her knowledge of Google’s many educational tools. More important, however, is her meticulous organization and infectious enthusiasm.

I contacted Carol several months prior to the workshop. She and I communicated via email and telephone to plan for the event. I appreciated her attention to detail and her flexibility in customizing the topics to meet the needs of our audience. Prior to the workshop, she made sure to communicate her plans with me and worked with me to define specific hardware needs for her presentation. She emailed the workshop participants with detailed instructions for setting up Google accounts prior to the workshop. She even arrived the evening before the workshop to make sure everything worked properly.

On the day of the workshop, it was abundantly clear that Carol is a passionate teacher. She connected with the audience effectively and developed a rapport that let them know that she was approachable with any questions or concerns. She provided time for demonstration of several Google tools and also scheduled time for participants to learn through experience. She and Peter provided shoulder-to-shoulder support for participants as needed. Each participant completed an evaluation form at the conclusion of the workshop and all of the responses were positive. In fact, more than half of the participants recommended we bring Carol back for a second day of training.

Carol LaRow is a true professional with a passion for teaching and learning. I would continue to utilize her services in the future. She has my highest recommendation.

Robert Leo
Model Schools Coordinator, OCM BOCES

Charles O'Bryan, Executive Director SUNY Libraries Consortiu
Executive Director SUNY Libraries Consortiu, SUNY Binghamton & SUNY Oneonta, Binghamton, NY (current)
School Library System Director, DCMO BOCES, Norwich, NY (prior)

I have attended several of Carol's workshops over the past 7 years, and I am quite delighted to write a reference. My summation of her considerable experience and skills would do little to accurately portray both the breadth and depth of knowledge she has in the field of educational and WEB 2.0 tools. To gain some kind of understanding into Carol's abilities, please visit her website: Carol LaRow: Educational Technology Consultant http://www.carollarow.com.

The facts that you glean from her information do not provide a three-dimensional view of Carol To see and hear her is to gain an understanding of a life spent in relating to, inventing uses of and challenging oneself by both existing and emerging technologies. she is and she is not a technology "geek." She has gone far beyond where most mortals have tread when it comes to technology experimentation and use. Where Carol moves beyond the technician is her ability to take web tools and to empower end-users to apply them for maximum use and gain.

Whether your mien is K-12 education, the need for increased communication - accessibility - advocacy- or productivity, she is more than capable of helping the individual or team achieve the results desired. Her bag of tricks is so full that Mary Poppins would have had a tough time keeping up once Carol gets rolling.

Please consider her for your short list when you need a top-notch educator, enthusiastic presenter and genuinely, technology-driven individual with engless resources and experiences at her beck and call. Carol's style is appropriate to keynote, large or small group presentations.

Feel free to contact me if additional information is required.

Charles O'Bryan
Executive Director SUNY Libraries Consortiu, SUNY Binghamton & SUNY Oneonta, Binghamton, NY

Rose Tobiassen, District Library Coordinator
Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, Central Valley, NY

It is with great pleasure that I can recommend Carol LaRow as a Professional Development Trainer/Presenter.  I do so as the District Library Coordinator for the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, NY, and as a Board of Education Member for the Enlarged City School District of Middletown, NY.

I have known Carol and can attest to her knowledge, skills, and effectiveness in working with our district's staff development.  Carol proved to be a flexible, versatile individual who developed creative and authentic applications for using Google, Microsoft and Apple applications for teachers and staff to utilize in their 21^st century classrooms. She is extremely knowledgeable with both Apple and PC applications and hardware. She demonstrated how iLife, iMovies, iPhoto and iChat, were viable options for creating exciting lessons for students' classroom projects.  Her extensive knowledge of Apple was helpful in training the staff on basic Apple applications including how to use the Leopard operating system, the Finder, Spotlight, and Safari. Carol was able to teach information literacy skills by providing examples of instructional units and sample projects for classroom technology integration.

Carol did a tremendous job working with the many librarians and schools in the BOCES component districts when she was invited as the keynote speaker. She presented a keynote on “Google Tools For School Librarians,” and offered an afternoon session on, “Discussing Literature With Students for Critical Thinking Skills.” She was using a shared inquiry discussion method for exploring literature, information technology, and WEB 2.0 teaching methods. At all times, Carol maintains a professionalism of the highest degree. 

Personally, Carol goes over and beyond what is expected and she does so with great pleasure and conviction.  She does whatever is necessary to instill success, pride, and accomplishment in the staff she is working with.

Again it is with no hesitation that I recommend Carol LaRow.  Please feel free to contact me.

Rose Tobiassen
District Library Coordinator, Monroe-Woodbury Schools
Board of Education, Middletown Central Schools

Dr. A. Paul Scott, Superintendent
Peru Central Schools, Peru, NY

Delivers As Promised

I'm a Superintendent of Schools. Our school district engaged with Carol LaRow based on a presentation Carol offered at a state school boards association conference. Our school district contracted with Carol for a set of introductory and mid-level workshops on Google Tools and associated professional practice. Carol delivered very well structured and well-paced workshops. She delivers as promised: Great workshops with a smile and with a wealth of credibility and background. Her workshops focus on 'helping teachers and administrators do good things to advance student achievement and professional practice'.

A. Paul Scott, Superintendent
Peru Central Schools, Peru, NY

Dr. Michael Dawkins, High School Principal
Rensselaer City Schools, Rensselaer, NY

"Carol LaRow has been the heart of our professional development program,
with respect to technology, for the past five years. She and her husband, Peter,
are masterful at balancing fun, yet engaging technology workshops for
beginners, intermediate learners, and the more advanced "techies." I highly
recommend Carol and Pete with enthusiasm and without reservation."

Michael J. Dawkins, Ed.D., Principal
Rensselaer High School, Rensselaer, NY

Kimberly S. Greiner, Principal
North Colonie Central Schools, Colonie, NY

" I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Carol for over 12 years. In that time, I have had the privilege of being a participant in her workshops as well as encouraging her to present workshops for my employees, other school districts, and at major conferences.

Mrs. LaRow has distinguished herself as an educator, first as a middle school English teacher and then as an adult educator. She clearly exemplifies the true spirit of education by being a life-long learner herself. Carol is never satisfied with what she has learned and mastered. She is always striving to build her repertoire of knowledge and skills and loves to share that with everyone she meets. Her enthusiasm for learning, especially in the field of technology, cannot be equaled.

Carol has many outstanding qualities as an educator. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Her sense of humor keeps it real and engaging for the learners. Mrs. LaRow’s many years of classroom experience enable her to provide numerous and varied educational examples that are always relevant to her audience. She can find new uses for technology as well as ways to spice up lessons, making them engaging for both teachers and students. Her course on Google Tools is one of the best models of her skill with integrating technology. As an example, she took an historical novel and combined it with Google Earth to produce a concrete way to teach literature to middle school students, complete with discussion questions, links to the WEB, and project ideas. She is able to use today’s WEB 2.0 tools to make lessons relevant.

It is no wonder that Carol is sought out by school districts, educational organizations, and major companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, and Google. Her awards and accomplishments speak for themselves. It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I endorse Mrs. Carol LaRow as a technology integration specialist and a true educator and presenter."

Kimberly S. Greiner, Principal
Boght Hills School, North Colonie Central Schools

William Vacca, Assistant Prinipal
Mohonasen Central School District, Rotterdam, NY
Scotia Glenville Central Schools, Scotia, NY (prior)

A Life Changing Educator

I had the pleasure of having Carol for my ELA teacher in 6th and 7th grade. She was one of the most influential teachers when I was a student. Her love and passion that was in her everyday lessons inspired a love for reading and writing that led me to a degree in English at Union. Now as an assistant principal in Mohonasen CSD and as a former 1st grade teacher in Scotia, I hope I can reach my students in the same way.

It was to my delight when I saw Carol was teaching this class at the Tech. Conference. I haven't spoken to her since High School and sat back in the audience. Even though the conference only lasted 45 minutes, her love and energy reminded me of 15 years ago when she opened the world of reading and writing to my eyes.

She is fluid with technology and has an incredible background. She integrates the most current Google technology into any classroom possible. I tend to think am fairly up to date when using tech in the classroom, but Carol gave me new ideas and projects that I am currently working on. She was still able to inspire me to try new ideas and give it my all. I only wish I could sit and be her student again 5 days a week for 10 months of the year.

William Vacca, principal and former teacher
Mohonasen Central School District, Rotterdam, NY (current)
and Glendaal Elementary School, NY (prior)

Edina Fitzpatrick, Coordinator Of Instructional Technology
The Norman Howard School, Rochester, New York

A Wealth Of Information!

As the Coordinator of Instructional Technology at The Norman Howard School for more than 14 years, I've seen the pace of change in educational technology accelerate at an ever-increasing rate. It's a continual challenge to stay abreast of emerging technologies and try to share that knowledge with our faculty. I've come to accept that I simply can't be an expert on everything, and decided to seek outside help.

I was fortunate to have attended Carol's high-energy, informative workshops in the past at the annual NYSCATE conference in Rochester, NY. This year we decided to bring Carol to our school to share her expertise, many years of teaching experience, and infectious enthusiasm with our faculty. Carol delivered a half-day of training on Google Docs in January, then returned in March for a full conference day which included a fast-paced Google Tools keynote presentation, as well as separate hands-on sessions on Google Forms, Google Maps, and Google Presentation.

Feedback from faculty was positive and teachers appreciated Carol's ability to present technology in a way that was easy to follow, while including many examples of integrating these tools into the curriculum.

I found Carol to be an extremely conscientious, dedicated, educational technology professional and would not hesitate to recommend her to other schools planning for tech-based professional development.

Edina Fitzpatrick, Coordinator Of Instructional Technology
The Norman Howard School, Rochester, New York

Mac Carlton, Technology Director
Bethlehem Central Schools, Bethlehem, NY

"Bethlehem Central School District has hired Carol LaRow to train District faculty in different capacities for over five years.  Whether Carol is working with a classroom teacher directly, or with teams of teachers, or presenting at our summer Technology Camp or our District-sponsored Technology Saturdays, Carol has an amazing grasp of how technology can be used in the classroom to inspire learning.

Carol is an Google Certified Teacher, an Apple Distinguished Educator, and a Smithsonian Laureate. She has received WNYT's Educator of Excellence Award. She served as a master teacher of technology for NY Wired, as a Model Schools instructor, and as an instructor at the Capital Region Teacher Center.

Carol is constantly incorporating the latest technologies like Google Tools or WEB 2.0 concepts into her presentations.  But most of all, Carol is a teacher.  Carol gets it.  Every presentation Carol makes focuses on teaching and learning.  She lets the latest technologies draw you into the excitement of teaching and learning.  If you want to inspire your faculty to use technology in compelling ways, Carol can help you do this."

If you wish to talk with me in more detail on this topic, feel free to contact me
at 518-475-7504.

Mac Carlton
Director of Technology, Bethlehem Central Schools

Berna Mann, Associate Superintendent
Diocese of Worcester, Worcester, MA

It is with great pleasure that I write the following letter of reference for Carol. Carol has offered keynote presentations as well as hands on training for K-12 educators and staff in the Diocese.

Carol LaRow is the consummate professional who ensures that each time she presents to a group, she is familiar with the proficiency level of the group, their access to and familiarity with applications that are relevant to the lesson she is presenting, and most importantly, that she is familiar with the technology that is available for her presentations and trainings.

She is very well prepared for her courses and provides student information and course materials well in advance of the presentation.  Additionally, she promptly follows up to ensure that the course met expectations and that the participants benefited from her work.

Carol LaRow brings passion and expertise to the adult classroom and one cannot help feeling enthused and prepared to use the technology back in one’s own classroom.  She is a skilled and talented teacher and has a keen sense of the content that is relevant to the classroom situation of the participants.  She is well versed in current pedagogical research and tailors her presentations to meet the diverse learning styles of the participants.  In addition, she provides guidance for using technology to diversify teaching and learning. 

Carol LaRow is very familiar with the content of her lessons and therefore is able to impart her skills to the audience very effectively.  Accompanied by her teaching partner, Peter, who is also a veteran teacher, she skillfully demonstrates the skill that is being taught and Peter is quick to move around the room to offer assistance to ensure that the participants are on task and are mastering the learning curve.

The Technology Committee for the Diocese of Worcester, which I chair, unanimously voted to invite Ms. LaRow to be a keynote speaker and presenter at both our professional development days in 2009-2010 school year.  This is a testament to the quality of her work and the manner in which it was received by the participants.

Berna Mann
Associate Superintendent
Dioese of Worcester
Worcester, MA
bmann@worcesterdicoesek12.org

Michael Greene, Educational Technologist
Niskayuna Central Schools, Niskayuna, NY

"I have had the pleasure of working professionally with Carol LaRow for over two decades.  In her capacity as a middle school English teacher, I acted as a resource person for her as she explored the integration of instructional technology into her classroom.  She was always on the “cutting edge” in this area, and constantly on the lookout for new capabilities that would enhance the learning and motivation of her students.  Upon her retirement Carol and I continued to collaborate, and she has maintained a fruitful relationship with her former school district.  This has included offering numerous training opportunities to our teachers in the area of educational technology.  Carol is always a well-prepared presenter who consistently develops a positive rapport with her adult learners.  Her boundless enthusiasm is infectious!"

Michael B. Greene
Educational Technologist
Niskayuna Central Schools
mgreene@niskyschools.org

Jerome Burg, Technology Coordinator
Google LitTrip founder (googlelitrips.org); technology coordinator, Livermore Schools, Livermore, CA

"Whether it is in our collaborative efforts as Apple Distinguished Educators, Google Certified Teachers, workshop presenters, curriculum writers, or GoogleLitTrip authors, Carol LaRow is an educator's educator. She is a phenomenal presenter who blends a wealth of knowledge, skill, and imaginative ideas with an infectious enthusiasm and a charming sense of humor. In these times when education is under great pressure to adapt to the needs of the 21st century, Carol offers a vision that faces the future while remaining "doable and pragmatic."

Jerome Burg
Google LitTrip founder
Apple Distinguished Educator
Google Certified Educator
Google LitTrips Author
Technology Integration Coordinator
Granada High School
Livermore CA

Marion Lowery, Technology Director
Horace Porter Elementary School, Columbia, CT

Fantastic Presenter and Trainer

"I have attended at least 3 of Carol's workshops at the CECA Conference in Connecticut. I left my first "Carol" workshop with overwhelming enthusiasm. I went back to school and told my professional development committee, "We MUST have this lady present to our staff!" Happily I can report that we did and the staff totally loved it. I am hopeful that we can have continuing workshops with Carol (and Pete)! The enthusiasm and wealth of information that is shared is mind-boggling!!"

Marian Lowry
Technology Coordinator
Horace W. Porter School
Columbia, CT
860-228-9493 ext 600

Matilda Barry, Teacher
Niskayuna Central School District, Niskayuna, New York

She Is The Expert!

My name is Matilda Barry and I am a first grade teacher in the Niskayuna Central School District in Niskayuna, NY. I have taken several courses with Carol and she is, without a doubt, the best instructor I have had. In fact, when I take courses, I always look for her name as the presenter or instructor and automatically sign up for her. She is professional, knowledgeable, and approachable. Her courses deliver a lot of information in a very user-friendly way, and I always leave with a working project that I will use in my classroom.

Regardless of your tech proficiency, Carol always delivers. No question or issue is too trivial or complex. She will take the time to explain and instruct at a level that meets everyone’s needs. I have learned much from Carol, and I will continue to take courses from her whenever possible.

Matilda Barry, teacher
Hillside Elementary School, Niskayuna, New York

Teresa Richardson, South Carolina Midlands Summit Planning Committee Member, Teacher
School District 5 Of Lexington and Richland Counties, Columbia, South Carolina

Great Presentations!

At the end of our recent SC Midlands Summit, our conference participants were encouraged to complete an online survey. Carol LaRow's presentations were listed as "informative, engaging and gave teachers something to go back and work with in their classrooms." Her sessions were mentioned several times under the "what you liked most" section from those who attended the two day event. This was the first time meeting and working with her and she did a great job!

Her sessions included: Creating Customized Google Maps for Great Classroom Projects; Google Book Search, Book Lists & eBooks - Awesome Tools for Everyone; Use Docs and Forms Together - An Interactive Approach to Assignments, and Learning and Monitoring Student Progress; Google's Dynamic Lesser Known Special Features and Google Earth - Fantastic Student Projects, Teacher Lessons and LitTrips.

Teresa Richardson, School District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties
South Carolina Midlands Summit Planning Committee member

Dr. Clark Godshall, Superintendent
Orleans Niagara BOCES / New York State Council Of School Superintendents / National Center For Technology And Research

State And National Presentations

Carol has presented for me at the New York School Superintendents and at the National Center For Technology And Research (NCERT) in Florida. Her presentaion was snappy and enganging. Her prowess in highlighting all of the Goodlge apps resulted in all wanting more. She is becoming a well recognized presentor in New York and Nationally.

Dr. Clark Godshall, Superintendent
Orleans Niagara BOCES / New York State Council Of School Superintendents

Christopher Lasher, Teacher
Niskayuna Central Schools, Niskayuna, New York

She Taught Me Then, And Teachers Me Now!

I am a fourth grade teacher in the Niskayuna Central School District. I was a student of Carol LaRow’s for two years – 6th and 7th grade English classes, and I am now a teacher in the same school district. Carol LaRow challenged me to reach my potential back then, and when I saw she was offering a Google Apps For Education course, I knew I wanted to enroll in it. Today, in the year 2012, I still sit in Mrs. LaRow’s classroom! I am always looking for strategies and techniques to improve my instruction, and took advantage of an opportunity to enroll in Carol LaRow’s 15-hour Google Apps for Education course! Just like she opened up a new world of reading and writing for me when I was a 6th and 7th grader, Carol LaRow has opened up the new world of the suite of possibilities that Google Apps For Education and Google tools have to offer.

Carol LaRow is an extremely knowledgeable Google Certified Trainer, a Google Certified Teacher, and a Google Apps for Education K-12 Regional Leader for Eastern States. Her always structured and organized instruction is geared toward a differentiated audience on all levels. Carol provides clear instruction, and then allows time for her “students” to “play” with their new knowledge and gear Google tools to their individual classroom/curriculum needs.

After two years of sixth and seventh grade with Mrs. LaRow, I would have recommended her to incoming sixth graders. Today, after taking her course, I still highly recommend her!

Christopher Lasher, Teacher, Hillside Elementary School
Niskayuna Central Schools, Niskayuna, New York

Mary Stuart, Teacher
NYSCATE Conference, Rochester, New York

Excellent Presenter And Trainer!

I have attended several of Carol LaRow's presentations at conferences. In fact I never miss a chance to attend one of her presentations and I have to get there early because other people get there as much as an hour early because her presentations fill up fast. Quite often people are standing in the doorway and sitting on the floor. She always has something new and meaningful to present. She never disappoints.

I have attended her training workshops as well. They are top notch. Ms. LaRow customizes her trainings to the group she is with, but most of all she includes meaningful information and integration ideas. My take aways from her presentations and workshops are practical ideas I can use in my classroom. I recommend her highly. When I see her name on a conference schedule, I automatically go. It doesn't matter what her topic is. I always go. It's always well worth my time.

Mary Stuart, Teacher

Scott Beiter, Teacher And Technology Committee Chair
Rensselaer City Schools, Rensselaer, New York

Best Technology Professional Development Available

Carol Larow has been invited to our school over 5 times in a row, for 4 days each year, and each time providing excellent professional development. Her experience as a teacher lends her a valuable perspective for teachers to relate to. She provides wonderful materials and tailors her training to our needs. She has experience with a myriad of products and services and is willing to learn to train if needed. I highly recommend her for any technology professional development

Scott Beiter, Technology Committee Chair
Rensselaer City Schools, Rensselaer, New York

Elaine Habernig, Technology Integration Specialist
Kingston City Schools, Kingston, New York

Dynamic Presenter And Coach

I am a Technology Integration Specialist in Kingston, New York. I had the pleasure of attending Carol LaRow's Google Tools presentations at NYSCATE in 2008 and 2009. Carol's workshops were the most popular with standing-room-only for each presentation. I left her presentations energized and excited to share what I had learned with the teachers I work with in Kingston.

In the spring of 2010, I was fortunate to have another opportunity to benefit from Carol's expertise. I was working with 4th graders from George Washington School in Kingston, New York. They were creating a walking tour of historic sites in Kingston using Google Maps. This was a project that was inspired by Carol's workshop. I emailed Carol for advice on the project. She gave us wonderful suggestions and also helped us create a webpage to be included in the Google Historical Voyages website. The students were excited to see their projects included with schools from all over the world. They were thrilled when Carol came to Kingston to meet them and compliment them on their project. This project became the highlight of their school year, thanks to Carol's coaching and her willingness to give her time and energy to encourage us.

I hope I have the opportunity to work with Carol again. Her enthusiasm is contagious. I would highly recommend Carol as a presenter and a coach.

Elaine Habernig, Technology Integration Specialist
Kingston City Schools, Kingston, New York

Alisa Wright, Teacher, Technology Integration
Regional School District No. 6, Litchfield, Connecticut

Passionate, Relevant, Dedicated To Educators

My first introduction to Carol was at the 2010 CECA Conference in CT. Right away I could tell she was a woman on a mission to demonstrate to educators that technology and curriculum go hand in hand. And that by using the available tools Carol presents, our students become collaboratively engaged and creatively challenged while learning the core objectives.

Carol has been a presenter at our district ( Region 6, CT) for three days. Each of her presentations received highly favorable feedback from the staff at Region 6. It is apparent that one of Carol's top priorities is to make sure that those in attendance leave with a chest of tools ready to use.

I am very glad to have made a connection with Carol; I know that I can rely on her even after she has left our district should I need technological advice or instruction.

Alisa Wright, Technology Integration
Regional School District No. 6, Litchfield, Connecticut

Denise DeMello, Technology Integration
CEMA/CECA Conference, October 2011

Jammed Packed With Ideas!

I attended a one hour workshop that Carol presented at the CEMA/CECA Conference in October 2011- Carol's enthusiasm to share the resources that Google has to offer educators is so contagious. I have attended several other workshop in the past year on Google apps and nothing compares to Carol's jammed packed workshop. I was able to follow along on my laptop putting into action all that she was demonstrating. I hope we can bring Carol to our district for more training!

Denise DeMello

Kelly Schermerhorn, Model Schools Coordinator
Questar III BOCES, Castleton, New York

Google Tools For Teachers

Carol presented a full day, hands on training to design engaging lessons, involve students in dynamic projects and publish students work to the Web using some Google tools showcased for that day. Teachers were given the "tools" and Carol demonstrated how they could be implemented in their classrooms. The amount of energy and enthusiasm in the room was staggering! Carol gives you her all and then some.

Carol did a second training @ our BOCES, "Google Admin Tools", geared towards Administrators and Supervisors and how they could utilize some Google Tools with staff, BOE, parents and students. Administrators and Supervisors were thoroughly pleased with tools shared on that day and were eager to use what they learned with others in their districts.
Kelly JM Schermerhorn, Questar III BOCES, Model Schools Coordinator

Carol joined us for a third day, "Google Apps for Educators-An Administrative overview" just recently and the evaluations were extremely positive! All who attended learned more about the Google Apps for Schools and how it works, the enhancement of student learning and the ability to log into a GAFE account to see the practical usage of this account. I am very pleased with Carol and all of the trainings that she has provided for our BOCES-we are fortunate to have a regional leader in our area!

Kelly JM Schermerhorn, Model Schools Coordinator
Questar III BOCES, Castleton, New York

Eric Sengenberger, Teacher
Broadalbin-Perth CSD, Broadalbin, New York

Knowledgeable and Passionate

As part of my professional development, I recently attended two classes taught by Carol LaRow - Google Forms and Google Sites. Both two-day sessions were fast-paced and filled with valuable ideas that I have already begun to apply in my classroom. Carol is exceptionally knowledgeable and energetic, and had a real-world example at her fingertips for nearly every question that was raised. Her approach is carefully structured and thorough, yet we had time and freedom to work on applications directly related to our own curriculum and classes.

I would enthusiastically recommend a class taught by Carol LaRow. Her knowledge and passion are inspiring!

Eric Sengenberger, ELA Teacher
Broadalbin-Perth CSD

Polly Stahl, High School Librarian
Niskayuna Central Schools, Niskayuna, New York

Great Teacher, Great Class

I have taken several wonderful classes with Carol in the past and I wasn't disappointed this time! She was well organized and presented all aspects of Google Apps and gave us time to work on each one. She has been available for support beyond the time frame of the class and that has been a tremendous help. The class members all came from different grade levels and different subject areas and she has been able to address all of our needs as we worked on our projects. Her examples are fantastic, it's very evident that she has used all of these applications herself. The uses for Google Apps are seemingly endless. You won't find a more enthusiastic and well informed trainer for this program than Carol Larow!

Polly Stahl, High School Librarian
Niskayuna CSD

Carol Crothers, Literacy Coach and Coordinator
Maine School Administrative District # 49, Fairfield, Maine

Get Excited - Get Onboard!

GREAT two days exploring the possibilities for making my professional development days more efficient through streamlined data sharing, messaging and presenting. Carol kept my interest high and the pacing was just right to keep me from feeling overwhelmed. Hoping my district brings her back for another layer of possibilities!

Carol Crothers, Literacy Coach and Coordinator
MSAD #49 School District

Mary Gilette, ISTE Conference - Google Teaching Booth
Wilmington, North Carolina

Fantastic Speaker, Saw Her AT ISTE In The Google Teaching Booth

I first saw Carol LaRow at the ISTE Conference in Philadelphia last year. I attended her presentation at the Google Teaching Booth at the ISTE Conference. She did a presentation on Google tools for education. Her audience was packed, and people felt they received a lot of useful information.

I also attended her hour long session at ISTE which was on creating custom Google Maps. She showed how to create them and use them for teaching lessons. She also showed many ideas for ways students can create their own custom maps for projects. She was a wealth of information, and her presentation was clear, organized, and full of great ideas.

Some of my colleagues attended both her sessions also. We all agree that she was one of the best presenters we saw at the conference. We are planning on bringing her to our district in North Carolina for a keynote address and PD training. Anyone we've contacted recommends her highly. After reading the reviews on this page, I felt I needed to add mine own review. She's that good!

Mary Gilette
Wilmington, North Carolina

Carey Grigas, High School Math Teacher
Niskayuna Central Schools, Niskayuna, New York

Catching The Enthusiasm For What Google Apps Can Do For Teachers

Carol is a former teacher and colleague of mine, which is why I signed up for a 15 hour google apps for educators course in Niskayuna, NY, my home district. Going into the course, I knew that I would find Carol to be extremely knowledgeable about the google applications and how teachers can utilize them. Providing many examples in different subject areas for all levels of students K-12, Carol inspires teachers with ideas for applications in our classrooms. Carol initiated contact will all of the teachers in the course prior to the first session and gathered information regarding our needs and ability levels. Carol has been in contact via email a few times over the past couple of weeks to assist me in preparation of my course project ... a support that is greatly appreciated when learning new technology!

Carey Grigas, High School Math Teacher
Niskayuna CSD

Amy Kennedy, Educational Technologist
Regional School District No. 6, Litchfield, Connecticut

Great Technology PD

I am an Educational Technologist in Connecticut and first met Carol LaRow at the CECA Conference in Hartford, CT. After attending her enthusiastic session on Google Maps, we decided to have Carol come to our district for teacher professional development. Carol has been to our district for several PD days and has given our teachers and administrators hand-on training for Google Apps. Teachers were extremely pleased with their experience and were happy that they were able to acquire such valuable skills that they could use in the classroom.

Carol also wowed our staff with a fantastic keynote - showing how Google Apps such as Google Earth, Google Forms, and Google Sites could engage learners and be powerful tools for learning.

Amy Kennedy, Educational Technologist
Regional School District No. 6, Litchfield, Connecticut

http://homepage.mac.com/clarow/Ed_Tech/index.html

NYSCATE Conference, November 2009
New York State School Boards Association, October 2009
CECA Conference, October 2009
NECC Conference, July 2009
MassCue Conference, November 2008
BLC Conference, July 2008