Farewell Letter

This is the letter I sent via e-mail too all of my co-workers and our consultants. Damn...I miss this place already...it really has been an eye-opener.

Hello everyone,

With both sadness and joy, I would like to let you all know that I will soon be stepping away from CELT as of next Friday, June 10th. This was not an easy decision, as I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given, and leave here with a deep admiration for the fellow CELTics who I have enjoyed working with for the past 16 months. The collective spirit of teamwork and faith in educational reform has served as an inspiring eye-opener as my career evolves. I have learned a great deal about the educational technology industry and plan to apply those varied experiences in my upcoming role within the Boston Public Schools as Program Director of the TechBoston Consulting Group.

For those who are interested, here is a little background on what I will be doing:

TechBoston’s mission is to offer advanced technology courses to prepare students with high tech skills essential for success in careers and post-secondary education; to implement an academic program which teaches to and reinforces the Boston Public Schools Standards and School-To-Career Competencies; and to establish a student TechBoston Corps that will help to support technology in Boston Public Schools and in the local community. The TechBoston Consulting Group (TCG) is a computer consulting business staffed by TechBoston students from the Boston Public Schools and managed by TechBoston teachers (and myself), which was formed to give TechBoston students the opportunity to utilize classroom learning in real world business situations. TCG has two lines of business: (1) web site design and maintenance, and (2) computer support assistance for an IT department. TCG is made up of Boston Public School juniors and seniors who are active in TechBoston and the advanced technology courses. It is an intriguing opportunity which allows me to work in several areas; project management, grant writing, professional development, educational technology, business development, and also have direct interaction with students from across the district. You all have been instrumental in shaping my perspective on educational technology issues and I hope to make a career out of this field as a result.

I would like to thank all of you for the experience of having worked for CELT, which I believe is a truly outstanding organization with the most noble of goals and some of the best minds around. I wish you well in your efforts to link educational leadership and technology, and hope for the best as CELT continues to grow and provide value-added services and products to districts, states, and organizations across the country. It has been a pleasure representing CELT and I plan to continue to consider myself a CELTic for years to come.

So again, I really wanted to say thank you for the great advice, friendly conversations, and support that many of you have provided me over the past year and I hope to remain in contact to keep you updated as my life continues to evolve.

Sincerely,

Eric Esteves
Project Manager
Center for Educational Leadership & Technology