Published: January 15, 1997

The Comfort Zone

Her Rankin colleagues credit Conner as being an innovative teacher who was always willing to share her time and classroom strategies with other teachers. They also speak of her willingness to take risks. For her biggest experiment, Conner and another teacher knocked down the wall between their classrooms, hooked up their computers with a local area network, and merged their two classes into one class for 2nd and 3rd graders. "She's not afraid to fall on her face," says Warriner, who encouraged the multiage venture.

Conner had planned to take a leave of absence to pursue her master's degree when Meadows asked her to join the technology planning committee last spring. Taking on a leading role, Conner squeezed in only four days of vacation all summer. In the fall, Meadows offered her the administrative post.

"Kameron had internalized strategies to use technology for something besides a toy or an electronic baby sitter," Meadows says. "She also has those interpersonal qualities that are very valuable and the patience of a...