Rob and his wife, Gayle Allen, associate head, are leaving Trinity in June 2011. They are moving to Boston, Massachusetts to enjoy opportunities with MIT Sloan School of Management (both are in the MBA program) and the broader field of education.

Rob Mancabelli is passionately committed to transforming teaching and learning through the use of technology. “In the Internet era we can learn from anyone, anywhere, at any time—an incredible game changer for the field of education. Now students have the power not only to work with the teacher in their classroom, but with ‘teachers’ from across the globe. The question for schools like Trinity is, ‘How can we build on the incredible education that we already provide by having students and teachers construct personal learning networks of people, resources, and information from around the world?’”

Rob developed his philosophy and approach while working in two schools over the past fifteen years. Most recently, as director of information systems for Hunterdon Central, his programs were nationally recognized for using technology to improve teaching and learning. At Central, every day many students in language classes spoke with native student speakers around the world. English classes blogged with Pulitzer Prize winning journalists and award-winning novelists. Students studied science by bringing scientists into their classrooms. Student engagement in those classes was remarkable, and graduates received not only top notch skills for college, but also a lasting global network of teachers and colleagues.

An active speaker within the field of educational technology, Rob has presented at venues such as Princeton University, Columbia University, the National Education Computing Conference, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Leadership Conference. He serves on the National K-12 Advisory Council for Dell Computer, and he was part of a statewide task force assigned to redesign the high school experience for all students in the state of New Jersey. He has his national certification in project management, and he is working on his MBA from the MIT Sloan Executive Education program.

Rob is looking forward to working with Trinity School and discussing these ideas with an interested community. “I hear a different message at Trinity than at other schools. They understand that we are living in a very different world and that education is going to need to incorporate new tools into teaching and learning. The opportunities here are incredibly exciting, and I look forward to engaging with teachers, students, and parents in a conversation about how to use technology in ways that improves learning for everyone.”