Dr. Canfield announces new SPS Director of Technology

by Dr. Richard Canfield, Superintendent

It is with great pleasure that I am announcing the appointment of S. Bryce Harper, to serve as Director of Technology for the Sandwich Public Schools.

Mr. Harper comes to Sandwich from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he served as Associate Director of Instructional Technology at the Sloan School of Management.  In his seven years at MIT, he also worked as an Instructional Technology Specialist, and as a Systems Analyst.

As Associate Director he managed a team of instructional technology professionals, and several groups of service providers/vendors.  His team supported 1300 students and over 200 faculty members at MIT Sloan.  Mr. Harper managed the development, design, and integration of AV systems for touch support for daily events, including the development of an iPad interface system for camera presets in classrooms.  As an Instructional Technology Specialist he supported dual platform in-room computers.

In his first position as a Systems Analyst at MIT Sloan, he provided technical support to faculty, staff, and students in areas ranging from software and hardware support to mobile devices. He also managed the deployment of cross-disciplinary projects at Sloan.  He led project development teams to enhance the participation of Executive MBA students to attend local MBA classes through video conferencing.  The goal of his team’s work was to allow faculty to seamlessly integrate technology into their curriculum in a reliable and repeatable way, a goal that resonated with the Search Committee.

Prior to working at MIT, Mr. Harper served as the Classrooms and Labs Coordinator at Lesley University.  This work involved maintaining multi-use rooms with both computer and audio visual equipment support. He managed student, faculty, and staff technical training, and worked closely with the Art Institute of Boston to adapt Lesley labs to support the Art Institute’s Mac-centric students on the Cambridge campus.

Mr. Harper earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Kentucky, where he majored in Fine Arts.  He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University with a major in Photography and Filmmaking.  He served as an adjunct professor at the Art Institute of Boston, and an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Technology at VCU in Richmond, VA.

Mr. Harper’s appointment as Director of Technology reflects the Sandwich Public School’s recognition that students educated from Preschool through grade 12 represent the digital generation that will learn and work in an increasingly digital world.  The appropriate use of technology enhances the opportunity to communicate and to collaborate in solving complex problems that reflect the real world of work in virtually every profession.  The insight and experience that Mr. Harper brings to Sandwich will help guide the district’s use of technology both now and into the future.

The Search Committee, impressed by his collaborative and thoughtful style, believes he will serve all members of our Sandwich school community.

Mr. Harper and his family are residents of East Sandwich, and the Sandwich Public Schools are very pleased to welcome him as he joins the leadership team.  He will complete his tenure with MIT and officially begin his work on August 20.  Bryce Harper will be introduced to the Sandwich School Committee at their August 19 meeting.