001Say that three times. >> All right, it's 7:00. >> Um, it's 7:00 on Thursday, April 9th, 2026. We'll call the Wilton Board of Education regular meeting to order. Um, has everyone had a chance to review the agenda? I would like to ask for a motion to change the order of agenda to uh move items under F, possible action items to above um item E, review and discuss. Um that way folks can present to us and then um don't have to sit through the remainder of the meeting. >> So move. >> Thank you, Lori. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Pam. All in favor? Uh motion carries uh unanimously. Um comments from the public. The board time at the beginning and end of regular meetings for public comments for members of the public
002to share their views on matters involving the Wilton public schools and to help inform the board's decisions on such matters. Two minutes will be allotted to each speaker and a maximum of 15 minutes to any one subject. For the record, please also give your name and address. The board considers the views of citizens in its deliberations and welcomes and appreciates public comment. The board listens to public comment thor thoughtfully and with interest. The board however generally does not respond to public comment during board meetings by offering commentary or answering questions. The board also invites commentators and the public to contact the board or the superintendent directly with any specific questions or comments. Are there any comments from the public? I promised to be quick and I wanted to do this a couple of weeks ago,
003but um when I got this news, but um I think it was online that week, so I held off. So, I would like to say a few words about our principal, Bob O'Donnell. Um, I would like to talk not about Bob's career here at Wilton High School, but about his legacy, one built on care, trust, and an unwavering commitment to his school community. It's easy to list his accomplishments, accomplishments, years of service, or milestones achieved. But what truly defines great leadership can't always be measured on paper. It's found in everyday moments, the conversations, the decisions, and the relationships built over time. Bob led with an open door and an open mind. For teachers, that door wasn't just symbolic. I'm saying it like you're gone already. I'm sorry. Um uh but it wasn't just symbolic. It
004was real. And then having a voice, being heard, and knowing that concerns wouldn't be dismissed, but taken seriously. Whether it was a challenge in the classroom, a new idea, or a difficult situation, there was always a willingness to listen and more importantly to act. This kind of leadership creates trust and trust is what turns a group of individuals into a true community. In the past, more than a few more than several years, Bob and I spoke countless times about my role as a teacher, as a town folk, and as a union rep. We collaborated about topics that range from scheduling Wednesday meetings to navigating the block schedule, from talking points at the PTSA table to serious subjects at faculty meetings, from issues with students or parents or teachers to safety protocols during uh the global
005pandemic. Bob and I have not always agreed, surprising, but he always listened with a cooperative and compromising spirit and for that I am eternally grateful. So, on behalf of our WA members, I'd like to thank you. Um, thank you for the time, the effort, patience, and the care. Thank you for leading with integrity and heart. And most of all, thank you for making our school a better place for everyone who walks through its doors. Congratulations and best wishes on your retirement. >> Thank you, thank you, Well said, Peg. Thank you so much. Any other comments from the public? Um, seeing none, we'll um move to the consent agenda. Um the consent agenda has um a slew of policy 6141's on it and that is my oversight. We this fall had robust discussions about these courses,
006asked questions and then should have brought them back to the next meeting for a vote and um I inadvertently didn't put them on another agenda. So um here they are under the consent agenda. when we get to the vote, there'll be a place for comments or discussion if anybody um feels they would like to raise any other um points about them. Um and then also on the consent agenda is um the use of personnel changes. Um is there any um discussion on the consent agenda? Um is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> So moved. Thank you, Nicholas. Is there a second? Thank you. Pat. Um, all in favor? I. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you for that. Um, and now we will move to reports and recognition. Um, I don't have a board's
007report. >> Yeah, just a couple of things. I wanted to call the board's attention to um this very recently published book entitled DBT Skills in elementary schools. Um, this is a book that our staff has been waiting for um, for many, many months. Um, and you know, we're delighted to share that our own DBT skills expert Tanya Leonard is featured very prominently throughout this book. She was a heavy duty collaborator with the authors. Her program is one of the model programs in the state and um her work is showcased in this text which is um going to if it's not already become the the go-to manual for schools and practitioners who are um looking to practice DBT skills in schools. So um congratulations to Tana and we Tanya and we thank her um for her
008work. Um just a couple a couple of other um updates. Um this week here at the high school is festival week. That's our annual tradition as we lead into the spring break. Um the I'm going to ask Bob just to fill you in on a couple of examples of the kinds of things that are going on. This morning um I went and observed the um walk in our steps um experience um down in the Zelner Gallery and that's um a group of our you know clubs and um neurodyiverse students and other diverse students come together and showcase a range of experiences um to help create empathy and you know create opportunities for um the rest of the student body to um gain some experience that's not their own. And so it was really joyful and
009um tremendously powerful and organized by our students. And so that was terrific. Bob, do you want to um just weigh in for a minute? >> Yeah. So I mean the festival it's arts, languages and culture and uh it displays the amazing talent we have in our schools. It's largely studentled. U we have outside presenters on arts, languages, uh very talented, you know, um people that are practicing, you know, pottery or digital art. Um, some of our musicians are featured. So, a couple of the highlights so far, we had a a window into the spring musical. So, um, a portrayal what that's going to look like and it was remarkable. The students were up there performing, but also describing the blocking and the staging and the choreography that takes place. So, really good learning experience for
010the students. All of our language um, honor societies have been presenting and that's been really, really good. um our very own retiree Sue Brandt came back yesterday presenting on Japan and her experiences there. So that was pretty special. And then already looking towards tomorrow, we've got some really cool things. Um we've got the Irish dance project coming in which is an alumna Megan Lucy and Jim Lucy is going to be back. So worldclass Irish dance. You may you wouldn't recall Megan probably a long time ago but she was a a dancer in River Dance. So, you know, world class performer. We also have our Madricals performing tomorrow, which will be an amazing highlight. And then, uh, it culminates tomorrow with our what we like to call our Wilton High School house band. So, it's, um,
011you know, some of our English teachers and and music teachers and they usually feature a couple of our student musicians as well. And that kind of brings down the house on the festival. And it's a it's a really big deal. Um again it's it's student led student organized along with some of the uh world language teachers um Simon Bulenzi and Lauren Cantor have been instrumental and uh it's just really it's fun to see everybody get together and celebrate um what some of these outside performers are doing but also our own students and how they can be leaders and and really teachers in our school. So it's very powerful. Anybody who wants to come tomorrow to any of these things if you haven't been anything this week you're on the you're on the guest list. show
012up and you'll see some really cool presentations. We're very proud of our kids and and our staff. >> Thanks, Bob. Melissa, you want to talk about the concert that we held in the Cleveland? >> Sure. So, we um >> got to be there. So, thank you for coming. >> So fun. Um so we as part of celebrating um disability awareness month and our neurodeiversity we had a band called especially everyone um which is a band of different musicians but they invite people in um with all different abilities to perform with them. Um so we had about 60 to 70 people last night SEPTA sponsored a pizza truck so you could purchase a ticket and have dinner. Um we had a lot of students from our community come and we had some of our key club
013members come as student mentors. Um, and it really is an open forum. So, you know, a student played the bongos in the middle of the song. We had other students dancing, other students. We had a sensory corner set up. So, it really was an inclusive experience that brought um our community together and expanded to some neighboring communities. So, it was a it was a great night. Yeah, >> it was it was super great. >> It was it was very joyful. >> And Maggie and Lauren's son. >> Yes. Kieran, one of our performers. Yep. >> That was amazing. >> Very talented. Yeah. >> So, it was really a really joyful night. >> Yep. really terrific. >> Yeah, thank you. So, um, two other items. Last Friday, um, when, you know, most of the students were off
014from school, our boys varsity of the lacrosse team showed up here and spent, um, about twothirds of the day with our maintenance team, um, volunteering their time to do, um, cleanup around the entire campus. And so they um worked with Jose and his crew here at the high school out at Lily Field over at the stadium um clearing uh winter debris at Cider Mill and then up behind Middle Brook as well. So we want to um thank there about 32 of them here that again joyfully you know rolled up their sleeves and you know helped usher in spring with a good cleanup event here. Um and then I'm sure you're all aware the last thing um last week when the board of finance uh met they adopted um the board's budget unanimously. So that was
015um just a great sign of confidence in the work that's going on here. It's all I have. >> Thank you. Yeah. No, I should have mentioned the vote for our budget as well. I just think that it was just kind of part of the whole season where just things just went along as um as smoothly as they as they could have. So, the next um the next event will be the annual town meeting and um as we get closer um I'll be plugging that along for people to be in the audience on that uh lovely Tuesday night, >> first Tuesday in May. That's the 5th, the 6th, 5th. Yes, May 5th. >> And okay, so we um move the um agenda around. So, if we can have um come on up um let's talk about
016Galapagos and Costa Rica. >> Yeah. So, welcome uh back Matt Floyd and Brett Amoro, two of our fantastic science teachers. Um these two guys have been running the trip to Costa Rica for a number of years and tonight they're going to help that trip and the plans to run it again 26 27 and a proposal for a trip to the Galapagus Island. So, Brad and Matt, welcome. >> Well, thank you very much. I know that there are some new board members here that may not know the history. So, I thought I'd give it just a moment to talk about the history of our many, many trips that we've taken to Costa Rica. Um, I'm Brett Amaro. I've been here for about 25 years now at Wilton High School. Um, and Genesis as well for four
017years. Um, Matt is our instructional leader in the science department and has been here for more than 20 years as well. Um we're both very welltraveled. We've done a lot of traveling together, both with students and otherwise. Um our trip to Costa Rica, um started initially after we went to Costa Rica together without students to kind of vet it and make sure that it was a type of program that was going to be beneficial for students and learning and safe. and um got to know the program managers and what we would be doing there with students prior to bringing students there. Um and then I think that was probably like 2017 maybe our first trip down there and we've been taking trips minus a couple years during the co era um of going with students
018between 12 and 18 students per year down to Costa Rica. The trip starts right after school ends basically and we get back before July 4th. Um it's a 7 day trip um that Matt will tell you more about. And then Matt and I have always had a dream of not just having one trip to Costa Rica every year for students, but to have a series of different opportunities for students. And coincidentally, we were independently researching different trips to bring a second trip um maybe a little bit later in the year in July or into August prior to the next school year. Um and I was researching the Galapagos. He was looking into South Africa and then in the end we were like, well, the Galapagos seems pretty cool and there's a lot of applications to
019this the the science. uh curriculum that we have in place and South Africa is pretty far away. So in the end we kind of consolidated and put our efforts towards the Galapagos and we've been doing a lot of work in terms of um finding uh a curator of a trip that would be not only fun, safe, but um but something that a lot of people hopefully will want to go on. So Matt's going to tell you more about those trips as we have a couple of slideshows to just kind of show you the skinny on it. And then if you have any questions in the end in terms of what it looks like when we're in these countries and our travel experience, we'd be happy to answer any of your questions. >> I I don't
020Thank you very much. Um the Costa Rica trip is kind of a a given. We you know, most people here have seen it. um they they've seen our presentation. Um I as I look at that picture, I just smile. Um every student that we have taken down there, comes walking back in and the first thing that's said is portoa. Um it is something that I we always say before we leave, we can't tell you what it is, but you'll know what it is when we come back. And they do. And many of our kids come back and cook dinner for their parents, which shocks their parents. Um I get a lot of emails that say, "You broke my kid. what happened. Um, but in a good way. It's we we all know what travel does.
021International travel changes how we view the world. Um, and probably 15 maybe closer to 20 years, I think I approached Bob for the first time. Um, and I just wasn't ready. And then as this opportunity for Costa Rica popped up, um, Brett and I both said, "Now, let's let's try to get this down." And it has proven to be not just a wonderful experience while we're there, but it has proven to be wonderful for the students, too. And it's created a lot of memories and a lot of great connections that we still have to many of our alums. So, that's that's a testament to to what it's like. Slide down. So, um we know how it benefits them. There's seven days of cultural immersion in the in the country. I don't have to read this
022to you. You guys can read. Um but basically, we start out by doing a homeay. And that's we we our guide basically asked us to do the home stays at the end this upcoming trip this summer. Um and we said no because it really does set the stage when you stay in someone else's home and you are forced to clean up after yourself. It's always amusing. Um there's an expectation that you clear the table that you help wash the dishes. When we get up in the morning, we go out and we pick fresh fruit. And the house moms show us how to prepare it. And they show us how to roast coffee. And they show us how to make chocolate. And they show us how to make uh arapas. And they show us show us
023how to make tortillas from scratch. And then we get into salsa dancing. And then we It's essentially a a two-day crash course in Costa Rican um culture. And by the time those kids leave, usually as we're getting on the bus, they're already in tears and they don't want to go. And then we go to what's called the PAC. And the PAC is the Pquari Outdoor Center. And it is an offthegrid rainforest lodge that was built from sustainable um wood that was clearcuted from where this lodge actually is. There is no electricity there. I shouldn't say that. There is electricity. Not for the kids. Um, there's very little cell service, so we kind of have them off devices. And that is where the sun sets at 6:00 and the tiki t torches get lit. And it
024is amazing that how quickly kids become kids again. >> They're so quick to grow up and Brett and I sit there and smile and the conversations that are had and the connections that are made even with kids that don't necessarily interact here at the high school is pretty amazing. And after those two days, again, the kids are upset that they're leaving. And then we go on to our next adventure. And that last piece is always always varies. This past summer, we stumbled upon a small little town called Puerto Vto Vjo um where we go to the Jaguar and sloth rescue center. We do um some beachcombing. We do some cultural events. We go to um Vanga rainforest. And we do a tram through the forest. So, you're actually eye to eye with the sloths as
025you go through the trees. And this past summer was absolutely an amazing experience. And when we were asked whether or not we would like to change that last piece, Brett and I both talked um and decided no, that this was a special thing for the kids. And we haven't had any return travelers yet. So, we didn't think there was too much of a danger of chasing anybody away. Although, we had two that expressed interest. So, maybe maybe it's coming. Okay. So, obviously the flora and fauna that's in Costa Rica is absolutely amazing. Um, I'm an amateur photographer, so these are my photos. I bring all my camera gear down. Um, not only take pictures of the animals, the the wildlife, the plants, but also the kids as as they are. You're going to see a
026couple of them as we go. Um, activities include, we just kind of went over that, so we can actually skip through that relatively quickly. This is us getting out of the river at the tail end. Um, it is class 4 whitewater. It is, if anybody has ever done whitewater here in the United States, I thought here in the United States it was exciting. It is on a different level in Costa Rica. Beautiful part about it is the company that we deal with actually has a number of the Costa Rican uh rafting team, the Olympic rafting team as their guides. So, if there was ever a company to go with and feel that they were safe, this is the one. Um, and they constantly are judging the water conditions. And Brett and I are always asking
027questions about how they do it. And they usually paint colors on rocks. So they have green, yellow, and then red. And if the water level crosses the red, they uh-uh, we're out of here. Um, and it's not a danger to be on the shore, but it would be a danger to be in the in the river. And they have means by which to get out. But when you're at the pox, you don't realize you can actually walk right out to the road. It is so far off the beaten path. really does give you that immersion into the rainforest. Um, present there are 11 potential students for next year's trip already. Um, we have 16 that have signed up for this year's trip plus the uh the three adults that are going. Um, Miss Brick is
028also going with us. We always have a female chaperon as well as the males. Um, we stumbled upon that a couple years ago. It's a very luckily luckily lucky situation in which a spider trapped a young woman in the shower and we couldn't get her out without Sarah Lewis at the time um coming to the rescue. So we just assumed that from that point on we definitely needed a female chaperon and there's always female guides but they're not necessarily fluent in English. That makes the uh the communication a little bit difficult at times. Okay, there's the quarry center way off the beaten path. There's all the resources for all the insurance and everything else. This hasn't changed year to year to year. Um there's a number of pictures of students thereafter. Um you know that
029that always changes. Um we we have a mean game of spoons. That's a tradition at the pock. Um a lot of a lot of fingers get smashed during it, but it's a lot of fun. Um then it's a lot of competition, but it it really is truly amazing to see these kids come out of their shells. And for those that were here the first year we did it, I know that uh Mr. Benjamin came in, Liv Benjamin's father came in and the only thing he said was as families of Wilton, we take kids to the five-star resorts and they never actually get fully immersed in the culture. And you guys did it and my daughter has changed how she views the world. So I think it's valuable and I hope that you'll support us going
030forward in the future. This is for the 2027 trip. There's us at the river collecting fish. We do an eichthyology study. We do a panther study on at times. Camera traps. This is the pox. So that's kids actually journaling for their environmental science class. Um the last time Miss Saltza went with us, we included that as part of it. This is bird banding. Um where we were holding this a rufus tailed hummingbird that we caught in misnetss and we put bands on it. So the kids got up close and personal and they obviously put the birds in her hand and she opened her hand and the bird flew away which for her was a highlight. This is us doing bat research. So we went to a um Sagra um rainforest program in which they have
031experts or students doing PhD work in bat studies and we misnetted bats and they are actually analyzing um what the bats eat in this picture. That's just fun. Um, this is the hanging bridges um in Mount Verde where that's our bus driver in the lower lefthand corner. Um, but you can see just from the faces alone, it's quite exciting. It's quite fun. The bus drivers get into it, the guides get into it. We just have a blast. And I'm sure the Costa Rican culture thinks that we're just crazy Americans, but it's a lot of fun. >> I think that takes us to the tail end. That's it. Yeah. >> So, that that's Costa Rica in a nutshell. And I know that there's a process here, but we wanted to make sure that it was it
032was on your radar. Um the sooner that we get approval for it, the sooner we can roll it out, the sooner parents can start investing in it. We found that without that initial um upfront deposit, families have a tendency to to waiver. Um once that deposit goes in, most kids stick with it. And um with with the expense of college coming up, we find that we get more juniors than seniors. So, the earlier we can get this off and running, the better off we'll be. Okay, so now on to Galopagus. Um I I hope the turtles aren't that big. Um this is the the Gopagus tortoise. It's one of the longest lived creatures on the planet. Um we actually one of the activities we do, we're going to go to the Charles Darwin Center where
033Darwin literally developed his theory of evolution or at least had the underpinnings for it. He didn't actually write the book on the original species until he actually came home to England. Um, but this the tortoises themselves, they are strong enough to lift cars. Um, they create paths throughout the entire island. These this creature that you're looking at is probably well over 200 years old. So the the tale that they could tell if they could talk would be absolutely amazing. We talk non-stop. Every single textbook we have in science in some way, shape, or form talks about Gopicus and what Darwin's creation or what Darwin's theory was. So, this is an 11-day program, a little bit longer. We figured that if we're going to travel that much further, we might as well make it worthwhile. To
034get to Galopagus, you actually have to fly into Iikido. Um, we only spend one day in Keo and then we fly out the following morning, but there's quite a bit of travel to get to Galopagus, and we wanted to maximize students time in Galopagus. Um, so there is a 9-day version of this, but we decided to go with the 11. Um, adds the cost a little bit, but I think it's well worth it. Um, Galopagus is unique. It's unique in the respect that every single tour group that comes to Galopagus has to have a native from Gopagus leading them. So, they have made that a fundamental piece to the island culture, which I think is very valuable. And unfortunately, due to so much tourism, they are starting slowly but surely to close down the number
035of groups that are coming to it. So, the fact that we found World Strides and World Strides is one of those providers of student travel and they still have the option to go, we thought that that was pretty special. So, we would like to get in under the under the wire if we can and then hopefully we can hold that spot for as long as as as we possibly can. The hands-on scientific research um with world's renowned leaders, we'll be studying birds, specifically flamingos. Um the marine iguanas there is quite a bit of snorkeling and beachcombing. So we'll be with marine iguanas we'll be with um sea lions um gopicus sea lions. Um there is quite a bit of sea rays that are around that that we will be swimming around and that we will
036be taking a look at. Um there is a whole cultural piece that goes with this as well as a naturalist piece. Mary talked about the tortoises and as some of you know maybe not all of you know um the goalpicus is probably one of the most active uh volcanic island change chains um and when I say active it last eruption happened about 270 years ago so it's not anything that we would have to worry about but it was created by seismic activity um it pops up it's about 300 miles off the coast of Ecuador um but it makes it one of the most unique geological places in the entire I think that picture says says a million things. It's um they they they embrace us, but they also embrace their culture. The Ecuadorian culture is
037absolutely amazing. And depending on where in Ecuador you are, you're going to have different cultural experiences. So, I hope our students can experience some of that, whether it be natives or whether it be um a modern-day culture um that that where we're going to have a little bit of a mix of everything. There's a huge history at in this country that we would like to explore. So, we've talked about some of the activities. Um you all have a copy of the itinerary, at least the the sample itinerary that they gave to us. Um we start in Keo with the Independence Plaza. Um then we move on to Gopagus. I think we're on three different islands in the Gopagus. So it gives you quite a quite we we travel quite a bit within the Gopagus itself.
038Um visit the giant tortoises, swim with marine iguanas and gopagus penguins. Um guided hikes um to the volcanoes. The largest caldera in the entire world um is about six miles across. We actually hike to the rim and we can see side to side. So I think that would be pretty cool for our kids. Um the exposure to just the floor and fauna is going to be absolutely amazing. Um but again this is the root of quite possibly the greatest thought that man has ever had. This is where Darwin found all of the Darwin finches and started to put all the little pieces together. And even though there's been a number of contributors over the years and it has been argued that maybe it's not his idea and his idea solely, um on his trip back
039on the Beagle, he really hammered it home and said, "Okay, when things change in nature, body parts change." And that is an amazing teaching experience for every single one of the Wilton High School kids here. To be able to experience that, I think is just unparalleled. I mean, that's just cool. Um, the number of of creatures that are there is absolutely amazing. Um, and with very little human interaction, there's very little fear of humans. So, these are up close and personal interactions. These are not animals that are going to run away easily. Um, but at the same time, they're also not aggressive and and that's that's a lot of fun. There's also no danger on the goalpicus. There are no venomous animals, so makes life a little bit easier for us. that it try it.
040Okay. Um and this this is a costly costly trip. We we figured it would be um one of the things that that Latin America does is they do bed sharing. And we didn't know that. Um so when the company said, "Oh yeah, well do you want the double room occupancy upgrade?" I said, "Well, what is that?" And she said, "Well, this is just so that students won't have to sleep with each other." I said, "Sign us up for that one." Um, so it's it's an additional $425 um to guarantee that everybody will have their own bed and that there is no bed sharing. That's literally what it means. Um, it's hot bedding. Um, if if you've ever been on a submarine, you know, basically one person gets out and the next person gets in. And
041we just didn't think that was all that advisable for high school's kids. Um, so the total costs, the base cost is about $5,200, but by the time all the add-ins come in, it works out to just under $6,200. and we don't know if this community is gonna have have an appetite for that kind of trip. Only one way for us to find out and that's to offer it. So, in conclusion, we would appreciate it if you guys would consider it and consider supporting it because I think it would be just an amazing experience. I've always envisioned having a catalog of student travel opportunities, whether it be through science or through world language or through math or through history or through whatever it is. I think that this is the kind of community that can really
042really really benefit from that. Um, we have the the financial means by which to do it and I think that it would be incredibly valuable for our student body. >> Anything else I missed? >> Well done. >> All right. Thank you. >> And so this would be to see what appetite there is for a trip in 27, correct? Summer of 27. >> Yes. And are you still thinking probably like the same kind of six kids to chaperone? >> It's a six to1 ratio to ratio all of these companies. Um, however, with this particular company, they gave us an allowance to do 5:1 cuz we didn't know if we could get all the way to the 18 number. >> Okay. >> Um, obviously Mr. Amaron and myself would like to travel and we need a female
043chaperon to go with us. Um, and we would really like the chaperons to not have to pay. Yeah, >> there there's always parent volunteers that do it and we've had plenty of parents that have offered to come to Costa Rica with us, but we always thought that that would probably change the experience for the kids there. >> Those parents want >> So, yeah, I think and I think it does. >> I agree. >> And the delta between the 9-day and the 11day in terms of the cost, >> the cost knocks it down by about $1,700. So, and we have all the safety information up there. We have all the insurance information up there. They uh they have um quite a bit of policies both here in America and in Ecuador. So that there's the dual
044coverage. I think they're about $2 million policies on each side. So they also have a 24-hour concierge service that if anything were to happen, a 24-hour aid is there for us and they will airlift us out. So, >> and is there like a timing of a deposit that's required in order to secure the opportunity with World Strides or >> March 31st? But, um, basically what happens with these companies is that as you get further and further, as you get closer and closer to the trip, >> um, the overall cost goes up. So, if we have one student lock in, it locks it in for 30 days. >> Okay. >> Um, I don't think that we'll do that. And then it goes up by $200. So, we would be up to $6,400 by that point. As
045long as we keep students coming in, it seems like they will keep our base. >> And just out of curiosity because I know you were still kind of seeing what type of appetite has there been any feelers out there. Was there any like surveys done like for >> I have four students in my AP bio class that have already said sign me up. >> Okay. >> And two of them are brothers. They're twins. So, that it's a pretty expensive trip for their parents. parents are saying sign them up. >> Yeah. Um >> Yeah. >> You know, we didn't want to advertise anything without your support. >> So, I I know that that Kevin, you said that we can go ahead and start printing up the posters and everything. So, we're ready to go. As soon
046as you guys give us the green light, we we will get it up and running. And I think that there's an appetite for that. >> I think there is, too. I have a I generated a poster on Canva um that's in my room in my classroom, and a lot of my students have seen it, and they're like, "What?" and they're really interested. I a lot of a lot of chatter is going on already and we haven't really actively been advertising it. >> I'm just I just to the cost of the Costa Rica trip is what? >> $3,300. >> 33 >> just under. >> I think it's great. I think it's great what you guys do. Is there a followth through when they come back so that there just isn't this, you know, when you've been
047you, you've had an intense trip with this group and then you come back to Wilton, do you follow through with the kids and connect and stay to get, you know, sort of keep that that interest or that connection going? >> We don't necessarily have to. So >> you see every single one of these kids in the hallways and the first thing that is said there's just a smile and a point and it's portovita. >> Yeah. >> No, >> but you don't gather again or reminisce or >> you try. >> The students do. I mean they they I think have formulated by the end of the Costa Rica trip some lifelong friendships because they've experienced something. >> Yeah. When you have that intensive experience, you know, you don't want to just like lose it, >> right?
048But you sometimes you have to afford the opportunity for them to connect or to see each other or be with each other >> because it's a I can imagine it's pretty intense and pretty great. >> We've asked students to come back and speak to future travelers and there hasn't been a whole lot of buyin from it. They kind of fall right back into their their lives here in Wilton and you know we know how busy high school kids lives are. So we've tried a number of different models. We haven't found one that works yet. Um, is it fair to assume that >> Tom and Kevin have already reviewed this and signed off on it? >> Yes. >> And it was supposed to go to the teaching learning committee. Did that happen? >> Teaching committee. This
049is the teaching. >> We are the teaching. Yeah. Yeah. Correct. Okay. >> Are things that's a dated >> that's a dated >> We'll add that to policy please. Yes. >> Yeah. No. And I think so that you know what's important here is you know first you get a sense of this we always that vet the safety you know we've been you know working this and these guys have been touching base with me for months as they've explored it um you know one of my you know kind of preconditions is that they find other schools that have gone and have had successful experiences we look at multiple companies we try to price shop um and then obviously all of this is contingent on on parents and students willingness to participate and then the state of the
050world and so you know we make sure we have travel insurance and um you know everything is obviously conditional on what's happening you know as we're getting into July and August the 27th um and we also now this one's you know really pricey so they have you know about 15 months of runway if they want to try to do some fundraising as well >> any other um questions or comments I always love you know when the kids come back and seeing the slideshow it's you know from each fall and after each trip. So, um I do think it's an amazing experience and um ghost is certainly, you know, sign up, but I would, you know, wouldn't want to, you know, you're right that parents change the dynamic of and um of trips. So, and then
051um you said that the chaperones would be covered. So that's once you get it the reach the certain threshold is there a number of kids that if you're underneath you can't run the trip. >> So I asked the company themsel world strides because often times they will combine to schools and I said we're not interested in that. >> Okay. >> Um I said so what happens if they put down the deposit and we don't reach the 15k minimum that we need. Um and she said one of two things. either they would um we would be given the option to choose another school to see if we couldn't get more. Um I've already reached out to a couple other schools that do travel with this company. Um another couple of the trusted teachers um that I'
052I've met personally and have had contact with over the years. Um but essentially what would happen is I wouldn't have anybody put down money until we know okay >> that we actually have >> the numbers >> a quorum at least you know that we know we you know significantly we'll probably get there. Is there a motion to approve the um Costa Rica trip proposal for 26 27? Thank you, Pam. Is there a second? Thank you, Lori. All in favor? I. Motion carries unanimously. And um is there a motion to approve the um exploration and moving forward of um the glass experience also for the summer of 27? >> So moved. >> Thank you, Pat. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Pam. All in favor? >> Question first. Um, your motion is to
053explore the trip, not >> Well, explore and we'll approve and explore, but I want to make sure that families understand we're supporting it, but things have to get, you know, to the question. >> Come back and ask another >> No, no, no. Yeah. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. All in favor? >> I um and we'd love to hear about your progress. >> Yeah, we'll do. >> Thanks. Thanks for coming forward. >> Thanks so much for your time. As a resident of Wilton, I thank all of you for your volunteer time as well and supporting our programs because I think it's really really important for a lot of students in the past and in the future. So, >> thank you so much. And I also wanted to acknowledge Peggy's words for our superintendent. I've been here for
05425 years as long as his tenure here I think is 22 years. Bob >> 22 years. So, um, thank you Peggy for doing what you did. And I just wanted to also echo her sentiment and respect and thanks for everything that you've done over 22 years here. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay. Um fiscal year 2027 bonding requests. >> Great. So, I'm asking uh the board for a motion to um recommend the bonding projects that we had discussed earlier and are slated for fiscal 27. Um those are the uh drainage and sidewalk repair and p repaving of the parking lot adjacent to Guyfield. Um more affectionately known as the junior lot or the J lot around here. Um we also have slated um a section of the um cider millill roof and
055then rooftop unit replacement um which that's the area over the current site library um and then uh larger exterior project at cider mill that includes um the exterior envelope and then um related site work and doors and windows. Um all of those are scheduled um to be put in front of the town meeting later in May. I think it's important that you know this board also um entertain and put their improm on it. Um this schedule was um approved earlier this week by the board of selectment. And so um that's kind of you know point one and that's the the motion I'm asking for. um related to that um that you've discussed before and as you're well aware um there's just a lot of questions um on the selectman side and a lot of concern
056um you know primarily from Frank Smuro the director of DPW about what they can handle and so you know we've talked a little bit here and I've made the recommendation that um you know the board of ed um retain a firm to really guide and facilitate the design development and lead the project to RFP and then we can lean on um Jose as the liaison with that firm with the town. And so what I'm imagining going forward um I've solicited um one corporate services so far. I've got a second on the way from the slant collaborative um and then I've got a third hopefully coming from OG&D in the next week or so. And so I'll pull a couple of you. We'll kind of look at that, make sure that um they line up and
057meet our expectations. I'll bring them all forward and we can, you know, kind of have a fuller conversation where we compare across the three and then you can make a decision about whether or not you think that's appropriate. Um I did have a preliminary conversation with Frank about this as um a process and um he was on board with it and you know his you know he just he feels like anything that you know we need the DPW to be involved in he wants to you know be involved in fully and confidentially and I completely agree with that and so um I think it makes sense to have a firm who's got you know the manpower and the expertise and the other piece that's kind of hanging out there you know probably less so for
058the start of mill projects definitely um when we get closer to the middle project we want the expertise around school reimbursement from the um state you know school construction authority and so you know that's a whole process that's you know lengthy and complicated and so um we definitely don't want to make any missteps with that um I think the kind of the last piece on all of that is you know if this board um thinks that that um process makes sense then our next step too is to um sit down with uh Tony and probably Tim Bur and kind of talk that through and get consensus from you know, you know, we kind of move forward. Um so, you know, that that's where we are at the moment and, you know, happy to have some
059more conversation and input and questions. >> Any questions for Kevin? I I guess with the RFPs you're putting out, um would you bring that here first or would you go to the business subcommittee first and just let them sort of >> Yeah, I think that I mean >> I would love to let you two >> Yeah. >> dig in and bring a recommendation. >> Yeah, in in fairness, I think as a process it would, you know, we've got a um so yeah, we could do that. >> Okay. >> Volunteer. I'm just kidding. No, I think that that's right. Like I think that um especially as we start looking into some of these larger projects and long-term projects um to have the the expertise on board to really help um facilitate and drive them forward and
060move forward. I think either that or I might I mean if you think this is going to be a multi-year thing where you actually need real expertise in the facilities themselves and stuff then then we should consider offnite but at a future meeting having a conversation around like does it make sense to carve out like a dedicated sub >> you have to respond more quickly than every two weeks or over the summer. >> Yeah. Yep. Yeah. I think that they really depended on on the work and how how we scope it out, right? I think so some of the the initial work I think for all of you is really just to understand you know what we're asking in terms of you know what we want from a firm how we see that firm's involvement
061and then you all need to be comfortable with you know kind of delegating that responsibility and then certainly we met with Jose as our representative for facilities >> and then as some of these larger um projects unfold especially kind of um you know completing Biddbrook and then also looking at this building the high school you know that there there is a a process and an organizational structure through building committees that um has always served um the town well and to be able to um kind of lean on those um organization models such as like the Miller Driscoll model and um and the original and the um police station prior to construction. I think those are um >> the avenues that we'll wind up funneling us into. Um and so we'll talk about how we get
062ourselves to that to that place in upcoming um meetings. But I did think it was important that um these these bonding projects are going to the these ones that are in front of us tonight are going to the annual town meeting. And I think that it was important for us to say as a board that these are um projects that we support and think are important. Um, so are there any other um questions or um Kevin? Is there a motion to recommend the bonding projects for fiscal year 27 as proposed in the board brief of April 8th, 2026? >> So moved. >> Thank you, Nicholas. Is there a second? >> Thank you, Lori. All in favor? >> I. Motion carries unanimously. also say Ruth is that the capital committee uh approved those projects as well.
063>> Yes, they were the >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. They were the um the top priority coming out of the capital planning committee. >> No need to be reputation. >> Okay. Um um update on administrator search, hiring status, and anticipated openings. >> Maria, thank you. >> Good evening. It's hiring season. As the school year is winding down, the human resources office is gearing up for what will be a fivemonlong pursuit of excellence in our newest staff. The season unofficially kicks off every year in March when we attend the Yukon NEG School of Education job fair. We attended on March 24th this year. And I was accompanied by assistant principal John Josh Marco, world language teacher Simon Balenzi, Dean Damen Wheelen, and humanities coach Rosemary Rich. We interviewed, we saw many very talented candidates, and we
064interviewed 26 that day. >> Wow. After the day after the the uh job fair, each of those 26 candidates received a personalized email from me thanking them for participating, for interviewing, encouraging them to uh keep an eye on our website and uh to submit an application for any open positions and also we provided a link. Many of those candidates did do that and have since followed up with me. It's really the beginning of a personalized process that we engage our candidates in. So, it's an exciting opportunity and again an exciting way to kick off the season. We currently have a number of vacancies that are already posted. Elementary, art, health, science, special education, English, and some partial vacancies in American Sign Language and German because of the popularity of those courses. We have already filled
065three positions, math interventionist, math teacher, and kindergarten teacher. And those were all filled by internal candidates. So again, I think it just shows the depth of our internal pool and the fact that when we hire people as interim candidates for one-year positions, we really like to hold on to them uh when they have proven themselves to be really worthy of of those roles. Some of our more high-profile searches are the administrative searches. We uh are concluding the search for the assistant principal at Miller Driscoll. It was a very competitive search that included 82 applicants. It was a four round process. Uh the announcement will be coming soon. You can expect that after break and we're very excited about that. In addition, sadly, we have a principal position open at Wilton High School. Very big shoes
066to fill. And because it is a principal ship, we we treat that search obviously with the same level of depth, but we add a few additional layers. So, we have surveys and focus groups for our different constituencies, staff, parents, and students planned in the next couple of weeks, and we look forward to providing an update on that later on in the school year. As I said, this is for us the most wonderful time of the year. It's an opportunity for us to reaffirm our values and demonstrate to the public who we are as we bring on this group of really talented educators to support our students. >> Thank you. >> Questions. >> Did you see any Wilton High School graduates? >> Yes, we did. And we actively pursued those Wilton High School graduates. uh one
067is seeking a secondary social studies position and one is seeking an elementary position. And we brought them in and interviewed them right away and tried to keep them away from the other school districts, but uh we didn't have to twist their arms on that because they know >> what a wonderful place this is and they are very excited to pursue opportunities here. So, it's crazy. Wow. I was standing in line with one of my daughters at the mall the other day and we were just talking and she's like, "I heard you just say Cider Mill. My fiance teaches at Cider Mill. They love it. She was just every day she comes home and tells me, you know, how amazing it is to to work there and the community and how great it is. And I
068was I was like, "Oh, you don't even know who you're secretly talking to." >> And we we hear that. So often I again I think what one of the things that's exciting about the search process is it's an opportunity for us to really um just demonstrate what we value and how we treat people and how how much we value the work that educators do. And we hear again and again from candidates how they feel through that process and how different their experiences here in comparison to some other places even in the area. So that's exciting to just provide that feedback back to our schools and our search committees about the kind of environment that they create. And then once people are here how happy they are, whether they're beginning teachers, um that's always reaffirming. But
069when we hear it from people who come from other districts and say they just haven't experienced the level of support and collaboration uh that they have here, it's it's just really a nice thing to hear and I think very positive for our staff as well. Are there any positions that you think are going to be particularly challenging or are you seeing I know that we've had some, you know, social worker positions. >> I think ASL and German are going to be challenging. Uh partly because those are obviously subject areas where there are fewer teachers, but they're partial FTE positions. So, whenever we have positions that are not full-time, it's harder to find people. Uh however, it always amazes me how we are able to attract uh really quality candidates. Sometimes it takes a little longer
070and we have to be a little bit more creative. We've done community outreach here in Wilton to find uh people to to fill different positions, but typically the the FTE that isn't uh full and uh some of those subject areas like world language, science can be a little bit more challenging, >> more specific. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. Any questions for >> Good luck, Maria. >> Thank you. >> We look forward to, you know, the afterb break announcement and um you know a uh thank you for all your hard work and upcoming hard work >> and I have to acknowledge my wonderful team Erica Cross and Tracy D'Angelus who just keep it uh moving seamlessly in in a very organized way and all of the teams in the buildings who who really conduct many
071many interviews. through all of these different rounds. >> Lori, >> save the best for last. >> That's right. >> Yeah. So, um this is the last round of our AI series for this year. Um today we're going to focus a little bit more on AI and digital literacy. Uh so we'll talk you through some ideas about that. Um starting with thinking about the challenge and what we call an essential question. Um the challenge maybe being students not readily know how to engage with AI in a way that enhances their learning and well-being. Um I wouldn't say all students, I would say some students. And then how can we prepare kids to engage with AI in healthy and positive ways? That's really what we're focusing on uh with our work currently. Um the loose agenda would
072be a digital citizenship book talk which is our book here raising humans in a digital world which we already use for digital citizenship and literacy but we're going to apply some of these concepts to artificial intelligence. Um so we'll talk about some of those trends and then um we'll give Lori will give an AI literacy and digital citizenship update. Sound good? >> Y let's do it. >> All right. So, um, some of the takeaways from this book, um, that apply to what we're going to be doing with AI now and within the next few years would be, um, some of the stuff here about guidelines, vulnerability, social use, privacy, critical thinking, and leadership. Um, so all of it in this book is really applying to technology and and as a whole that kids are going
073to interact with in terms of, you know, screen time and social media and stuff like that. But we're going to kind of take this and extend it to AI, which was really isn't discussed in this book because it's a few years old now at this point. It's kind of crazy. I could say it's a few years old and it's out of date, but that is the world of technology. They are doing updates on the website. >> They are. Yeah. So Lori will talk more about this, but um the author um founded Cyber Civics, which is a mainstay of our middle school curriculum especially, and they're constantly doing updates. It just isn't in print right now. Um so what we have here first is like pages 171 18 talk a lot about setting guidelines and again
074this is more in terms of setting boundaries for your students uh technology use uh monitoring it being clear about what's acceptable what's unacceptable leading by example excuse me um empowering students to use technology and AI as a tool for their learning helping children progress from just consuming media to creating which is something uh that I thought was very powerful in this book that comes up again and again some of the ways we're kind of applying this to AI so are I'll draw these parallels for you on each slide is uh this robot one you should be familiar with. It's a little hard to see right now, but it's the AI student guidelines which kids are seeing in their um digital literacy, digital citizenship classes. On the left, um you haven't seen this yet. We're hoping
075to have um like a second draft of this for you soon. Um right now we're working on internally, but it's an AI user guide for teachers and students. Um, so a few of us have been working on this and we're hoping to get it in front of the AI task force uh within the next few weeks when we meet in the in May and then uh we'll be able to show more about this soon. Um, but this would be one page and if you couldn't tell by the graphics, the colors at least, it's all tied into the uh vision of a learner. So you might not be able to see the text from there, but you can kind of get the gist of what we're shooting for on that particular page. Um, later in the
076book it talks about vulnerabilities. Um, one of the quotes that stood out for me is, "It's tough enough resisting technology. One has a fully functioning frontal cortex, which presumably most adults do. We all know that kids often don't." Um, so the meme on the left I thought was great. Teenager spotted downtown without a phone, just like looking around and not staring at his hand. Um, I think that that is um kind of a call to get us to think about how are we keeping students safe from AI AI and other technologies, but in this case AI that's designed to maximize engagement, something that, you know, we're constantly talking to students about in terms of social media or video games, but now we have to talk about it more in terms of AI. So, that's something
077we're working on too. Um, another one about uh social use. So, in the book, identity formation is a critical task of adolescence and young adulthood. So they have the psychological tools they need, excuse me, to leave the net uh or the or technology and successfully build a life on their own. While this m while this much about adolescence has not changed, obviously the places where they socialize has. So in the book um it talks a lot about how socialization socialization has become digitized. Kids talk to each other through social media, through gaming like Fortnite or Roblox, etc. Um how are we keeping kids safe online? It's a big question that we talk about in our digital citizenship classes. Um, but now how does this apply to AI? Um, a lot of the media right now
078talks about how um kids and adults I I'll be fair sucked into these relationships with AI bots and things like that. And I I don't know, I was kind of dismissive of it when I first heard of it. And then I remembered how much I care about R2-D2 and like if he was ever in danger, I was I was scared for him. So I've had this parasocial relationship with him since I was a child. And I like, okay, I guess I I see where you could have a relationship like that if you can have it with a fictional character, you can have it with an AI bot. So that kind of made me think a little bit more carefully about that. Maybe not to be so dismissive. So I think um talking to kids about
079AI companionship is going to be something that's going to be very important moving forward. Um AI and privacy, you know, in the book talks about on page 139, um teen privacy practices are studying contradictions. On one hand, it looks like they're indiscriminately sharing way too much information, especially on social media and through um you know, just group texts and stuff like that with friends, but on the other hand, they actually are kind kind of privacy savvy even compared to some of their parents and grandparents and they try to you know, they limit the amount of stuff that's being shared with companies indiscriminately. So, how do we empower students to think about this in terms of AI? when they're using our AI tools that are sponsored or sanctioned by the district, we know that they're safe,
080but how do we train them to stay safe when they're using stuff on their own um outside of academia? I think that's super important. And then the meme, I don't I don't know what show this is from or whatever, but I thought that was pretty great cuz whenever anyone questions tech companies about, you know, being private or keeping data safe, they just freak out, you know, or have a tantrum. So, I just thought that was kind of where we are in society. We're trying to figure this out, too. So, how do we make sure the kids are aware of this and help them to stay safe, too? Uh, a little further along, um, teaching critical thinking skills. Um, there's a long section in the book about crap. Um, you currency, reliability. I felt a little
081weird saying that in front of all of you, but, uh, currency, reliability, author, author, and accuracy, and purpose. Um, making sure the kids have the, um, detection skills. So, I to figure out maybe something like this isn't accurate. And I've seen this Abraham Lincoln uh, meme up in a bunch of classrooms. you know, don't believe everything you see see on the internet just because there's a picture of the quote next to it. Um, I've seen variations of that throughout the years. I think it's it's funny, but it's also pertinent to what we're talking about. Um, in our world in LC, we talk a little bit more about SIFT. Um, do you want to just say little thing about? >> Sure. So, Sift is if you So, we say crap in front of middle schoolers all
082the time and they do enjoy it. Uh so sift though is something that we started introducing a number of years ago where the S stands for stop. So if you're feeling an emotion talking about DBT, if you're feeling a response to something, what is that? Is that an elevated response? Is that a is it a feel-good response? Is it make you not feel good? That response means you need to investigate. You need to stop, check yourself, investigate what that source, that author, the wherever that headline, that paragraph, that image, that real is coming from. And then once you the I is investigate, you need to find out more about that source. Um, then you've got F, which means you're going to find better coverage. you're going to go look and figure out if what your
083emotional reaction to is even true, right? It may not even be true. Who knows? And then the T stands for trace, which is you want to try to trace the claim or the quote or the information. So, while the book talks about the crap method, the crap method actually lands somewhere in the I, the F, and the T for CIF. But we're seeing it more as a behavior shift. We want them to be recognizing that they are they are re they are reacting emotionally in that moment. And that is a hard thing for middle schoolers. It's a hard thing for adults. um the sorts of things that I will I will see them reacting to. Um it runs the gamut and it's a useful tool for research. It's a useful tool just as part of
084their daily lives. So that's sift in a nutshell. Thanks. Yeah. So, arguably critical thinking skills are one of one of the most important things we do throughout school. But the LLC folks um and what they're doing um in terms of teaching research and library skills, but also this digital tech literacy um we're doubling down in and showing how important it really is to go through this stuff, especially now that AI is accelerating this importance. >> Yeah. >> Um AI and leadership. So, um there's a lot of stuff about leadership in this book. I kind of alluded to it earlier where we're thinking about how kids can be creators rather than consumers of content. And and something I find myself saying a lot is uh kids are often credited for being digital natives. Um but really
085they're digital consumers. Um they're really good at, you know, seeing videos and playing games and engaging in social media. Um, but you know, outside of, you know, maybe a a video or something or a picture, um, kids aren't necessarily maximizing their skill set to create stuff. I think our podcasting class and the different um, broadcasting clubs we have are really great example and a step forward in that direction. Um, and it's something that we need to promote even more and lean into. Um, so in the book it says technology is just a tool. A hammer could be useful in making a beautiful structure. It could be used to destroy one too. Encourage your children to partake in the benefits of participate participatory culture. And so the question is moving into discussion about AI, how do
086we encourage students to use AI for deep learning and self-expression rather than just taking shortcuts or getting easy answers. So see these are some of the things we want to learn more about and promote. So that kind of rounds off a bit of the book talk conversation. I have this lengthy quote here again for those who don't have the site to see it or I'll just say really quickly, we entirely underestimate young people when we write them off as unengaged, apathetic or depressed. Worse, defining an entire generation by the headlines displays our ignorance about the complex world they have no choice but to grow up in. A world that is inextric inextricably entwined with technology. How many would do better, even better with a little help from us. Um, I uh sometimes liken what the
087LLC folks to do is they're they're like the catchers in the digital rye and they're trying to help guide kids to make good decisions and life like lifeenriching decisions with technology rather than again a kind of a passive approach to it or worse like a misguided approach. So Lori said adults need this too and that's 100% certain. I have a feeling we are where we are in society because no one was really taught this stuff until fairly recently. Um, so we need to transfer a lot of the skills that students are getting in other classes um to new technologies like AI for sure. So instead of listening me talk more about my opinion about this, take a moment, talk to someone next to you, what are some things based on your reading of the book
088or at least your understanding of this executive summary um that you think we should include in our curriculum review? We actually just had a curriculum review meeting yesterday. We're talking a lot about this stuff. We had it up on whiteboards and we're synthesizing some of the discussion, but we'd love to hear from you, too. So, take maybe 2, three minutes, talk with someone nearby, and then we'll share back. Stand up and stretch if you'd like. That's allowed, too. A lot of stuff in the agenda today. >> I'd love to know what are some of the things they consider. They weren't they weren't even trying to provide enough information. >> Every little teenage My other one doesn't show cream on it. >> It's impressive. >> See what she's even what she even thinks is possible. interesting
089question. >> So, how do you know? Well, now that she knows that you can actually create images or Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So hard. I'll buy your stuff. Buy your stuff. Are you ready to come back? >> Just about. >> All right. So, let's come on back. Um, let's uh just kind of tie this up a bit and then we'll move on to some actual examples of how we're teaching some of this stuff right now. Um, so if you don't mind sharing, what are a few things based on the reading, some of the discussion tonight that you're thinking might be a good idea for us to address in our curriculum review? We have our ideas, but we'd love to hear some of yours, too. So I I personally would I I kids that are a
090little bit on on the younger side, but I kind of look you talked about like swift and like, you know, recognizing an emotional reaction. And I wonder if kids even know what that looks like or what that means to have, you know, to even stop and say, "I'm having an emotional reaction to like this versus, you know, when they're reading something in a book or looking at something in a magazine." Like, how does what does that look like? How is that different? Like is an emotional reaction? Does it just mean like curiosity? Does it just mean like it's getting you going or you say no way or that looks off to me? Like what are those things like what do those things like look and feel like to them? So they even know that they
091should be like maybe reorientate their thinking a little bit. So between sixth and eighth grade, we're asking them to really think about, you know, before you forward that text on or that reel or that what's making you feel like you want to forward that on to somebody, >> okay? >> What's that emotion? And this is why the curriculum is so important because it's it's really all of this is just embedded in everything else. Um, and they need to be, you're you're making a very good point, which is they need to be aware of what their emotions and their feelings are. And in the world of tech, everything is so anonymous and you have this like the the best way for me to describe it is you you don't get to see what the other person
092who's receiving you what their emotional reaction is to that. And so that seal work we're doing where we're talking to students about this, it's we've got to be it's way more than kind. We have to be putting ourselves in other people's shoes. We've got to be doing this. We've got to be doing that. All of that is intertwined in this work. So when I talk about we teach digital citizenship in grades six, seven, and eight, I have 16 classes in grade six. 16. There's eight classes in grade seven. There's eight classes in grade 8. There's also health. There's also life class, right? Like so when they're in which is guidance, the guidance is coming into the different classrooms on team. So that's happening at Middlebrook K5, you're seeing more of that happening kind of through
093the fixed library classes that they have. Um and then 912, they've got uh flight classes. So, but at the same time in other classrooms they are getting work right they're working with that and the hope is that all of this combines in some way. Do you have ever have conversations about the difference between funny and mean? >> Do we? In digital citizenship, in digital citizenship, a lot of the conversations are about permanence. Sixth grade at least, a lot of it is about permanence. Understanding that what you put out there stays there. And that is a very difficult concept for a sixth grader to truly understand. uh where they we hear about the cloud, they have no understanding of what the cloud is. I put up a picture of a locker. I put up a picture
094of a library. I put up picture of the the scene at the end of Indiana Jones where that little box is like tucked in the back corner if any of you have seen that Indiana Jones movie. Um and they most of them have seen it and I'm like so is the cloud this what is it? How would you describe it? the feelings that piece we're definitely alluding to. I don't know that we in 16 classes >> I don't know how close I can get to that deep of a connection with them to make it >> really personal and valuable in that way I that's our struggle. we have limited amount of time. So, we've got to really move. Um, and while that's happening, AI is accelerating and there's more and more we need to teach
095about AI and that AI piece. So, I have so I I sat down and I was kind of going through as I was prepping for this. What are we the 16 classes? What have I what did I start teaching four years ago? Where are we now? And I've dropped Google Drive. I've dropped docs, I've dropped slides, it dropped um kind of to some degree balance like screen time balance because I needed four more classes to talk about AI. So that's that's the push and the pull of this is how do we do all of it which is why it has to be somewhat intertwined. Um I know at CiderMill they they had transdisciplinary which is really great because it's kind of connecting things together. Um, and right now I believe some of it's being taught
096through kind of a standalone. And when something's a standalone, you worry whether or not it's kind of getting out to everywhere it needs to be. Um, the way we're teaching digital citizenship in grade six, grade seven, and grade 8. We have uh the English teacher bring them in, the math teacher, the science, the social studies, we try to align it to the curriculum to some degree as best we can. Um, >> do you feel that you're being successful with this? >> I think I would like to believe we are being successful, but then you know >> you read a a headline, right? And you just start to worry that we there's no there's no way for us to foresee >> and hit every single point. >> Y >> we can just keep trying and >>
097and trying and trying. when we did our curriculum review yesterday uh and we were going through some of the survey data and some of the students specifically Middlebrook students jury here uh we're mentioning the fact that you know some of this is kind of repetitive and I understand it is repetitive because we really we really mean it and we want to make sure they're thinking about it. Um, but that's digital citizenship and I'm here for AI, so I don't want to get >> you're getting a good picture of both right now. >> On the um, in terms of like integration into the curriculum, >> I don't know if it's a like you said, I think the way that AI should show up in our curriculum should differ based on the subject matter it's being utilized
098in. But I think the through line and the the frame through which we should consider thinking about it is uh being proactive in showing the students how it can provide them leverage in their learning. meaning uh in instead of trying to position it as like don't do x y or z with it >> cuz that's going to only want to push kids to want to go the way is to say hey >> uh you know >> if you're having trouble understanding the way the math lesson or topic is being taught it's just not sinking in with you here's how you should use AI to help it reframe that that topic in a way that might be personalized and understandable to to hat, but maybe not to Bill or vice versa, >> right? >> Um, and
099showing them like how it can make their their their learning life easier. Like as humans, we always want to be able to do things easier. And I think the the the the working fear that a lot of people have in education here is like kids are going to just try to use it as a means to an end to shortcut around learning. and instead we should be proactive in showing them how they can make learning easier while actually making it impactful and not a not a shortcut. How that actually shows up in the curriculum, not exactly sure, but I think the key is showing kids how it can be used as a tool to expedite learning or make it more real and personal to to the student. >> Yeah, we're still working on that. I
100hope that in the last few presentations I've been able to show you some examples of which we're doing it. Um, but you know, it's being done right now, you know, a little bit in some classes, a little bit more in others, not at all in others. And, um, I think that'll be part of our work for the summer is to find out where we can make sure there's assured experiences for kids. So, we know that by the time they finish flight in 9th grade, everybody's had at least some strategies regarding how to use it as a tool for learning. Um, and you know, everything else can be added on to that, but we want everyone with some kind of baseline. So, we're still working on establishing that. >> Yep. >> I I do think maybe
101in school uh the phrase comes to mind like almost how to be a principal. uh but because I feel like it has this sort of fun chance for the principal to maybe step in and have some chat about what they do but but also as we talk about where the industry is headed and you know being able to create digital agents and then you have principal agent problems and and a big part of where I think we're headed is that we need um we need to be like unleashing adults on the world who understand by the time they get there like that their core question is what should the system do and it's much less about like turning the crank and doing the work and much more wrestling with the core issues of like what
102should we do? How should we deploy our resources? How should we focus our time? Is this okay or not? Is this output sensible or not? Can I trust this output or not? Much like I think cyber, you know, all the things you're doing about uh like safety and permanence is also about security and how easy it is to create a fake image these days and then you know amigdala hijacking and all that fun stuff. And so like making them aware of that is also almost being a principle of your own emotions in some sense. And I hate to be a stoic philosopher about it, but you know it it's more like I think just giving our students that sort of framework that helps them by the time they leave the school system be able to
103say like I am charting the course as opposed to it's being charted for me. >> Yeah. >> Uh and and I'm not letting this thing drive me. So sorry I saw you. Oh, no. I You're This was the conversation I just had with Phil in the last little bit, which was that we just got this book at the library called Burst Your Bubble, and I said, "We need to be I need another day because I need to teach we need to teach about how they could they can control the algorithm, >> right? They need to be taking ownership of that and not just having it >> be presented to them. Um, and this has these really phenomenal ideas of how we can be doing that, >> right? And I mean, obviously the dystopian scenario is
104the algorithm is actually creating fake content that is exactly tuned to what you want to see anyway. And so like none of this, >> right? >> I don't know if you want to progress through. So we have some slides um that are literally from there my sixth grade classes and we can kind of move as quickly through them as you would like to. Um, so this is an example of one of the kind of early lessons that we would do, which would be about algorithms. And we watch some video of some sorting algorithms on YouTube and they have to figure out what the what the sort is that the algorithm is being asked to do. Um, and it it's super fast and so we have to replay it a billion times for and they're just
105always astonished at how quickly it's functioning, right? Um, so that helps them understand concretely that it moves really quickly. Um, and then we talk about our AI student guidelines. We talk about our data privacy laws here in Connecticut and why it is that we're telling them and we are telling them that, you know, at this age group, you're not we we're not going to put you on Gemini. Um, and we are going to use school AI. That's what we're using. Um, because that's what we're allowed to use. I with them I can use chat GPT I can bring in Gemini examples and artifacts that I've used that's something I can do but their data privacy as far as we are concerned is the most important thing um which gets us to a conversation about data
106privacy and then we look at data centers and they actually see them through YouTube videos and we see how different corporations have tried different things in ter in terms of their data centers. Um the warm-up is something called quick draw. Uh and the quick draw uh is a Google game. And one of the things we start doing early on is we start allowing them to play certain games. And um if we if we can do like a little bit of quick draw, uh basically it's just a prompt. Uh you are told to draw something. I don't know if you'll be able to draw very well with the mouse. Um but you have to draw an eraser. you have 20 seconds. Um, and then you have to try and draw that eraser in 20 seconds. On
107their Chromebooks, they can do it right on the screen. It's very quick. Um, and then you get another prompt and that prompt asks you to something and it it talks to you out out loud. >> Um, >> I see computer. >> You're a computer >> or sandwich. >> It's clearly an eraser. >> I see piano >> or laptop. And then once you're out of time, >> I couldn't guess it. >> Draw animal migration. >> Yeah. But you should see. So they'll finish this. If you go back, we could show them the they'll finish this. They'll play it a few times in class before we actually kind of do a reveal. And the reveal at the end is so why is Google allowing us to just play this game for free? And the reason that they're
108allowing it to be played or the reason they've got this free game for you to play is because not only do you get to see your drawing, I drew that beautiful draw drawing of the lion. You then also get to see here are the other things that it thought your lion looked like, a donut, a shrub, etc. But then there's a little button and you can click on data. And when you click on the data, takes you to I think the next screen. And now we're looking at a 100,000 drawings of hedgehogs. And that's the data that Google needed and wanted and still does. So as I go through, I'm seeing animal migration was one that popped up this year. Last year, I never saw animal migration. And I talked to them about all of
109a sudden it's here, but it wasn't there before. Um, now with this data, what can Google what can Google do with that? Um, there's something called Autodraw. If you don't mind is the next one. So, Autodraw, as soon as you That's a That's a different Google product. As soon as you start to draw, if you look at the very top of the gray bar, I I was trying to draw a lion, but you'll see that it's showing me clouds, flowers, maybe some sort of an animal there. Um >> that'd be a line right there. >> But autodraw is a direct result of quick draw, right? Once they had the data, they could then create this. And for those of us who are not artistically inclined like myself, I have a great place to go to
110get clip art now. And I will happily go to autodraw whenever I need a little piece of clip art. And it's important for the students to understand that their data is building this, right? And this is some would say innocuous like it doesn't it how much of a threat is this to anybody but it's a constant reminder that the data is being taken. Um little next one. So we also play say what you see and we play odd one out. Say what you see is you're presented with a a picture and then you have to try to prompt to create the same picture. This is another Google game. We ask, so why is this a again? Why? Kids very quickly realize, well, it's kind of teaching us to prompt, but they're also seeing how kids
111prompt. And all of a sudden, that language kind of comes in. They're recognizing. Are many adults playing Say What You See? No. But students are, and it's something that is important to recognize. So, they're effectively starting to train you in how to prompt, but they're also taking that data. It's a free game. Um, odd one out is, uh, yeah, >> sorry to interrupt, but, um, to to what I I totally get the like you are the product message. >> Yep. >> I guess the other question is to what extent does it also become a little bit of how to design an experiment? >> Yes, would love to do that. I would say again in terms of the amount of time that we have with students and we have a curriculum review coming up. I think
112that we're going to have to look at timing and we're going to have to prioritize truly prioritize what is happening within the 16 classes that we have to make it, you know, how do we do everything? I'm not sure. Um, can we look at other places in the curriculum that it could be happening? could we be like the LLC team is kind of team teaching with somebody um in a social studies class or in a science class. Could we get to that point? And I my my hope is yes that we could. Um I'm not sure if I'm answering your question fully or >> Well, I don't know. I mean, it just feels like it's one of those things where it's like on the one hand they're collecting data. On the other hand, there's this
113other thing going on which is constant experimentation. Yes. >> And you're actually >> the mouse or the rat, if you will. and and they're trying different things and then once they figure it out they're optimizing it across the board. So it's just >> message on one hand that's great for you cuz you get a better experience and on the other hand >> yes >> you're constantly the resumes. >> Yeah. Um and then the next so at this point in in this lesson we would be going through how as we're looking at an image can we start to distinguish whether or not it's AI generated or not. Um there is something called content credentiing or content credentials which is kind of a it's a growing movement but we many of the pre the you know how
114some of the products the AI products are becoming um kind of like you can do a subscription so you have a premium level that you can now purchase or you can be using the free. So when you use the free there might be a little metatag placed there that's telling you exactly you know maybe it was created by nano banana or maybe it was chat GBT or and that lives there in the content credentials if it's from the free but if you're at the premium level you may not have that credentiing so without that credential you're going to need to have something you can rely on right now this is what we would suggest test they look for. It's incredibly difficult. Um, we then run them through besides quality discrepancies, background anomalies, you can see
115the next couple of ones, uh, un non-natural artifacts, facial inconsistencies. Um, and then in this particular picture, I asked them to tell me what about this picture, what are the what are the giveaways right away. Let you know this is AI generated. Um, anybody see anything? >> I did this with Lori yesterday. >> The sprinkles. >> Sprinkles. >> There's just random There's the random confetti just in the air. Just seemingly not no physics at all or are at play at this. It's >> a lot more candles on that cake for a million candles. >> So many candles. >> So many. Like >> no one's crying. Nobody's crying. >> And if you really look at their facial features, like >> it's uncanny. >> They're all the same. >> Supposed to look diverse. And it's all >>
116It's the same the same face. >> They all They're all doing this. >> Yes. With their hands. Margaret. Um, our the middle grade students really love the plate at the like the foreground on the table that looks like it's filled with Skittles and Clementine. Like it's an odd thing to be there. Uh, and we zoom in really tight on the candles and you start to notice that the candle the candle wax color is different when it's pooling underneath in almost every one of the candles. Um so moving from this we would then move into the next uh slide I think is bias. Oh no uh the next slide is we would do a so which is >> sorry we could show them which is real which is fake. Uh we I I asked them at
117their tables um in the small groups to figure out what which of these is real which is fake. Um, and then the next we reveal that this is the real and this is the fake. Um, usually they're able to figure out the fake. Um, for a variety of reasons, but one is one of the giveaways is like the front hand is kind of it's not really focused well, but then the back is also not focused well. There's wrinkles on the jeans. Wrinkles tend to be a giveaway. Um, but there's wrinkles also on the purple t-shirt and the guy on the other side. So then they go back and forth a bit. Um, but it really comes down to the headphones. And most of the students say that there's just something not right about the headphones.
118And I really I encourage them in that moment to feel that in their gut because there there is this term uncanny valley that like lives and and I the when you have that gut that it just doesn't feel right. Chances are it's the fake one, right? Like that is probably it. And you may not be able to say why. It might because be because you know a finger is longer than it should be or it might be because it's there's a a cable coming out of a earphone that shouldn't be there or you know um you may not be able to figure it out but trust your gut I would say in most of those cases. Um and then we get to bias and AI. Uh, so both of these are ones I had just
119generated. And the the one on the left of the gardener, I asked for a a gardener in a in a sunny garden. And for the birthday party, I asked for a kid's birthday party outside sunny. Pretty basic prompt. Um, and we start talking about what is it? Where's the bias? Is there bias? Is there can we identify anything? Um, pretty quickly they want to know whether or not I'm related to the person in the garden. And I I and I and I let's go with that a little bit. Why why why do you think is it because maybe I've used chat GPT before and they know a little bit about me? Um, and they know enough about me to know that that's the kind of picture that I might want. um we start we talk
120a little bit about training data and where most of the training data is coming from which is from North America and Europe at least last research I saw that seems to be where it's coming from. So when we're looking at the picture of the the kids birthday party and keep in mind I use the word kids not children's in my prompt. To me this is a children's birthday party but that could be my own bias. Um and to me a kid is maybe somebody a little bit older. Uh we see what most of the students identify as a mom figure in the background. Um we also see that very much in terms of diversity. We're not seeing much in these images. And they're pretty quick to also identify that that version of a birthday party
121is pretty cookie cutter, but that's not how everybody celebrates a birthday party, right? Um, so it that kind of brings you through those are our four major kind of lessons in sixth grade in terms of AI and then every year we kind of come back to the drawing table and sometimes we're doing that 2 days before the lesson is about to happen because something has just been revealed um globally uh with some new thing that's you know resulted from AI. So >> is the can you go back to that? Is the intent primarily to show the kids that unless they give one of the things is that unless they give a more specific prompt to the AI that it will just default to unspoken biases that the children may not be that they're giving cuz
122>> I think there's an opportunity if we're not doing it already to show the kids how to proactively address the potential for bias if left unressed. >> Absolutely. And I would say we want them to be so we want them to be looking at images critically. So that's first and foremost I would say that's that's for sure. >> And and and and the looking at the images specifically is meant to train them on what specific princ like what taught principle in that >> critical thought. We're looking for students who can apply critical thought. Whether that's to words on a page, words on a screen, images on a page, images on a screen, we want them to be looking at things very critically. In grade six, a visual is a great way for us to be
123practicing that critical analysis. Um, and then in addition to that, taking the time to talk about, so this prompt brought us these images, so how do we then prompt differently in the future? Um, and it in understanding that we still may struggle and it may take us a while to get to a prompt that really gets us to what we really really want. I think right now most people are mo I shouldn't say most people I think many of the students think that AI you type in the prompt and you get a response and the refinement may not be there as part of they're just accepting and we want them to really be thinking about what they're receiving. We don't just want them consuming. We really want them to be using their critical mind taking
124what is coming to them and then really considering is this what I really want and even before they're going to AI asking do I need AI for what I need in the next step. Um, I talked to Kevin heard me say this to somebody who was visiting at Middlebrook like I really look at 68 if we can be building some kind of AI literacy so that we could build toward a fluency by the time we're done like at grade 12 so that by the time they're heading out with out of Wilton public schools they're really looking at AI as something that is such a tool for them in their tool belts or in their tool box and that they're able to use it agentically. I is is the way I I would really hope that
125that's where we can get to. Um but we have some work to do frankly and it doesn't it's not slowing down. >> No, it's not like that's that's the piece. >> Is middle school too early for Marshall McLuhan then? The medium is the message. >> Yeah. Well, >> I mean, I think to some extent I I hear this and a lot of it even like hearkens back to the day where, you know, you used to look at advertisements or, you know, cigarette ads or other things and think about like how are you being pulled in or how are you being manipulated or, you know, what the Betty Crocker used to look like or, you know, types of things. And some of it is, you know, you talked about kids being like consumers versus being a
126creator, but them understanding like why things are being created the way they are. >> Yeah. you know, and that um like that that AI that first response is not being generated specific for them, you know, that and I think that that's that's a part of like the the the critical kind of thinking piece that to understand that they don't have to use it the way it's being given to them, >> right? >> And like we don't have to take it the way, you know, it's being >> as a consumer product the way it's being offered. Yeah. >> And that there's like a there's a power um in that because some of this for some kids it could be really overwhelming because it's almost like an an erosion like of being able to understand or feel
127like what is real like what can I rely on? skepticism. We talk about the word yeah >> like a you know if if everything is relative then you can't count on anything >> or you know kind of this this feeling of like not having a shared baseline or shared understanding of fact or or authenticity and that can be um and I think that's when you you that's when also I think you get these AI relationships created because you you lose that kind of understanding of reality or realness. >> Yeah. I think I think it's important though to acknowledge that that that has been a slow trend in culture like >> when was the last time you you feel like do you feel like any social media picture that anybody in your feed put is the
128picture as it was originally taken? >> Yeah. like no, it's filters applied and it's so I totally get the conversation. I think it's just I'm very careful to make sure the kids don't feel like we're always painting AI as in a negative connotation. It's important to understand the boundaries. I think it's also important to understand the upside and focusing on how to use it positively. Um, and like some of these things we're talking about have been happening before AI hit the scene 2 years ago. And I don't I understand now why this is more front and center, but like I think we should acknowledge that this has been happening for a while. And it's I don't feel like there was a level of fervor on this two years ago. May again, maybe because it's more
129front and center. >> Media literacy program for a long time. like the skills that you know describing is >> you know those are not new to our curriculum. Um I think you know what's new is the um the fac the sophistication and the the potential for deception is is you know it's on steroids with AI. So yeah I I hope you're not you know don't misconstrue what's being proposed that this is all threat. That's not true. I think the last thing Lori just said was probably the most important is around you know student agency and empowerment and really to the best extent we're able to um develop students understanding of the the tool and the utility and you know the whole context in which it you know it's available to us in in this world.
130you are you talking to have you got experts to lean on because this is a awful lot of change happening very quickly where are you helping you >> we're reading a lot and we're trying to stay as connected as we can and we there are certain kind of thought leaders that we um lean very heavily on and um we've been going to the Diana Greyber like the cyber civics website is updating constantly um with new like I I just sent something today. They've just developed some more for digital health and wellbeing. Um so they're constantly kind of reframing and this has been kind of our go-to for all of this and their work so far has been, you know, I've been very happy with it. I it's just really a function of we go up
131some professional learning. We try to read as many books as we >> Yeah, we've had we've had a bunch of sessions at CES with with Fran and then other sessions at Ed Advance with Matt Murvvis and Liz Red. By the way, you should tune in to chat edu tomorrow because Ken and I are going to be on it. So, you should check that out. Um but um we're doing a lot of that and then like like Lori said, lot of independent research. Um, there's another book that just came out that I shared with the curriculum review committee yesterday. Um, it's by the same author as The Anxious Generation. It's called The Awesome Generation. And it's I I know there's definitely some pros and cons to Anxious Generation. You're seeing some of the after effects of
132that book's publication and the press tour and all the different things that Jonathan Height's done. Um, my thing with that book is that it it brings up a lot of good points, but it's kind of alarmous and it's a little light on suggestions on what to do next. This book is the opposite. It It's made for probably middle schoolers and it talks about some of the stuff from Anxious Generation. Um, some of the things that they call them tech wizards are doing to hijack your brain and get you to, you know, be addicted to your social media feed or AI, etc. But then the latter part of the book has a lot of really practical advice that kids can use to try to make sure, and they even say it this way, make sure your
133phone is a tool. Make sure AI is a tool. and not something that's manipulating you. Uh, and they call the kids rebels, so that's gonna, you know, every every kid likes to be a little bit of a rebel. And, you know, it's a little bit cheesy in that regard, but it's it's really well done. And I think that's by exploring some of these things, bringing them into our curriculum, I think we're going to continue to improve our own skill set, and our kids will, too. So you're hearing from parents about help me help my child navigate because it seems like it's falling on you and we I I mean I hear from parents kind of globally. Um but we it's not as though parents are necessarily coming in and saying you know how tell me
134how or what's happening how are you teaching this? um that isn't happening as of yet. Um it would definitely one of the takeaways from the curriculum review surveys is that we need to be doing more kind of homeschool communication about what is happening and what it is that we're doing in the classrooms. Um that's at least that's one of my takeaways from the the survey. Um, so whether that's parent nights, whether that's documentation that's going home, something because I definitely feel as though this is something that needs to be both of us working together. Um, and I I mean it's completely doable for that to happen. >> You're a brave lady. It's it's a great it's fun and it's great. I love every part of it. We can tell >> heavy lift. >> So, if
135there was like one thing that you felt like you would really want the curriculum to focus on like if you had time >> not the curriculum >> or or time okay but it is curriculum too. if we could to go back to Mr. Pier I think it was Mr. Pearson's point about um like if we could identify I think in the future where our students are going to be they're going to be using AI in whatever field they end up in but what that AI looks like will be very specialized for that field. I have to just assume that right like that makes the most sense in my mind and my sister works in the pharmaceutical field and I feel like that's already something that they're doing kind of in that lane if you will.
136Um, so if we could be identifying places within our curriculum, I'm going to just use random examples. If we know that in seventh grade social studies this this unit happens and we can create something that gets to this issue with AI or allows them to start practicing prompting um in a way that is both historical critical allows them to do an an analytical kind of thought process. Um, to me that would be really great if we could somehow figure out inroads into the curriculum itself while also maintaining the ability to teach what is AI because that I feel like understanding what it is is incredibly helpful. And to get to your point of it's not, you know, if you're if you're thinking of it as a person, it is not a person. And we just
137need to, it's so hard not to humanize it. We say it learns. It's not learning. It's training. But we will substitute in that. I we kept Andy and I catch ourselves constantly, I just personalized it again. Um, so if there's a way for us to do that simultaneously, >> I think I think the curriculum work coming out this summer will help with that. And also the AI user guide. Um, part of the district user guide that we're focusing on is um that red, yellow, green light thing I showed you guys last time, the scale of use. Um, so we're hoping that that's going to encourage teachers to work more of it into their everyday practice. Um, and you know, when they're working on fundamental skills, they should be in the red and limiting AI completely.
138And then there examples of yellow and green depending on what they're doing. Laura's example might be a little bit more yellow and then like a green one might be some kind of exploratory project that's done with AI like the presidential AI challenge and and things like that. So um continuing to work together throughout the district and identify places where it makes sense and where we want to limit it instead. I think that's going to help to grow the vision that Lori just talked about. >> Any other Wow. We do humanize it. You're right. >> It's almost like another person is talking to very hard. It almost doesn't tell you that mold book thing. We had an argument about that. But >> there there's a there's a Reddit. It's like a It's called Malt Book. Uh
139someone just showed it to me recently and um it's a Reddit completely populated by AI agents and bots talking to each other. There's no people. If you read through it, some of it like there was one post about um it was it was one post about uh whether AI should have an identity or not and it sounded like a bunch of college freshmen at 2 in the morning like staying up in the dur room just talking about philosophy. And I read that I'm like whether AI is human or not, it doesn't matter anymore, you know? Uh like to go back to R2-D2, it doesn't matter that he's not human and not also not even real. He's a fictional character. Like I care about him and I want to hear what he has to beep about,
140you know? So, like some of these AI agents are, it doesn't matter if they're human or not. People are going to interact with them how they're going to interact with them. We just have to make the most of it. So, yeah, it's interesting stuff. >> Yeah. >> Appreciate you guys listening to us for an hour. >> Thank you. and you know we'll definitely you know be curious to know circle back on how some of the decisions that come out of the you know curriculum committee and some of the dedicated to summer work and um how it how it's being integrated because I think to Lori to your point it's right like finding ways within the curriculum where these ideas and understandings also meet the work that the kids are doing in real time and um
141And then it also being that they're using it as a tool and it's not it's not using them as well. >> Um it's and having that assured experience um across the board, >> you know, and that interactive piece and that being guided by >> an adult and or a teacher, you know, in in the room kind of having a group around that. >> And we're so fortunate in this district, too, because we have a team in place to work on this stuff. Um whereas so many other places they don't have uh the library media center teachers to do this and they're just scrambling to find someone anyone who could get this into their curriculum and teach them this stuff directly. So we have a readymade team and that we can start with immediately. So and
142and they already have started doing great things. So that's one of the greatest parts about this is we're just going to continue to get better. >> Great team. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Sorry we're a little late tonight. >> I apologize. Anytime a guy comes up, people get excited. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Dark at the end there. Pam, >> you always count on. >> Um, do we have any comments from the public? >> Sorry, Lucille. I clicked the wrong button. >> It's down there somewhere. There we are. >> Uh, no. Thank you. Um, just wanted for future business and information items, we do have an anticipated executive session on April 23rd. So, we will discuss that. Um, there's a regular meeting then following that executive session at 7:00 on April
14323rd. Um, the annual town meeting is May 5th. That's Saturday. And then we will have a regular meeting on May 7th. Um um no other items 854