Board of Education Meeting - April 8, 2025

001All right. Good evening. Thank you for joining us for the April 8th board of education meeting. If you could all join me with the pledge to the flag. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. And we will begin with the report of the superintendent, Dr. Burn. Good evening. Apologies for the allergies. Thank you for joining us for our April 8th board of ed meeting. Last Thursday, the RI Fund for Education held its third annual gala. It was an incredible success and it was great to see so many people come to support the fund and to see live demonstrations by students of the innovative school program supported by the grants. Last Friday

002and Saturday, the sad for the renovated softball field at Ry High School arrived and was installed. It is now busy knitting. This is a real term, so it'll be safe to play on at the end of April. Tonight is hopefully our budget adoption night if the board does indeed adopt the recommended budget. This means that it becomes the budget the district brings to the community to vote on May 20th. It also means I will soon hit the streets with my annual road show where I meet various community groups and inform them all about the budget. My first stop will be Friday, April 25th at the Osborne PTO meeting and then many stops afters. If you can't make one of those meetings, all of the 2526 budget information, videos, and presentations are all posted in a

003special area on the district website. Look for the link in the pop-up bubble that appears when you first land on the website. Just a reminder that the week of April 14th to 18th marks our spring recess. I announced on March 20th that I'm giving back the unused snow and emergency day on Monday, April 21st. So that's an additional day that schools and offices are closed and we'll be back on Tuesday, April 22nd. And that concludes my report for this evening. Great. Thank you, Dr. Burn. So, we are going to take uh an item out of order. So, if I can have a motion. Yes, I'd like to make a motion to pull item 7.02. Can I have a second? Great. Valerie Lapam. So, 7.02. I will read it out loud. It says, "Be it resolved

004that the board of education of the Ry City School District here with appoints Dr. Patricia Murray as superintendent of schools effective July 1st, 2025 for a term to expire on June 30th, 2028. Be it further resolved that the B president of the board of education is here within authorized to execute the employment agreement between Dr. Murray and the board of education, which agreement has been previously reviewed and approved by the board of education. Can I have a vote on this evening's appointment? That is seven to zero. Congratulations, Dr. [Music] Murray. Tonight, the board of education unanimously and enthusiastically votes to approve the appointment of Dr. Trisha Murray to the position of superintendent of schools. Dr. Murray emerged as the finalist from a very strong field of applicants. 58 candidates applied or recruited for consideration. After

005extensive screenings and interviews, the search consultants from HYA presented a slate of six highly qualified candidates to the board of education. After several rounds of comprehensive interviews by the board, Dr. Murray's qualifications and characteristics consistently stood out as the best match for the Rise City School District. For the past four years, the students, faculty, staff, and families of Rye have been the beneficiaries of Dr. Murray's vast knowledge of curriculum and instruction. Dr. Murray has developed our new elementary literacy program with its focus on phonics and databased instruction, leading her to be known by many as the district's data queen. And this program is already showing significant student pro progress across all three of our elementary schools. Trisha has partnered with the science department to guide the implementation of the next generation science standards across the

006district. She has been central to the identification, implementation, and communication regarding the new offerings at Rye High School, including AP capstone distinction and the international balarat diploma program. These are by no means all of Trisha's accomplishments in Ry accomplishments in Rye over the past four years. Rather, they're a great sampling of her of her strategic thinking for improving RISE curriculum and instructional program K to2. Making these kinds of changes cannot happen in isolation. And it is only through Trish's ability to connect with individuals and develop positive relationships that teachers and staff have been able to work on developing and implementing a shared vision of academic success and development for the students of the Rise City Schools. Dr. Dr. Murray has shared with the board her desire to build upon the district's impressive foundation and that

007she will work to create an educational environment where innovation drives instruction, students thrive at the at the center of every decision, and continuous growth shapes our culture. The board looks forward to Dr. Murray's strategic leadership as she guides our schools with, as she has stated, an unwavering commitment to educational excellence. On a personal note, Trisha is an amazing wife and mom of two teenage girls, and with that comes an intimate knowledge of the challenges and successes that come with the age and stage of children. As a way to decompress from the daily stresses and successes, Trisha loves to cook while listening to her favorite Taylor Swift songs. Trisha is a Michigan Wolverines alumni and our board colleague Tom Stein, a Buckeye alumni, has promised not to hold this against her. I'm actually not a Buckeye

008alumni, just a super fan. Well, but you're still not going to hold it against her, right? I can make no promises. Trisha, we are excited for the opportunities that await the students, staff, faculty, and families of the district under your leadership and vision. Well, thank you so much, Jane. Um, I am incredibly honored to serve as the next superintendent of the Ry City School District, and I want to thank the entire board of education for placing your trust and confidence in me. It has been a privilege privilege to be a part of this district these last four years and I'm excited to continue working alongside our talented faculty, dedicated staff, engaged community, and the board of education to make Ryan an even stronger district. As an educator, I believe deeply in continuous growth and in

009keeping students at the center of everything we do. Whether it's using data to identify student needs, fostering studentled discussions in classrooms, or creating opportunities for students to solve real world problems, our path forward must be grounded in their strengths and interests. I also believe strongly in the right commitment and the way it drives educational excellence through the skills we nurture in students and the learning we provide for our faculty and the ways we engage our community. It reflects the deep investment we all have in our schools and I'm committed to continuing that important work. As part of my entry plan, I'll be inviting community members, faculty, staff, and students to meet with me this summer and fall to share their perspectives on the district's strengths, needs, and priorities. These conversations will help guide our next

010steps at a district, and I look forward to sharing what I learned with the community along the way. I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Burn for his mentorship and guidance during my time here. He is an exceptional leader, and I'm truly fortunate to learn from his example. Once again, thank you so much for your kind words and for your support. I am deeply grateful and incredibly excited to take on this new role. Thank [Applause] you. And we will invite all members of the ride community to join us here on April 29th at 6:30 p.m. for a reception celebrating Dr. Murray's appointments. And there will be um more formalized um you know in announcements and things to come uh to remind the community about that wonderful event. So with that we will

011go on to the regular course of the agenda which will be presentation and discussion number one budget adoption. Okay. So, I I feel like um you know, my allergy attack at the beginning of the meeting was a reminder of the original budget presentation when Gabby and I were both sick and coughing and sniffling all through that presentation. We actually had a little stool with tissues in between us. It was quite the budget presentation. So, tonight is a a recap of where we've been over these past few months. Um, as we've demonstrated with our terrific administrative team, as they came by department, showed you the direct linkages to the right commitment and how we are working and using this budget to move that work forward and provide our kids with the skills and knowledge necessary for

012success beyond Ry. So tonight we're going to walk through just the the significant changes in the budget and the final numbers and um with all hope uh the board will act on this proposed budget. So just to begin, there are a couple of notable program and staffing changes. You've heard a lot about the IB and what that's going to look like and what great opportunities will be available to our students. So once this budget is adopted, um it includes the addition of two full-time teachers at Rye High School in support of the implementation of IB. In addition, uh we have talked a lot about the social emotional growth of our students, the SEAL programming that we have built K12, the lessons that we have been designing and incorporating. As we've built our counseling support services

013K12 from just a few years ago where we did not have counselors at the elementary schools, we now have counselors in all of our schools. And we really feel like the next step in achieving the absolute best for our community through those counseling roles is to have a uh district-wide director of school counseling and student wellness. So that's an additional administrative position that we have included in this budget. There is a reduction of one physical education teacher and that is a retirement and due to attrition it is not necessary to replace that. So we are reducing by one FTE physical education at um the high school. In addition, um, as very exciting with the trucks on site and the excavation happening over at Midland, we can start to see the, uh, work around the new

014additions in preparation for the fall at Midland and Osborne. But, as we know, when you're adding, it's 12,000 plus square ft. Um it's 12,000 plus square feet that require maintenance and cleaning and therefore uh one full-time additional custodial position that'll be shared across the two buildings in order for providing adequate upkeep of those facilities. So the proposed budget, it maintains all of our current programs and services. So there are no reductions to services. In fact, it's the opposite in adding the IB program and going to year two of AP Capstone and the supports that we mentioned. Right now, this year, our approved budget is $110,556,311. Um, our budgetto budget increase is 2.45% 45% and that gives us a proposed budget of $113,267,267. Um this slide depicts an overview of the different categories that we focus

015on when we talk about the budget. Um it's our 12 most popular areas that we try to um identify to show where all of our expenses are. Um salaries and benefits being our largest percentage of the total budget. General education, special education, athletics, technology, curriculum. Um and thanks to my counterparts who were here over the last um several board meetings to do those deep dives. Um, it's a far cry from when I used to present the same slides over and over again from February to May. Um, transportation, district-wide support. So that's all of the behind the curtain um work that goes on to keep everything running, facilities, debt service, our obligations um related to um capital projects and then interfer so money that's dedicated in the general fund budget that supports other areas um are

016additional um capital construction projects that we're able to do as well as funding dedicated to um special education for summer programming. Um gives us that same total budget with that 2.45% budget-to-budget increase. And the opposite side of the accounting table are our revenues that are required to support the that budget. So we're looking at property taxes, payments in lie of taxes, interest and penalties on taxes, county tax, utility tax, charges for services, interest um interest earnings, um and miscellaneous revenues. We do see a significant decrease there, but if everybody remembers that is because we are recategorizing how we identify um our employee contributions toward health insurance premiums. that actually appears as a negative expenditure on the expense side, which is why you're seeing it as a decrease on this side, but it's really just moving

017it from one side of the accounting table to the other. It's not a change, and that was something that the auditors um recommended that we do. Yep. State sources. Um this is where we capture what funding comes from state aid. Um as you can see here, it's remaining pretty steady. Um and then the anticipated use of fund balance which is 2.7 million which is consistent with our current year. Okay. So when we talk about the estimated tax levy and the tax rate this is of course a conversation that is in partnership with the assessor from the city of Rye. The taxable assessment information is determined by the assessor uh the independent assessor of the city of Rye and the estimated taxable assessment value was provided uh by the assessor to us on January 28th, 2025.

018This is a number that once we get closer to the tax election tax collection period, we will get that final number at a closer date. So we're talking about that 2.45% 45% budget-to-budget increase translates to a tax levy increase of 3.66%. And as you saw on the earlier revenue chart, the tax levy for this budget would be2,324,607. And that's the money that's that's needed to be collected from local property taxes. That does not include any of the other revenue sources. the estimated taxable assessments for um the city of Ry 133,43,814. And that will be finalized by the assessor on July 1 before we issue the tax warrant. And that puts us at an estimated tax rate per $1,000 of assessment at 767.0291. 0291. Now, that being said, while we don't have all of the budget

019road show events that I mentioned earlier, um May 6th will be our budget hearing, an opportunity for the public to come prior to the vote and share their feelings about the budget. May 20th is the budget vote and trustee election. But there will be in my weekly update on the district website and in the PO newsletters all of the opportunities to learn about the budget uh beyond what's been talked about here at the table for community members. So just a reminder, we do go to the PO meetings, we do go to community synagogue, we go to the Osborne, we speak with the Ryre seniors. Um it we try to reach many different aspects of our community. We work very hard to meet the seniors in our community and make it easier by going to them

020so that we can answer all of their questions and that's always a great time visiting with our senior residents but we also get out in the community in other ways. So that being said um as always any budget comments or feedback can be directed via email to the board at rcsd boardschools.org to me at burn.eric Eric at ryeschools.org to Gabby at peraruchio Gabriella ryschools.org or if all else fails and you can't remember any of it, if you can remember feedback at ryeschools.org, everybody on the top of that list will get the email eventually. We just we check our feedback at ryeschools.org. Our public information officer Sarah Dur gets that information and shares that with all of us. So, questions, comments, thoughts, any thoughts, questions, comments? Um, so I I think I just wanted to loop

021back um because I think sometimes this can get confusing for people when you see the budget to budget at a 2.45% 45% and the tax um levy at 3.66% that this is a tax cap compliant budget. Yes. Um so sometimes when you see that three it gives you the the impression that it is not and so just wanted to reiterate that correct talked about that over the last few presentations. Also absolutely this isn't a tax cap compliant budget. So the tax cap formula which we reviewed at the beginning of the process gives you what the allowable increase can be in the tax levy and that is that 3.66% and we are obviously within that and it is an absolutely tax cap compliant budget. Questions, comments? Nobody's got anything. Okay. Well, I will just say um

022actually I do have one question. So the positions that are listed that would be additions to the budget. When would the process for those positions be posted, filled, that kind of stuff? So as as you know, we we are very strategic in our hiring process and we are all the way deep into the talent acquisition drive as Dr. um calls it and should the board approve this budget tonight, we will post those positions and begin searching. It's an anticipated search knowing that we have to wait for voter approval tomorrow. We will start that process. Great. So, no, nobody gets nobody gets missed growing. All right, that's good. That's good. Um, I do I will say that I um I really do appreciate and Gabby you alluded to this the um attention that the entire administrative

023team gives to the budget and to the background. And so it feels like now when we get to this point which is very different from how it used to be a few years ago, right, where it was like it was just the same information. At this point we have had an opportunity to fully and deeply look at each of the content areas that create and make our budget. Um, and so I really do appreciate the thoughtfulness and the forward thinking by the entire administrative team as you continue to look to find ways to have opportunities for success for both our students and as well as for our faculty with professional learning and development. And I think it makes um as we you know think back to presentations about where we are with our data and

024our student achievement and what's happening in our classrooms, there's a direct correlation to the great work that's happening and the great work that's being funded, but also the thoughtfulness with which you are spending the money to ensure that it is really creating opportunities and not just being spent just to spend it. So thank you for that. Anybody else? Okay, seeing none. Thank you so much, Miss Brion, Dr. Burn. We will now move on to presentation and discussion number one uh for artificial intelligence. Sorry. That's okay. [Music] There you go. Thank you. Do you want the mouse or you want the That's fine. Okay. So tonight we're going to be giving you an overview of our work uh around artificial intelligence as a tool to enhance enhance teaching and learning in the district. Um and during

025the March 25th board of education meeting, you had a chance to review our AI guidelines that were developed by our district-wide technology committee and we had a discussion around those. Um and we look forward to continuing that discussion with you tonight. And we're going to be giving you some really concrete examples of how AI is used um and how we're encouraging use for both um teachers and students and some important considerations for us to be making along the way. Uh I am joined by some special guests here tonight. We have uh Dr. Caitlyn Cassone, our director of technology is with us. We have Carolyn Bombay. She's our instructional tech coach for grades 6 through 12. We have Kimberly Prasad, our instructional tech coach for grades K through five. and Leah Blumenthal, instructional coach for grades

0266 through 12. So, thank you so much for being here tonight. Um, and thinking about the right commitment, we think about how AI can be used to foster critical thinking and creative problem solving, collaboration, and communication and not be a substitute for it, but really be used as a tool to further develop those skills. And we keep this in mind. We kept this in mind when we create our AI guidelines and we keep it in mind when we think about the uses of AI in the classroom every day. Um and also the commitment refers to um our commitment to offering highquality, relevant and meaningful professional learning experiences for our faculty. And so tonight you'll also hear about how we're doing this with AI considering it's very relevant right now to education and to the world.

027And so we're being really thoughtful about what the professional learning will look like for our staff. Okay. And Dr. Sassoon, I'm actually probably going to run this over to you. need a bigger table. Um, so as Dr. Dr. Murray said tonight you're going to hear a lot about the different ways that we're thinking about in uh AI in Ry City right now, ways that we are implementing it, the professional learning that we're doing behind it. Um but before we get into all those great things, we just want to unpack a little bit about what is AI. And so we know that AI, it's a branch of computer science, right? It enables us to recognize patterns, make decisions, um understand different languages and concepts. But when we really think about not just AI, we want to

028think about ways that we can use it in education. we look at all the different tools and ways that teachers and students can start thinking about how impactful AI can be. And so when we are looking at different technologies that are available right now, we're thinking about ways that it can support instruction, the way that it can automate some tasks for us for time and efficiencies of things that we are doing, ways that we can enhance accessibilities, streamlining workflows within education. These are all awesome things that AI can provide to us. One of the biggest takeaways that we're thinking about with AI is that it's not a replacement. So a is not a replacement for teachers, for educators, for all the impactful work that they do with our students, but we want to think about

029the efficiencies behind it and what benefits and supports it can bring to the educational landscape that we're faced with right now. Um, as I said, there's so many wonderful impacts of a and so I'm going to move this back so we don't do that again. Uh, it enhances uh learning and differentiation within the classroom. It's supporting teachers with lesson planning and design. Um, it's streamlining, as I said, tasks that we're doing daytoday. It's a pri it's providing accessibility for students to just really enhance diverse learning in the classroom. We're seeing it as a benefit for translation for students, um, ENL students or any language transition that we need. Um, it's fostering in innovation and creativity for all of our learners, all of our educators across the classroom. Um, these are such important tasks for our

030teachers and our students to know that it has the capabilities and possibilities of doing, but you're going to hear tonight the ways that we are educating the purposeful use of what it brings to the table and what does it actually look like here in Rice City. So, with any new technology uh that we introduce to our lives, but especially through education, we have to really carefully consider the ethical implications of that tool. um and especially when we're looking at our schools and our kids and what they have access to and what meaning it brings to their educational lives um and them as humans as they grow up and go into the world. Uh so this has been on the forefront of our minds as a district. The teachers are thinking about this. Um I'm sure

031families and parents are thinking about this a lot. What does it mean to use AI ethically and responsibly? So um those are conversations we're having with teachers. We're having with students. Um, you're going to hear a little bit about the lessons we've built out to explicitly teach students how to use these tools ethically and responsibly, all while knowing that this is an iterative process that's going to change and adapt almost daily as we go forward. And so what may be ethical and responsible today may change tomorrow. And we're really committed to keeping up with that and making sure that the professional learning we provide to our staff and our faculty represents those changes. But uh really thinking about how does AI add to our students as independent and critical thinkers rather than take away that

032very thing that's most important to us. Um, so one of the things this year on the technology committee that I think we're so proud of is the 25 individual stakeholders which comprised of teachers, administrators, parents, um, all kinds of staff members that joined the technology committee to really help us think about what would the AI guidelines look like here in Rice City. And so we were tasked with um creating clear and practical standards for integrating AI tools that support our commitment to critical thinking, to collaboration, to communication, to developing global citizens. And so keeping the ry commitment in mind, we wanted to actually note in a guideline what are all the different areas that's really important to us as we roll out this technology. So the committee worked hard. There were several iterations and modifications

033made to the guidelines, but as you all had access to, um, we are really passionate and excited about the five sections that were developed. And so in our guidelines, we highlight areas such as leadership and vision. What does AI look like in Rice City? What is the responsible use of a teacher, an educator, and a student when they are using AI in Rice City? What does our professional learning learning and commitment look like to our staff and to our students of how to use these tools responsibly and ethically? How do we foster and continue to use AI but also meet the state mandates of data privacy, keeping our teachers and students safe when they're on these different tools and exploring all the things that it has to offer? And then how do we connect this

034to current policies that we have in the district like our code of conduct, like our acceptable use policies because it still falls under the umbrella of technology. And so as technology adapts and grows all the time, we want to make sure that we're staying true to our current practices and things that we're doing. So, we're really excited for the guidelines that are here that set now a foundation for all of us in the district to follow. Um, it is a commitment as Leah said that this will be something the technology committee focuses on yearly now because it is iterative and it is going to be modified and changed as new technology comes out. Um, as we continue to explore new tools that are available for teachers and students. So, it's not a create once and

035put it away. We are constantly going to be modifying and revising it, but it's a really good grounding place for all of our faculty, staff members, and students to really read through and get an understanding of I'm excited about using this tool, but what does it look like and how do I use it responsibly? So, one of the tools that we have for faculty and staff and students is Magic School. This is an approved RCSD web tool. Um, it actually uses chat GPT in the background, but it provides a safe platform for both teachers and students to interact. It protects their data. Um, and it protects also what they could actually interact with. Um, the platform allows teachers to have over 70 different tools that they could use to create all different types of instructional

036materials as well as generate vocabulary lists, modifying different word problems for their classes, all different types of differentiation. They can access materials for students at all different varying levels, um, and create ideas for small groupoup instruction. One thing teachers have expressed is that time is something that they always look for. So tools like this give them back the time to focus on interacting instruction and connections with their kids. So we're going to point to um just a couple of examples to give you if you could just go back for one second. Um so just to give you a sense of what this might look like for a teacher case use. So one example is if a stu if a teacher is trying to plan for small groupoup instruction. Our teachers are always differentiating for the

037varying needs in our classes. But that's something that's very timeconuming. So for example um using data from a benchmark uh assessment like NWA where it gives you different reports. One of the practical use cases for this would be for teachers to upload those reports to a platform like Magic School that does protect student data and ask it to help it with small group formation. And so we will talk a little bit more about the professional learning around this. But one of the things that we've done with teachers is to show them how to utilize the tool to help them with their sm their small group instruction and because that process of interacting with AI is very iterative. You're never whether you're a student or a teacher taking out exactly that very first output um we

038then fed it with our small group model of instruction. So, for example, in our elementary classrooms, one of the models for small group instruction will be you'll start off with like a rally to activate prior knowledge and then you'll start with uh you'll follow it up with three small practical triads that all take a couple of minutes to target small groups. But by uploading a report like an NWA report to a tool like Magic School, it'll identify what students need to be in what group, what needs they need to have and then uh need to be met and then how to target that with the small group. And then it would even generate like a passage for example for them to teach with. So our teachers are always differentiating. But you could see with using

039a tool like this as a thought partner, it just saves so much more time. So there could be a lot more targeted support for students. And another example um on the secondary end is we've used it for rubric generation. So teachers took advantage of superintendent conference sessions and then from there uh booked coaching sessions and we sat and we put all different inputs in and we kept playing with the outputs and this iterative process helped really build and refine a rubric. We then printed it out and the teacher went through each line of what it generated and then added her own spin. Right? So everything you do and what we're training staff is that it's 80% human and 20% AI. Um, so where it does help you produce materials, you're still going in and looking

040at the work and refining [Music] it. So as Carol said, a lot of other, you know, AI tools that probably a lot of us are familiar with like a chat GPT, typically the way that the interaction is with that is that the user has to do a lot of prompting. And so you're being very explicit with what you're putting in. Within Magic School, there is still an option for you to interact with the chatbot. It's called Raina. Um, but it's a chatbot again within the data privacy space of Magic School. So, one other example of ways that we've kind of showed our teachers that they could use it and the way teachers are utilizing it um again for further differentiation. So, for example, if you had students with specific needs and you have a math

041problem that you're working on, you could easily use a tool like Raina to kind of help break it down into scaffolded steps for students who might need that support. Alternatively, if you have students who have a specific need, you might ask them, "What is practical um one-on-one targeted instruction look like? And what are the corresponding manipulatives that I might need to teach that specific skill?" So, again, things that teachers already know how to do, but it's just helping them kind of tap into that creative space, but then also just maximize the time that they have so that they can create more um engaging instruction and more targeted support. So, DIVET is another teacherfacing tool. Magic School, you'll hear has um teacher facing and student facing components. DIFFT right now we're using just as a teacher

042facing tool that has been really I think life-changing. Like if I when I was in the classroom, this tool would have been exactly what I needed. Um it modifies texts. So you can type, you bring something in, you copy the PDF, you copy the text and you ask it to give you a certain level and they take that exact same text and they'll rele level level it at a lower level whatever you've asked it to do or alternatively a higher level if you want to bring up the rigor for students. What's wonderful about it also is the way that it looks doesn't make students feel different or isolated. It gives them access to the exact same information and topics that their peers are looking at, but in a way that meets their needs the best.

043Um, and it happens in like a millisecond. It's very, very quick. It can also take topics. So, if there's a topic coming up, we were just working with some ENL teachers in the high school um and they were pushing into a social studies class and they weren't sure um where to get the material that would be a little bit easier for their students so that they could then modify it even further for some entering and emerging L's. And they were able to type in just a topic into diffit and it generated materials just from that topic. And again, they had to then read through it, make sure it aligned with the content, aligned with the standards, aligned with their language objectives, but they were able to use that to immediately get resources that they could

044then sift through at their students level rather than spending hours and hours retyping material that probably wasn't appropriate to begin with. Um, DFIT also offers translation tools so the teachers can and were able to in real time take an article, lower it to two or three different levels and then ask diffit to translate it into three different languages at three different levels instantly. And it was pretty amazing to watch the teachers like have an aha moment of how they had spent hours doing this task and now diff was able to do it for them. Um, divid also creates Google slides and docs and Google forms similar to magic school. But I think that's what really makes it special. I would say that one of the other things just about diff to go into some of

045those examples is that when it because it's a teacherf facing tool, what it generates for you is studentf facing. So it will generate something that you could easily turn key to students and then everything can be tailored. So, for example, if you wanted it to develop some higher level thinking questions around a passage, you could have it develop that, but then you could always tweak it and like Leah said, it will convert immediately into the Google equivalent so that teachers can continue editing and customizing as they please. But I think it just it saves so much time and because it creates that studentf facing component, then you get so much more um differentiation. So, as I previously mentioned before, Magic School does have a studentf facing side and it does pull from chat GPT, but

046it provides a safe platform. Teachers when launching this with students can set parameters so it's not like the wild west. When they go in, they can say exactly what specific tool they want them to work on, what specific tool they do not want them to have access to. They can set assignment parameters. Um, and it can tell it like key words and phrases. It will flag if they're off task. Um, there's a teacher dashboard so you can see what your kids are engaging with. It keeps a record of everything that the kids have written, interacted with, um, all the different work that they've produced. So, it really has a nice system of checks and balances. Um, this also will help students to learn how to use AI to support their thinking, but it doesn't replace

047their thinking. And that's one of the biggest things that we need to continue working with teachers in training so that when we put this out to students, we're showing them the right way to use these tools responsibly. But students can use these tools to brainstorm different activities. They can use it to outline and summarize text and to practice writing, but it doesn't replace the writing for them. Um, one thing that they will learn is how to incorporate these tools into their academic workflow. And the key is that they remain in control of their work. AI is the assistant. And I think that that's something that we need to as we develop lessons that we're going to learn more about through uh, elementary, middle, and high school, we need to just make sure that we're driving

048critical thinking and that they're using their own creations to enhance um, their work with AI. So, as Carol said, um, one of the biggest pieces now that we are looking at is a trajectory across the board for K12 with AI. Um, just like any new technology or integration of a new curriculum, there's always a plan in place to strategically roll this out. Um, so we're not just putting kids in front of tools and software that they're not exactly sure, teachers are not sure what this looks like. So from the student perspective, um we've been working really hard this year to identify the areas of where lessons would fit appropriately to teach about AI and the use in the classroom and what it would look like. We know that our students are leaving, you know, our

049seniors are leaving here, going into college, going into the workforce, and AI will be a part of their lives. And so we want to now think about all the way from kindergarten on, what would that look like across our school buildings. So we've been doing a lot of work at the elementary level to think about AI integration. And so we are working um with our library media specialists at the elementary K5 level to think about the integration there. So we've done a lot of work the last couple of years with them to integrate digital citizenship, digital literacy and all the lessons that they do really revamping the library curriculum for them. And now we're looking at that again to say okay where does AI fit across that trajectory for K5. Not that we are introducing

050kindergarteners to AI but so they have a common sense of language and vocabulary. So by the time they get to upper elementary, it's not something new and they've already heard about what is generative AI, I've heard it before. What could it look like? Just like we teach students how to be safe in kindergarten around any device or any exposure. We want to start that at a younger age. So we are working with our librarians um to implement those lessons. We're working on them right now to have an integration of that in September. Um so we're busy with that piece of it and we're really um you know supportive of all the work that they're doing around this. For the middle school, we are looking at our sixth grade, our passion projects course. It's an elective

051course that all of our students take in sixth grade. It's an amazing course to integrate AI into because as Dr. Murray said earlier, it's about passions and interests. And so, this is one of the courses students really get to dive into what they're passionate and excited to learn more about through research. And when they're doing research, AI is a huge component of that. And so we are now building in uh lessons where we are going to be working with the teachers in the next couple couple of weeks to say as you're teaching resource uh research these are the AI lessons that we'd want to integrate how you can use AI to support your work in this area but how to use it safely and appropriately and what does it look like how does magic school

052support the work that you're doing. Um so we're really excited for that in sixth grade to continue that trajectory. So after sixth grade, if they've heard about AI, we want to continue that. And the next best place for us to think about this is through our library crosswalk. So this is a uh humanities um curriculum that we've been doing in seventh and eighth grade for ELA and social studies. Um Caroline, Lee and I had the pleasure of meeting with Mr. D. Javanni and Mr. Claire yesterday and our English and social studies department chairs and we sat down to really look at the current topics they are teaching right now and think about where does AI again those structures fit into the units that they're currently teaching and because it is researchbased they fit very nicely

053to just continue the conversations and elaborate on the lessons that students in sixth grade will be leading off with. So we're excited to partner with them in the upcoming weeks to develop those lessons that will then be integrated um in September as well. So, it'll be a nice trajectory um up until 8th grade. In high school, we're doing a lot of things. Um might take a little bit more time to mature, but we are having great conversations in the high school with um AI focused English electives and what could that look like at the high school level. So, we are working with Mr. Har, Dr. Murray, our awesome instructional coaches, um, and the English department to really think about where could we redesign some courses to make sure that we're integrating the influence of AI

054and literature and writing and communication. One thing that we identified very quickly is we want our seniors to have discussions around AI before they are off for college and their careers uh, next steps in the next, you know, coming months. And so, we've met a couple of weeks ago and we are putting together a high school panel around AI. Well, seniors will have the opportunity to engage in a panel discussion um with some experts that we're bringing into the district with some in influencers within the uh within the district that we have to just really talk about how will they see it in the workplace or in college, questions that they have around it. Um we want to make it very interactive for them and just give them something before they leave us to go

055in into the real world. So, we're excited about the opportunities and we're really hopeful so that you could see the strategic plan that we're putting together that it's going to touch K12. um hopefully with a big chunk of it being K8 next year. In terms of professional learning, um we've been really intentional about what we've offered to staff and when we've offered it to staff. We started in the fall of 2023, really putting things out there that had to do with AI. And we knew that everyone had different comfort level levels. So, we varied the offerings. We started off with book studies and then from there uh dove into advanced workshops with all different levels and we had a very large attendance from staff and worked on really building capacity from that and then that

056kind of springboarded us into inschool coaching. So once they felt a little comfortable through the book studies and some workshops then we saw our coaching cycles really starting to begin. Um, these opportunities gave teachers hands-on experiences and some practical strategies that they felt comfortable with their own practice, not necessarily yet doing it with students. Um, and then we were able to then go into other things like conference days and some other stuff that Kim's going to add. So in addition to inservice courses, while they're great and we have lots of teachers who take advantage of those professional learning opportunities, a lot of those opportunities happen outside of the workday. Um so we've also thought about being intentional about kind of embedding it into the workday. So in faculty meetings as well as curriculum Mondays, department

057meetings, grade level meetings, we have also embedded training and professional learning around AI. um so that all staff regardless of whether they were participating in you know extra uh classes gained exposure as well as training. So for example the district approved tools that we uh have magic school and diffit there's been explicit training. So the last two faculty meetings were focused on that. We looked at just the logistics of navigating the tool, but then we also looked at practical examples with differentiation and actually gave teachers time to sit with data, to sit with, you know, what they know about their students and then utilize those tools to then create targeted supports. So, they've had that hands-on time. We've also um the instructional coaches have also met with all of our building administrators to do also

058one-on-one training so that they also know how to support the teachers in their building and that they are also comfortable and using the same tools that their teachers might be using in their classrooms. Um in addition to that, we always have to be very creative about our touch points with how people get access to learning because their workday is filled with so many things and time just kind of passes you. And so we're always thinking of how to use creative ways to get people learning um about all of the new things and kind of stay up todate. So one of the other ways that we do that is every quarter we send out a bulletin and the bulletin kind of focuses on specific themes. We've done full AI themes where we focus on instructional resources

059and so forth. And the the bulletins are a little bit more broad and they go to all of our K12 faculty and staff. We also on more of a bite-size level do weekly technology tips. So every Tuesday is a Tech Tip Tuesday at 8 am. Um and so those will be focused on very practical tips with resources. It might have a screencast, it might have a website, but for things that teachers can try right away. So, we're hoping that between the professional learning opportunities outside of the school day, the ones that are embedded in the school day, as well as these little touch points that we're building capacity for our teachers, which will eventually trickle down also into when our students start to use this. And just to add on to that piece as well.

060So something important in the professional learning process is really teacher voice and choice and then differentiating for their levels, especially with something as new and dare I say controversial as AI sometimes in the classroom. I think our teachers rightfully so are all over the place with who feels really comfortable with this, who's really nervous about this. Um depending on your comfort with technology in general, it may be a more natural fit. So that's been really intentional throughout the professional development. It's one of the ways that um coaching has been so nice is to meet one-on-one with teachers in a place where it doesn't feel scary to say I don't really understand this. The building administrators through their faculty meetings have really offered differentiated levels uh to meet teachers where they are which has been really

061helpful I think in just gaining traction and support for the different tools. Um our coordinators meetings also have really been great. Um, Dr. Murray's worked with the coordinators to have them really connect with their departments, check in with them. What do they need? What's going well? What do they need more from us, from the building administrators, from the tech team? Um, and really being able to coordinate that way what each individual department needs so that they have a voice um in the process as well. I would say and just to add on that in addition to that as a constantly changing and new tools are out there, new platforms, new systems, new ways of using it, also having the ability being on the professional learning team for us to attend conferences to get our own

062professional learning on it of how we can turn key it and stay upto-date and current for the support of our faculty, staff and students. So that's been really important for us this year. the entire team got to go um to an AI conference which was really impactful and what we were able to bring back in turnkey then on a conference day was was great to see. So with all of that happening within the district we are not done yet. So as we mentioned several times today AI is super iterative and is going to change multiple times. Um but these are some of the things that we already have in place next year as our next steps. Um so we are working on a strategic plan right now. As you can see there's a lot going

063on around AI. a lot of discussions, a lot of great impactful work that has been done already, but we want to put it in one strategic plan that outlines all of this work so everyone can see what Ry has done over the last several years around AI and what are our future phases and goals for upcoming years um for additional lessons and training um and professional learning for faculty, staff and students. Um so stay tuned for that. Dr. Rury and I are working on that strategic plan. Um we are working on building also capacity for parents and so how can parents support their students around AI. So we're very excited. We have a parent university coming up um at the end of April for K12 and it's going to be a great discussion to just

064show what is available from our district perspective. How can we support students? How can we unpack what AI is for them so they can get an understanding of how it could be used appropriately. Um so we're really excited for that session um to happen and more to come. We are super excited for our AI institute that is coming up June 30th and July 1st. Um I think we're actually already maxed out of our teachers signing up for it. It was out for less than an hour on my learning plan and it's fully packed. We have a wait list. So we're very excited. But that is going to be a great day where we have our professional learning team teaching classes around AI, student use, teacher use. We have some great speakers from outside of the

065district that are coming. Um, so it'll be a really great way for teachers to start thinking about ways they can implement implement this and support creativity um and productivity for next year in their lesson plans and design. Um, and then as our coach just said, continuing around professional development in all areas. Our inservice classes will definitely have an AI focus next year, continuing our faculty meetings as learning sessions which have been huge. We just had one yes, was it yesterday? Feels like a week ago. um at the high school and I could speak to that because we we taught there but it was amazing to see the sessions of teachers spreading out learning from other teachers taking bite-size PD um and so every teacher yesterday in the high school got to rotate between two AI

066sessions and teachers were teaching them um so it was really great to see how they're using it superintendent conference day and just continuing with our coaching cycles so we have a lot on the table we're excited for these next steps and we're going to continue to grow AI across the district thank I got to tell you that's a lot. That's a lot of information and I was on the technology committee and so not it's not surprised not new but it's still it's a lot and um I I say that as a way of saying thank you because it is not new but new, right? It is exciting but scary. It is overwhelming but really cool and exciting. And so to be able to balance and manage all of those pieces and support our faculty and

067our administrators and our students and eventually our crazy parents like myself who are just like a um I I say thank you because um it's going to really there are parts of this presentation that are so exciting and so thrilling and there are parts of it that are like woo. Um, and so to help us manage that and and process all of that in a way where we can come out as a system better for it. Um, I appreciate and and thank you for that work. Um, I'll open it up for questions from others. I have some myself, but I'll wait. [Music] I had a quick question. Um, so I'll thank you. As Jane said, that's really um amazing what's been happening and the thought that's been put into all of this. On the student

068side, integrating it into the schoolwork um and their classwork. Um I like how each touch point where they're seeing it is very um applicable in terms of research and projects they'll be working in at the each grade level and throughout their um career in elementary and middle school. for the high schoolers. Um I see you're switching up the ninth grade English elective, but what about um is there a plan for introducing it to students who will already be beyond nth grade next year? We're working on that plan right now. We have a plan to as Caitlyn explained with our seniors before they leave. We want to make sure that they have exposure to some of these concepts. And so we're putting together um a ke there'll be a keynote speaker there with a with a

069panel discussion um and then we have to we have to do some some whether it's a seminar, a workshop, something for the grades that won't have that content. So we certainly understand that that's a need. Okay. Thank you. Yep. Uh thanks again for putting this all together. Um I know that you had touched upon uh making sure that we're using it to enhance or the students are using it to enhance their education versus do their work for them. What type of measures will you have in place to making sure that that's the case and that's happening? Is there are will you be looking at data or other ways of determining that they're using as an enhancement versus you know incorrect improper use. So I think in the very beginning it's really important for us to

070give or provide these foundational lessons for all of our students. And so making sure that we unpack the appropriate way to use it and what does it look like and putting systems in place like finding tools like a magic school that can put these safeguards in um in our lessons in our design. So we're not just saying to a child go on Chappie T, type in any prompt that you want and then just grab the information and regurgitate it. Right? So we want to make sure that we're teaching them the difference between being a critical thought partner. What does prompting look like? How do I ask better questions? how do I engage myself to think about is there another way that I could ask it the feedback that it's giving to me is it accurate

071is it right is there a bias behind what it's providing and so I think it may take time to go through all those different levels but starting at that foundation I think a lot of times when we talk about AI a lot of individuals think they know what they don't know when they think about AI and education and knowing that there are tools that can help safeguard and prompt kids to think in this critical capacity versus just putting them on a system that'll regurgitate information for them and we had this great conversation today at our coordinator's meeting to think about you know how is it how is it difference in a sense right from copying from a Wikipedia or a Google site and just copying chat GBT and it's it's copying is copying it's plagiarism

072right from whatever standpoint or tool that you're using but having the foundational knowledge and understanding of why are you doing it the reasons we don't do that how do you prompt yourself as a learner to get information that you need by asking good questions um I think is the foundation that we need to touch upon first So everyone has that understanding and I also think it's about every every teacher being really specific and some sometimes it'll be like per assignment right so on this assignment um no you're not using AI right you're not using it everything's going to be generated by yourself in terms of you know even brainstorming isn't something that is you know will be allowed some assignments they might be really specific and say use AI for these things and then so

073you have to kind of you might have to teach as we go along but it's a conversation were having a lot with um high school teachers specifically about um thinking about the ways in which you want students to engage with it and just being explicit with them on on what they should be doing and when they should be doing it and what they should never be doing. And to just give some context, an example in that um in an 11th grade English class, one of the English teachers that have been engaging in coaching cycles recently did an activity with students where they did use AI to help give um writing and feedback. And in the assignment, they had to submit their chat with the assignment. So you were able to see their authentic writing and

074then you were able to also see all of the work that they did to help engage and prime and produce like different iterations. So as they're refining how that's going to look with assignments, um this is just some conversations that the for example the English department in the high school is looking at and this was something that we did some work at the faculty meeting with I guess just one question I guess maybe specific to to magic school. I mean I have a bit of familiarity with the K migo which you know it it is more of a I mean it doesn't give you an answer. it sort of prompts you with well what do you think you know how would you go about the next step um I guess just the way that students

075are using magic school now is that a sim is it sort of a similar process it isn't the chat GPT style just provide full feedback exactly so it has a chat component but the chat component is within parameters so when a student logs on a teacher can launch something called a room and pre-seelelect which tools students have access to so for example If stu if a teacher for an assignment said you can brainstorm with Raina the chatbot when they launch that room to students they would also attach a grade level to it. So if I'm a fifth grader I am not accessing any information that would be beyond the appropriateness level for a fifth grade student because of the parameter that my teacher set. Um there are a ton of a ton of generators and

076tools and things but that are again targeted and are within parameters. So, it's really just not like, as Carol said, the wild west when they're going onto it. There's a lot of filtering that the teacher sets up prior to students accessing it. And they can even go as specific as including what the physical assignment is by uploading it into Magic School, uploading their rubric. So, it will help keep kids aligned to whatever the task is. So, it puts a lot of parameters in place to keep them not only on task, but to get them thinking and working. And as they're doing it, Magic School makes suggestions. Um, so it won't give them the answer. It'll give them ways to ask different questions to help them get to the answer as opposed to just going on

077to chat GPT and have it regurgitate information at you. [Music] So, first um I I just want to say how how fantastic this presentation is at the the depth and the specificity and clearly the enormous amount of work that you all have put in to get us to this moment where we're sitting here talking about this incredibly new form of technology that um changes every day as you said or practically every day. Um and the command that you all have of its functionality and how you're working with teachers and how you're you're trying to be so strategic about how students are going to use it is just amazing. So, thank you all very very much for all of that work. It's this is this is no nothing short of you know miraculous because I I

078do and and I and I say that in the sense that this is such a huge phenomena like it is and it's so new that um I I I just feel like we are we are positioned so well as a school district from from listening to this and hearing where we're trying to go and how we're being so thoughtful about it that that it just is it's very reassuring to me as a parent and sitting up here on on this board. So that's my first thing is thank you. Um I have little questions cuz there's this is a big thing I have to wrap my own head around. Um so how at this point how many teachers might like would be using like are we using magic school right or yeah right magic right now

079or are is that something that's coming? We are using it now started it very strategically when we when we invent any tool within the district. So it took a little bit while to acquire but that's cuz we went through all of the ed law 2D right parameters to make sure it was an approved tool when we started professional learning around it um because mag school is both student facing and teacher facing if it is just teacher we started it from the teacher lens just to get teachers and educators comfortable with thinking about differently how could I use this so it's not again replacing teaching it's just supporting efficiencies and time and as Kim mentioned differentiation small groupoup instruction how could it be another thought partner um so training really run around that lens of it

080first in many of our meetings first. Once teachers said, "Okay, I feel comfortable around this. I can wrap my head around this." The next step would be and then we started to launch our professional learning for students. I would say we have a lot of growing to do on the student end of it. But the real focus at first was the teacher lens to make sure that everyone had the foundation skills that they needed and then some to move us forward in that conversation. And are there maybe smaller groups or numbers of teachers that have used it with their um classes and at what levels? Yeah, so I know just from yesterday in speaking with DIFET in our high school professional learning, I mean last month I think we had over like 3,000 generations of

081DEFIT prompts from just teachers districtwide using it. So it really shows that they're using it in that thought partner capacity. Um do you guys want to talk about just to add so on I know um on the middle school side too at this most recent faculty meeting uh 15 teachers presented on how they're using it with students and that is a huge increase from the first faculty meeting where we just introduced it and we had them differentiate by level so they got to self- select level four of the four was I'm ready to use it with students and there were maybe five teachers in that group and so to see how they communicate with each other and have taken it um so that this faculty meeting was 15 was pretty amazing to see. So I

082would say that's the most amount of teachers we have actively using it in different ways in different capacities but um yeah and your elementary Yeah. Well, so I'd also say there's natural points of use. So I wouldn't say it's used in day-to-day instruction. I think teachers have found, wow, if I just want to present, even if it's as small as I'm looking for a more engaging way to hook my students onto this lesson, that's usually very boring, right? It could be as simple as that, right? It doesn't always have to be some long drawn out experience. But I think some natural use points that we've seen in the elementary school, at least aside from differentiation for small groups, has been with our authentic learning task initiative this year. It's been incredibly helpful for the teachers

083in their own brainstorming and planning to make sure that they're incorporating enough choice that they're incorporating all of these elements that make such a robust project. And then I think at the like for example in fifth grade with our capstone initiative that's kind of a place where we've seen some student use cases because it has just naturally fed into some of the student thinking, brainstorming, feedback and iteration just within that process. And the four top tools that have been used um in over the 60some rooms that have been launched have been the brainstorm it tool, the summarize it tool, the research assistant, and the prompt assistant. So teaching kids how to actually write a good prompt because if you don't have a good prompt, you're not going to have the results that you want. So

084the better the input, the better the output. So kids have been working on practicing that and then using tools like research, summarize, and brainstorm in their work. Great. And then for the AI institute is um how how what is the capacity like how many how many teachers are you able to have be a part of that? Uh so right now it's a two-day institute and I believe we have 40 participants uh signed up for that. Okay. It's at the Waynewright house. So we're super excited for that full day 2-day initiative. Um but then following that will be inservice classes over the summer into the fall next year. superintendent conference days, faculty meetings again will continue with that professional learning behind us for those that didn't get to join the institute. Um, and I'm sure there'll

085be opportunities for us to share out learning from that institute in other ways. Great. And how long is that waiting list? Yeah. How many people? How many? There's like 15. I'd say about 13 people alone. Yeah. 13 15. Yeah. And our access our barrier to access for like we're at 40 fire code capacity and like too many people. We'll probably get some people off the wait list. Just just wonder. I have a feeling but yeah. Okay. We'll add Jame. Well, okay. So, I got a couple of things. Not that I can't go too deep because it it's in my head. Um, one of the things so you just mentioned the summarize it tool. Yeah. Is that the student is trying to summarize create a summary or is it taking information and creating a summary for

086students? So it can be used both ways but in the parameter of what they're using it I believe it was through social studies they were taking research putting their own research in and it was helping them refine specific areas that they were um putting together for their project to help them come up with something a little more concise for their project. So it was the student doing the research, the student doing the writing and then using it as like a prompt to help refine what they need to either put in or pull out. So like an editor. Like an editor. Okay. Right. Which is great. Be and the reason I it kind of got me a little jumpy is because I have had conversations about uh using tools that are providing a summary in lie

087of independent reading. And so while initially when I was hearing all the AI stuff I was like you need to know how to write you need to you have to be able to. And then I was like, "What? What do you mean you're not reading?" Like, "What do" And so we've had some very um frank conversations in my home about my own guidelines and expectations. And so I just put it out in the universe as that is something that I'm really 100% sure you all are on top of. But because of my lack of understanding and knowing what is possible that for my own home guideline, that's part something we needed to talk about. Well, and that might be something to consider as part of the parent university. Um that what the tools that are

088being used currently in the classroom are very different from the straight chat GPT functionality. um and and to help parents understand the difference and why and and why you wouldn't want necessarily your child to be using chat GPT at home for for things that they're doing. you want them to use more of these the functionalities that are part of these other tools. Which takes me to my next question which is what is the student access at home on student devices related to magic school and diffit. Um so students wouldn't have access to diffic because it's just teacher facing so they don't have a login to that it's just for uh educators but for magic school it's through our Google single sign on through class link in the elementary and Google single sign on through uh

089high school and middle school students have full access to it right now currently in the district for chat GBT on a school issued account it's blocked so they don't have access to it that's not meaning to say that a personal account and off school Wi-Fi which we don't promote um couldn't happen, but everything linked to our Ry City School District account, they would have full access to it. And would that then Sorry, did I? No. Go ahead. So then how would the chat potbot portion of magic school you know because the part of the part of the um the help and giving parameters is that piece where the teacher can say no we're this you don't have access to x y or z and I'm putting you at this level is that also available no

090matter what so that's all driven by the teacher instruction when they set up magic school so it's almost like if you think about like a Google Classroom the interface like teachers have the ability to determine what they post, how they organize it, what they release. They can schedule assignments to go out on certain days. They have all access while Magic School offers like 70 different options. They can decide for my fifth grade classroom, I'm only offering these two tools within Magic School and that's what the student sees on their end. And you can substitute and replace and add as you grow throughout the year, but you can say, I'm just going to start with this one component. So, it's totally teacherdriven on that end in terms of what you're exposing your your students to, which

091goes in alignment to a lot of the lessons that we're designing. As they grow in their foundational skills and understanding of AI, we're going to start releasing more of the different tools that are available, but to start, we're going at the basic level. I'd also add that with Magic School, the tools are not necessarily in general to a class. They're specific to assignment. So for one assignment it might be appropriate for you to have access to three tools whereas another assignment maybe just one other tool. So it's not just like an open place. Okay, that's helpful. Okay. And then one last question which is um what are the ways that we're ensuring that our teachers, our administrators, uh our students are going to actually review the guidelines because we wrote them and now how do

092we make sure that you're reading them for use? So, one of the things that we did at our April faculty meeting in all of the five buildings is AI was part of that conversation in terms of the different tools and usage and we had teachers showcasing ways that they're using it before that started. Uh, every building discussed the AI guidelines in terms of like unpacking why they were written, how we're going to use them. And there was also a great survey that Dr. Murray helped us with that we linked there where teachers are providing feedback and comments to the AI guidelines. So, we're going through those now to think about what additional questions or messaging or information do they need or support with to be able to successfully implement this next year. Um, and then

093also to have student conversations of when it's appropriate. So, one thing we talked about at our coordinators meeting today was thinking about like our code of conduct and our handbooks and syllabus for next year for students and what does that look like and how explicit are we going to be for certain assignments when you can use it. And what does that look like are assignments that AI is just not allowed. And if you are using AI, how do you site AI? What does that look like? So those are all things we have outlined in our guidelines that we need to unpack with teachers who can then turn key it with students. And so h are those guidelines outward facing to to the public at this point? Not yet, but they will be. They're within so

094all the faculty the faculty is all aware of them. Administrators are aware of them. But that that's their next step though. Okay. Great. Anyone else? Uh, and I will say of course we have such fantastic presentation because this team has been recognized. Dr. Murray, if you want to speak about the recognition that some members of the team received. Absolutely. So, um, Caroline Caroline Bombay just received the TE award, which is tech. Thank you. The TE award is given out to um to educators who are you know passionate have an interest in instructional technology and she was given it for the um the instructional coach uh portion of the of the award and um and it just is a testament to all the work that she's been doing as you can see. I mean the I

095mean she and the whole team I mean they're Kaitlin's won the tell award I think Kim's won the award as well. I mean they're it's an award-winning group. It is an awardw winning group and and and it shows. Yes. And so again, thank you all so very much. This has been Leah's Leah's next year. That's right. That's what happens when when you sit when you sit next to greatness, right? It will happen. Absolutely. Well, thank you all very much. This has been wonderful. Appreciate it. Thank you. Okay, moving on. We have our Oh gosh, we have the hearing. Oh, see this is what happens. I get all excited. AI not paying attention. We have the hearing of the public on non-aggenda items. We welcome and encourage our community members to address the board at this

096time. Please come to the podium, state your name, address, and if you are representing an organization. To ensure everyone has the opportunity to speak, please limit your remarks to 3 minutes. The board is here to listen. The public comment period is not designed to be a discussion. So, please understand with that we may not respond to your we may not respond publicly to your comments or questions at this time. We take your comments seriously and may need more time to process or research an issue. We will ensure questions will be addressed by the appropriate staff member or possibly answered at a future board meeting. We will not entertain comments regarding individual students or district employees as these are protected under state and federal privacy laws. Please know we take personnel concerns very seriously on these

097matters. We would ask you to follow the appropriate administrative channels. As a reminder, the community may submit written comments at any time to the board by sending those to rcsd boardschools.org. Seeing no one from the public coming forward, we will move on to the Oh, sorry. Oh, yes, please. Certainly. Yes, please. You do. Name, address, and if you're part of an organization, please. Okay. My name is Phyllis Rothschild. I've been a resident of the city of Bry for 48 years. I have a daughter who graduated, and I have two grandchildren who are currently in first grade and fifth grade. So, that's why I'm here to see what's going on because this is all Greek. what you were talking about. Um, I taught for 48 years on the high school level, so I do have some

098connection to teaching and the expectations. And just to comment on the group, it was outstanding. They sounded all like they've been doing this their whole lives. Um, so I feel good about that and that they're concerned with how this thing will be introduced on the different levels because my granddaughter is in first grade. So how is this going to affect her? How is it going to be implemented? What are the expectations um by the time she finishes first grade, which obviously is in a month or two. Um, but my grandson is going into fifth grade. He has no knowledge of this. What are the expectations then for a fifth grader who's just starting this? By the time they finish that fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth grade, what are the expectations and what are the assessments that

099are going to be used at each grade level to make sure we don't lose anyone along the way. Um, that's my concern and introduce because there seems to be an awful lot that they're going to have to digest in addition to their regular curriculum. Um, and that's a lot to expect of the teachers to cover their curriculum set by state and also to incorporate the ability to use AI in a in an effective way. Um, so that's a that's a lot to get going. And then is there anything um in place for the new teachers that you will be hiring to bring them up to speed so they'll be ready in September? I'm not quite sure how many districts have embraced AI the way Ry has. So if you're getting teachers from outside, they have

100to be bring brought up to speed also um for September 9th big day. And um I have something else here. And uh new students obviously if they're new to the school district, they've just moved in. How do we get them on par with the other students in that grade level? Can't just throw them in. Um so those are the things that from a parent perspective, from a former teacher's perspective, um all these other pieces obviously will be addressed along the way as they come up. I'm sure faculty will come up with a whole lot of questions, but thank you all um for this. I have a headache now. [Music] I was at a faculty meeting. Thank you very much for your comments and certainly lots of things to consider as we uh move forward with

101this initiative as as with all initiatives and so always uh great opportunities for great thoughtful reflection and uh considerations as we go forward. So thank you. So we will move now on to the consent agenda. Can I have a motion to approve this evening's consent agenda? Sean Clapford, seconded by Tom Stein. Let's take a look at this evening's consent agenda. Consent agenda general consent agenda. Fiscal consent agenda. Oh, sorry. Fiscal construction and fiscal consent agenda. Professional appointments. Consent agenda. Classified appointments. Consent agenda. Pupil personnel services and special education. and consent agenda, curriculum, instruction and assessment. Okay, seeing no questions, can I have a vote on this evening's consent agenda? All those in favor, that's seven to nothing. So, on this evening's consent agenda, we have the adoption of the 2526 district budget, which means road

102show season can officially commence. Uh, and it will begin after break. And I know I uh look forward to the road show season as much as Dr. burn does and uh we'll be excited to get out there and meet meet and greet and chat and it's a great way to be able to talk and and interact with community members who don't always necessarily have an opportunity to come here and so we really do appreciate the time that everyone takes to engage with us and in the important work that's being done here at the district and at the board table. Um we also had an earlier pull out where we had our appointment of Dr. Patricia Murray is the next superintendent of schools. I will say uh been I I'm not reading but I'm getting a

103lot of lot of notifications. So I'm thinking that's a good thing. Uh all right we and what else did I have? I think that was really it. Yeah pretty you know we've got a lot of faculty movements Dr. a lot of good things happening. We're about to kick into personnel season as well. So we look forward to all of those great things that come. So, we will now move on to communications to and from the board. And we had some busy things this last couple of weeks. So, we'll start with the facilities committee March 18th update. Did we do that? I don't know. Did we? All right. All right. Never mind. Pretend like it's not there. And we're going to go to curriculum council then. And I believe Mr. Shibonoff is going to give us

104a report tonight. I would be happy to. All right. Um at uh uh the curriculum council we talked about um two new classes coming in. Uh one is journalism 2 um and that is a continuation from uh journalism 1. Um this is actually going to be a co-seated so both um both classes will be seated together and I think the way that um Mr. Ser uh described it. It's sort of like the journalism 2 students will be the editors and uh the journalism one students will be you know the journalists going out. Um very cool. It seems like they're going to be working with a number of different um you know mediums with whether it be podcast magazines um on on the website. Um and then the second one uh was on AP research and

105that is a continuation um it's part of the sorry it's part of the AP capstone program and this is a continuation of AP seminar which is a prerec um and this is really um these students are going to do a 5,000word paper a 20inut presentation to a panel of adults uh along along with 30 different sources and an annotated bibliography. So, um some uh real opportunity for critical thinking um and uh creative problem solving. Um and I guess those were just two uh two great examples of uh curriculum um expansion at work. Okay, great. Thank you. And Miss Bole, policy. So, on our April 2nd policy meeting, we spent um another good chunk of time discussing our code of conduct and reviewing it. Uh we're really taking a a very detailed look at the document

106and trying to um ensure that it is updated with things like our our referencing our AI guidelines and and um you know wanting to to make sure that we are hitting uh where we are now as a district because those are somewhat there's some of the very language that's very prescribed but there's also some where we have some uh leeway to to reflect what we are doing within our district. So, um we will have another meeting solely on the code of conduct happening after break where we hope to complete the review of the full document which should maybe allow it if not on April 29th for our next board of education meeting um May 6th to be one of the two to introduce it to the board so we can start the board review process

107um before the end of the school year. and the with the goal to complete the review so that it can be ready for July 1st for the start of the new fiscal year. Okay, great. Well, I look forward to that. All right, any other communications to and from the board? If if I could just add a note, traffic and pedestrian safety hosted the bike rodeo uh this weekend uh out by the science wing and over 90 students uh came and participated. Uh uh John Hawkins uh said it was a great time by all and a a terrific turnout and it did not rain on them. It was the nice part of the day when they were out there and they sure locked out. Wonderful. No cowboy hat though on the kids or on Got it.

108All right. All right. Anything else from the board? Nothing else from the board. Okay. So we will have a board meeting on April 22nd as dictated by the state regulations related to the Boseis budget and trustee vote. So that must happen on April 22nd. The only order of business on April 22nd at 9:00 a.m. at CAB will be this budget trustee Bose's vote. After that we will have our next regular board meeting on April 29th. As I said earlier, at 6:30 p.m., we encourage all members of the community to join us in a celebration of the appointment of our new superintendent of schools, Dr. Trisha Murray. And in the interim, we will have our spring recess, and we hope everyone has a wonderful break, and we look forward to seeing you all back here on

109the 22nd. Have a good night. Oh, no, we need to have an adjournment. Yes. All right. Who wants out? Oh, Mr. Shongh has made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Val Lapam. All those in favor. 7 nothing. Good night.