Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice provides this update:
One of the most important questions facing education today is no longer whether artificial intelligence will shape the future. The more important question is whether we will prepare students to thrive in that future while preserving the wisdom, integrity, adaptability, and humanity that will matter more than ever.
Our response as a school district is embodied in the guiding principle of our strategic plan: “AI Powered, Human-Centered.” We believe our responsibility is neither to resist technological change nor surrender to it, but to lead thoughtfully through it. Doing so requires ongoing learning and dialogue among students, educators, parents, and the broader community. The updates below reflect several ways we are advancing that conversation together.
Strategic Plan Update – June 4 Board of Education Meeting
This Thursday (June 4), the Board of Education will receive a comprehensive update on the first year of implementation of our district’s strategic plan.
Over the past 18 months, Westport Public Schools has engaged in one of the most important conversations in public education: how to prepare students for a world being fundamentally reshaped by artificial intelligence while preserving and strengthening the uniquely human capacities that define an exceptional education. Our belief is simple: AI should not replace human potential, it should help amplify it.
The June 4 presentation will highlight the significant work completed during the first year of implementation, including:
We will begin the presentation with the voices that matter most, our students. A group of Staples High School students will share examples of their academic work using AI and discuss the opportunities, challenges, and future direction of AI in our schools.
In addition, the Board will receive the results of our district-wide Screen Time Audit, conducted in response to one of the foundational questions that emerged during strategic planning: How can we leverage the power of AI while minimizing screen time?
The audit establishes a baseline understanding of current technology use, stakeholder perceptions, and instructional practices. It will help guide future decisions to ensure that AI enhances learning, preserves human interaction, and reduces unnecessary or low-value screen time.
Community members are encouraged to attend the meeting or view the presentation online.
Parent Seminar: Raising AI-Ready Students — Learning, College, and Careers in a Changing World
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms education, higher education, and the workplace, many parents are asking important questions:
How should my child use AI? What skills will matter most in the future? How can AI support learning without becoming a shortcut around it?
To help families navigate these questions, Westport Public Schools is pleased to host a special parent seminar featuring Casey Cuny, the 2024 California Teacher of the Year, on Monday, June 22 (7 p.m., Westport Library)
“Raising AI-Ready Students: Learning, College, and Careers in a Changing World” will explore how artificial intelligence is already reshaping how students learn, study, and prepare for their futures, and how parents can help guide them toward thoughtful and responsible use of these powerful tools.
During this interactive presentation and Q&A session, Casey will discuss:
Casey is a nationally recognized educator and speaker who has advised educators, parents, and educational organizations across the country on the intersection of artificial intelligence and teaching and learning. His work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: AI should strengthen human potential, not replace it.
Whether you are excited about AI, concerned about it, or simply trying to understand it better, this evening will provide practical insights and a framework for helping your child navigate a rapidly changing world with judgment, integrity, and confidence.
We hope you will join us for what promises to be an engaging and informative evening.
Student Voices and Community Conversations About AI
One of the most important aspects of our AI work has been listening to the perspectives of students and engaging in thoughtful dialogue with members of our broader community.
Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in a series of conversations for WWPT, Staples High School’s student-run radio station. (A special thank you to the amazing Staples Media teacher Geno Heiter, and his talented team of student producers!)
During the evening, I interviewed 3 groups of students about artificial intelligence. Students shared their experiences using AI, discussed both their excitement and concerns about the technology, and reflected on how they believe AI may influence their future learning, careers, and lives. Their insights were thoughtful, nuanced, and incredibly encouraging.
I also had the opportunity to speak with Dan Bikel, a technology expert and member of our community, about the emerging field of agentic AI and its potential implications for education, work, and society.
These conversations exemplify the type of dialogue we hope to foster throughout our community: thoughtful, balanced, future-focused discussions that place learning, ethics, and human judgment at the center.
The podcast interviews can be accessed below:
Episode 1, Part 1 Student Interview
Episode 1, Part 2 Student Interview
Episode 1, Part 3 Student Interview
Dan Bikel Interview
Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to prepare students not only to navigate the future, but to help shape it.
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