District lays out AI strategy for K–12 classrooms centered on privacy, training and purposeful use

Colleen Beck Ungarski, the district's Director of Educational Technology, presented the district's AI approach to the board on Sept. 1, laying out policy, training, and product‑selection steps intended to protect student data and support classroom use.

Ungarski said the district treats AI as an instructional tool to be brought into K–12 classrooms only after a multi‑step vetting process: determine need, validate technical integration, review data privacy and security, secure data‑sharing agreements and AI addenda with vendors, and then train teachers before granting access. "I am Colleen Beck Ungarski. I'm the Director of Educational Technology," she told the board before outlining the position statement that "artificial intelligence does not replace human intelligence." She emphasized data security, intellectual property, and the risk of hallucinations as reasons for strict vetting and ongoing evaluation.

Ungarski noted three approved programs for district staff — Magic School, Microsoft Copilot, and Gemini Notebook — and described classroom examples where teachers assign specific AI tools for targeted lessons to prevent unguided use. She said student access is controlled by teachers and that early rollouts require training and an annual evaluation plan. Board members pressed for measurable success indicators and more community outreach to students, families and local employers; one board member recommended engaging businesses to align workforce needs with classroom skills.

Why it matters: As AI tools spread into education, the district's choices about vendor agreements, training and community engagement will determine how the technology affects student privacy, instruction quality, and workforce preparedness.