02:55The meeting began with the introduction of Valerie Rodriguez as the new principal for High School South. Rodriguez, who has served as assistant principal at the same school for three years, comes with a background as a mathematics teacher and coach from Princeton High School. Her appointment was part of a series of personnel motions that were unanimously approved by the board. The approval of these motions also included recognizing the retirement of Don Pintamali, a teacher resource specialist who contributed 26 years to the district.

06:02A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to exploring the district’s acceptable use policy, policy 2361, concerning the use of computer networks and resources. The director of technology presented a detailed review of the policy, emphasizing its role in governing student and staff interactions with school technology. The policy aims to ensure that school devices are used primarily for educational purposes while maintaining compliance with legal obligations like the Children’s Internet Protection Act. The director highlighted the district’s ongoing efforts to educate students and staff on digital literacy and safe practices, stressing the importance of preparing students for an evolving digital landscape.

27:49The introduction of a monitoring application to detect dangerous behavior among students was another focal point. This application monitors student accounts for signs of self-harm or harm to others, enabling timely intervention by the administration. The district clarified its stance on personal electronic devices, stating that while they can be used, they are not required, as the district provides necessary devices like Chromebooks and laptops.

21:20The board discussed the implications of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, on education. A board member inquired about the AI think tank initiative, which aims to understand AI’s impact on the classroom. The think tank, comprising administrators and educators, is focused on integrating AI into existing policies rather than creating standalone AI policies. Discussions included the potential for AI to enhance teaching and learning, balanced against the need to comply with privacy laws such as COPPA and FERPA.

32:09The board also delved into the Gaggle monitoring tool used to track student activities across Google-based products. Alerts from Gaggle are sent to principals and administrators when concerning behavior, such as threats or suicidal ideation, is detected. This system allows for continuous monitoring and timely responses to potential safety issues. The board recognized the challenges of integrating such tools while ensuring compliance with privacy laws.

46:31The meeting concluded with committee reports, including a review of the school performance report for the 2023-2024 school year. The Franklin Committee outlined upcoming summer meeting dates and discussed new teacher orientation. The curriculum committee proposed agreements for educational resources, including a digital reading platform for grades K-5 and data warehousing analytics. Revised curricula for subjects like discrete mathematics and marine science were also introduced. Professional development plans for AP teachers were presented, with further discussions scheduled for mid-July.