By Linda Conner Lambeck
WESTPORT — Collaborative problem solving is out as a pillar of Westport public schools’ strategic plan. Artificial intelligence may take its place.
Three years after the Board of Education approved an ambitious plan to focus on student well-being and teaching how to solve problems collaboratively, Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice has called for an abrupt course correction.
“I recommend that the district embrace a bold and transformative vision to: Harness the exponential power of artificial intelligence and position the Westport public schools as a national leader in public education’s AI revolution,” Scarice told the board in a memorandum that was discussed at length during a school board meeting last Thursday.
Scarice called the new priority not merely an opportunity, but a responsibility that could position the district to help set the standard for AI use in education.
Westport public schools “can seize this moment to establish itself as the model of excellence in public schooling in the age of AI,” Scarice said.
“I recommend that the district embrace a bold and transformative vision to: Harness the exponential power of artificial intelligence and position the Westport public schools as a national leader in public education’s AI revolution.”
Supt. of Schools Thomas Scarice
Most board members had questions.
“Explain this as if we are 5 years old,” said board Chair Lee Goldstein. “AI is a big thing … I guess I don’t really get it at all.”
Some agreed AI is a phenomenon that needs to be addressed, but weren’t sure it rose to the level of an overarching district goal.
“I don’t really understand how it’s a strategic initiative rather than just an initiative,” said board Vice Chair Dorie Hordon.
AI is fast moving. Strategic plans take time. “We would have to be beyond nimble,” Hordon said.
Board member Robert Harrington, however, couldn’t mask his enthusiasm for the idea. “We have you in place as the superintendent … to push harder, to think bigger and ultimately dream bigger,” he said. “That to me is strategic.”
Harrington said while the plan may not be perfectly articulated, he wants it as a central part of the district’s marching orders.
“We have you in place as the superintendent … to push harder, to think bigger and ultimately dream bigger.”
Board of Education member Robert Harrington
Since 2021 — at Scarice’s urging — district staffers have worked on an overarching plan to make students feel better about themselves and work together to solve problems.
The first effort is well underway with efforts on several fronts to incorporate social-emotional learning into student’s daily school lives.
The district has made strides in giving students more of a voice and leadership opportunities.
And CJ Shamas, a Staples physical education teacher, gave the board a detailed presentation Thursday on how teaching growth mindset — a belief that abilities can be developed through effort and persistence — is being imbedded into the typical school day.
At least 15 teachers in the district have adopted the use of growth mindset for teaching personal goals.
“I fundamentally truly believe to my core in this work,” Shamas told the board. “To me, it is the most important work I will do in my career.”
Two other areas of the current strategic plan, meanwhile, have hit snags.
Scarice said he is delaying his proposal to create a Center for Leadership Development, an initiative he chose to lead.
As passionate as he is about the leadership objective, Scarice said he bit off more than he could chew in terms of creating a physical center in the short term.
Too many other district responsibilities, including revamping the district’s Code of Conduct and redistricting, got in the way, the superintendent admitted.
Harrington urged him to stay the course.
“Don’t backtrack,” he said about plans to establish a physical center for leadership. “I think it’s a really good vision.”
“Explain this as if we are 5 years old. AI is a big thing … I guess I don’t really get it at all.”
Board of Education Chair Lee Goldstein
Board members seemed to have few objections to dropping the collaborative problem-solving pillar.
Seamlessly weaving the concept into the curriculum has proved to be more than staff could deliver. The district team tasked with fleshing out the process stalled in its efforts, according to Scarice.
He hopes to salvage collaborative problem-solving as part of a new AI focus.
The pitch
The influence of AI is unlike anything society has ever experienced, Scarice told the board.
Generative artificial intelligence — the type of AI that can create new content, such as text, images or videos — needs collaborative problem-solving to make it effective, Scarice said.
Although Generative AI tools are already being used by faculty and students, Scarice said an overarching strategy is needed to harness its use and set guardrails to ensure that academic and thinking skills are authentically taught, assessed and mastered.
“What is considered efficiency in the workplace, is considered cheating in the classroom. A healthy measure of reconciliation between these two must evolve,” Scarice said.
Now is the time to figure it out, he added.
While many remain suspicious of AI, Scarice said sentiment is shifting. Users are beginning to embrace its ability to boost creativity and focus on what is important, he said.
Scarice said it is up to the school district to figure out how AI can be used to enrich cognitive development rather than supplant it “This, I do believe, is the right work,” he said.
Scarice doesn’t see a focus on AI as conflicting with a district cellphone ban, should it occur.
“Generative AI represents a powerful, intentional tool for learning, creativity and productivity. Smartphones, by contrast, are often sources of distraction, reducing students’ ability to focus and engage deeply in academic tasks,” Scarice said.
“The whole thing seems very big … I can’t wrap my head around what is the next step.”
Board of Education Member Abby Tolan
Banning smartphones, Scarice maintains, would create an environment where technology is used with intention and meaningful purpose rather than passive consumption, he argues.
Since last spring, Scarice has dropped hints about imposing an outright ban on smartphones at school. He has not yet to make a formal recommendation to the board. Earlier this month, he told the Westport Journal he was waiting to see how neighboring Wilton’s total ban pans out.
In addition to the academic side, Scarice sees AI being used in the operational side of the school district to create efficiencies in the area of finance, transportation and human resources.
“The whole thing seems very big,” said board member Abby Tolan. “I can’t wrap my head around what is the next step.”
Scarice said that is why he wants to engage groups like Startup Westport, a public-private partnership of entrepreneurs, to help in the effort.
Board member Kevin Christie said he doesn’t want to see other initiatives suffer in the pursuit of getting a handle on AI.
If choices are to be made, Harrington said he would sacrifice some social-emotional learning time in favor of AI. Hordon said she would, too.
Scarice said he plans to bring the issue back to the board after the 2025-26 budget proposal is set in February with details about an AI initiative.
Freelance writer Linda Conner Lambeck, a reporter for more than four decades at the Connecticut Post and other Hearst publications, is a member of the Education Writers Association.
Complete word salad from the superintendent, at least as relayed here. What precisely is he trying to accomplish? I’m sure students are already using AI to write papers, so they are probably a step ahead of him – and, call me crazy, but that eroding respect for intellectual property and critical thinking is probably not a good thing.
I thought the BOE set policy and instructed the the Superintendent to implement it?
How about investing the school’s pension funds in crypto, while we’re dealing with half-baked tech with unfortunately broad implications.
I’m not part of the “can’t we just go back to teaching ’em to read and write” crowd, but it would be nice to see us keep our eyes on the primary purpose of our schools.
I asked an AI system about the hypothetical use and cost of introducing AI in to an 8000 student school system: The sustainability of daily AI use in a school system with 8,000 students depends on several factors, including the scope of AI implementation, the energy efficiency of the AI systems, and the school’s access to renewable energy sources. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Scope of AI Implementation
• Simple AI Tools (e.g., chatbots for student queries, automated grading): These require relatively low computational power and could be run on existing infrastructure with minimal additional energy costs.
• Advanced AI Systems (e.g., personalized learning platforms, predictive analytics): These might need cloud-based processing or high-performance servers, which consume more energy.
2. Hardware and Infrastructure
• Local servers or on-premises systems are generally less energy-efficient than cloud-based services, as they require constant maintenance, cooling, and electricity.
• Cloud-based AI solutions offered by major providers like Google, Microsoft, or Amazon often run on energy-efficient, large-scale data centers, many of which are increasingly powered by renewable energy.
3. Energy Costs
• Cloud Services: Many cloud providers include the energy cost in their subscription fees, and their economies of scale can reduce overall energy usage per computation.
• On-Premises Systems: If the school system maintains its own AI hardware, energy costs for powering and cooling servers would likely increase utility bills significantly.
4. Energy Efficiency of AI Models
• Smaller, purpose-built AI models consume significantly less energy than large, general-purpose models like GPT-4.
• The energy efficiency of AI systems continues to improve, with newer hardware and software optimizations reducing energy demands.
5. Cost Estimation
• If each student interacts with AI systems for learning or administrative purposes daily, and these systems rely on cloud computing:
• Energy Usage: The cost will primarily depend on the number of AI queries processed and the computational power required for each interaction.
• Financial Cost: For 8,000 students, annual costs could range from $50,000–$300,000, depending on the intensity of AI use, subscription plans, and server usage. Cloud providers often provide discounts for educational institutions.
6. Sustainability Strategies
• Renewable Energy: Schools could invest in renewable energy sources (e.g., solar panels) to offset additional energy costs.
• Efficient AI Tools: Use specialized AI tools optimized for education to reduce computational and energy requirements.
• Policy and Scheduling: Implement AI during specific times or on-demand to reduce constant energy usage.
Conclusion
Introducing AI into a school system for 8,000 students can be energy-sustainable if:
• The infrastructure relies on efficient, renewable energy-powered systems.
• The AI applications are tailored to educational needs and optimized for energy efficiency.
However, it will require careful planning and investment to balance the benefits of AI with its associated energy and financial costs.
The Artificial Intelligence analysis, as you might imagine, went on much further and suggested that the cost estimate per student would be $3000 to $5000 in subscription and anergy consumption.
It suggested one should examine quite a range of current projects… a few of the largest are apparently active in India and China. Those which focused on student learning (as differentiated from easing administrative tasks) seemed to be intensive evaluation, prescription, and tutoring models.
Thinking about how the Westport community values creativity in the performing and fine arts, athletic achievement, fostering leadership in community endeavors, etc. I don’t see how AI systems could helpful. They might even discourage inventiveness and originality As an educator who understood and practiced a Socratic discussion regimen and encouraged a constructivist approach to learning, I can’t see a seamless or easy fit with AI in the Westport schools.
It’s a catch phrase we need to latch onto at any cost. Westport Schools can not be bound the theoretical constraints of mere human intellect, westport is above that. They know what they’re talking about, firm grasp
It’s a distraction from the head lice infestation!