AI

A Visionary Leader

Dr. Alena Zachery-Ross: Leading the AI Frontier in Education

Dr. Alena Zachery-Ross, Superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools (YCS), is a visionary leader committed to integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the core of her district's educational framework, seeing it as a catalyst for equitable change. She is steering YCS to the forefront of the AI-driven world.

Pioneering AI Integration at YCS

Under Dr. Zachery-Ross’s leadership, YCS has achieved national recognition for its proactive approach:

HP AI Spotlight School: Ypsilanti Community High School became the nation's first HP AI Spotlight School, gaining access to cutting-edge technology and a new AI learning studio.
AI x Coherence Academy: YCS was selected for this prestigious program, ensuring AI initiatives are strategically aligned with the district's overall mission.
AI-Ready Graduate: The district developed an AI Addendum to its Mission Statement, committing to preparing scholars and staff "to be ethically informed, data-literate, and innovative contributors in an AI-driven world."

Focus on Equity and Ethics

Dr. Zachery-Ross’s approach is rooted in equity, providing access to transformative AI tools in underserved communities:

Closing Gaps: YCS ensures new tools do not reinforce biases by using a "keeping humans in the loop" strategy and reviewing data.
Professional Development: She prioritizes training, such as the "Monday Morning Playground," to foster AI literacy and empower educators to effectively integrate technology.
Ethical Use: The district teaches students the importance of transparency and responsible use, encouraging them to view AI as a "thinking partner."

A Transformational Leader

Recognized for her successful school district turnarounds, Dr. Zachery-Ross’s leadership philosophy emphasizes authenticity, vision, and support. She views the AI landscape as an opportunity for educators to learn alongside students, creating a collaborative environment where innovation can thrive and fundamentally shaping a future-ready educational ecosystem at YCS.

Dr. Alena Zachery-Ross on Mentorship, Equity & the Power of Staying the Course - YouTube

"ChatGPT is just a tool to help us do a better job" Dr. Sanchez, Rebecca Cooksey, & Dr. Zachery-Ross

AI at Ypsilanti Comminity Schools

Ypsilanti Community Schools (YCS) is actively embracing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance both student learning and operational efficiency.

YCS has positioned itself as an AI pioneer, focusing on responsible, ethical, and equitable integration of the technology.

Key AI Initiatives and Components:

HP AI Spotlight School: Ypsilanti Community High School has been designated as the nation's first HP AI Spotlight School, an initiative focused on leveraging AI for enhanced student learning and career readiness.
AI Learning Space/Lab: The High School has a cutting-edge AI Learning Studio equipped with high-powered workstations and audio-visual equipment, supporting complex computations and AI solutions. This lab is a collaboration between YCS, HP, Microsoft, Intel, and Digital Promise.
- Students use a variety of tools, including ChatGPT/Generative AI, NotebookLM, Gemini, and educational tools like Read&Write for Google.
Curriculum and Instruction:
- Students are taught how to use AI properly, not just for cheating, but as a "thinking partner" to develop creative ideas and enhance learning.
- The curriculum focuses on AI literacy, including how AI works, its impact on society, and problem-solving skills, and also emphasizes the ethical use of AI, teaching about bias, misinformation, and privacy.
Operational and Staff Support:
- The district has developed an official AI Framework with 7 Principles that guide all AI implementations, emphasizing ethical foundation, student-centric design, and data privacy.
- AI is used to enable adaptive, personalized learning, expand tutoring and translation access, and improve data-driven decision-making.
- The district is committed to ongoing professional development for educators on when, why, and how to use AI tools responsibly.

YCS aims to integrate AI into teaching, learning, and operations to prepare students and staff to be ethically informed, data-literate, and innovative contributors in an AI-driven world.

You can learn more about Ypsilanti Community High School's new lab and the use of AI in this video: How AI is Transforming Learning at HP AI Spotlight School. This video provides a look into the AI Learning Studio and includes interviews with district leaders and students on how the technology is being utilized.

In Digital Promise's latest blog post, Dr. Zachery-Ross reflects on her first year as a member of the League of Innovative Schools, where she’s found a responsive professional learning network that aligns with the needs of Ypsilanti Community Schools and her leadership goals.

From addressing the unique challenges of a transitioning district to launching a cutting-edge AI learning studio, we've experienced real, on-the-ground change through partnership, collaboration, and shared purpose.

Read her reflections: https://digitalpromise.org/.../league-leadership.../

#DPLIS #EdLeadership #k12education #leaders #education

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