Superintendent's Updates

Dear Westport Families,

As we continue to endure this stretch of frigid winter weather I wanted to take a moment to share a number of updates. We have crossed the mid-point of the school year and our February Recess is just a couple of weeks away.

Winter Weather Decisions

It looks like we dodged a major blizzard this weekend. That said, our consulting meteorologist is predicting a series of storms and continued cold temperatures throughout February. Sorry to be the bearer of that news!!

Since this is the time of year when weather decisions tend to come up a lot, I wanted to share a bit about how those calls are made. When conditions require a delay or closure, I do my best to make a final decision by 5:30 a.m. This typically follows an early-morning regional call between 4:00–4:30 a.m. with area superintendents and our consulting meteorologist (the entire region uses the same service).

Whenever possible, I make the decision the night before, though that’s relatively rare as weather has a habit of changing its mind overnight. Many factors go into these decisions, including temperature differences across town, conditions from the northern side of town to southern side, and coordination with the town on road clearing.

February break may spare us at least one winter weather decision, but early forecasts suggest we may still be looking at snow on the ground well into March. Seems like the groundhog and meteorologists are on the same page…and winter is in no hurry to leave.

As always, thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate an old-fashioned New England winter together.

District Strategic Plan

Since the presentation of our AI Strategic Plan in November, several initiatives are now underway. All of this work is grounded in our commitment to being AI-Powered and Human-Centered, using technology thoughtfully while keeping students, learning, and well-being at the center.

Our guiding approach is simple: go slow to go fast. Rather than rushing new tools or expectations into classrooms, we are intentionally establishing ethical guardrails, clear expectations, and thoughtful preparation first. This allows us to support students and faculty responsibly, protect privacy, and maintain high academic standards as technology continues to evolve.

Several important foundations are already in place:

• A District AI Vision Statement, which describes how AI can support teaching, learning, and operations while preserving human connection

• An AI Code of Ethics, (currently in draft form) outlining clear principles related to student safety, privacy, accountability, transparency, and responsible use

• A comprehensive AI Strategic Plan, guiding work across instruction, operations, and professional learning

• A draft Board of Education policy on Artificial Intelligence, currently under review, with the goal of adoption this spring

Below are several key areas of work now underway.

AI Literacy for Students

Work has begun to develop a clear, developmentally appropriate K–12 approach to AI literacy for students, along with defined competencies for staff. Expectations and access will vary across elementary, middle, and high school levels to ensure appropriate and responsible use at each stage of development.

The goal of this work is to ensure that students understand how AI systems actually work, as well as their benefits and limitations. By building this foundational knowledge, students will be better equipped to think critically about AI, recognize potential challenges, including overreliance or emotional dependence, and use emerging technologies thoughtfully, ethically, and responsibly as part of their learning.

Academic Integrity

As generative AI tools become more common, the district is revisiting its Academic Integrity Policy, particularly for our middle and high school level, to ensure expectations for original thinking, effort, and learning remain clear and meaningful. This work is focused on preserving strong academic standards while helping students navigate new tools responsibly.

Future-Proofing and AI Trends

The district has also begun work to monitor emerging AI trends and engage community expertise. This proactive effort is intended to help us anticipate where technology may be headed and prepare thoughtfully, rather than respond reactively. Our goal is to host our first school/community AI Trends Group meeting in late March.

Screen Time Audit

When we developed our Strategic Plan we used a number of essential questions to help frame our thinking. One such question was, How do we maximize the power of AI and minimize screen time? That led to the development of an initiative that would audit screen time in our schools.

In support of our student strategic objective, Preparing Students to Think, Adapt, and Lead with AI, the district is conducting a screen time audit to better understand how technology use intersects with learning, well-being, and instructional design.

This audit is intentionally being conducted through multiple lenses to ensure a balanced and accurate picture:

1. Surveys of students, teachers, and families to gather perceptions and experiences related to screen time (the parent guardian survey will be administered after the February Recess.

2. A review of curriculum and instructional practices to examine the amount of screen time required by our curriculum and instructional methods.

3. An analysis of overall network usage patterns at the elementary and middle school levels to help quantify screen time in the aggregate. The district will use network tools, such as GoGuardian, to collect high-level, quantitative information about screen time. Because Staples High School operates under a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) model, this analysis will not be conducted at the high school level.

Importantly, this work is not intended to monitor or evaluate individual students or staff. The purpose of the audit is to inform thoughtful decision-making about instructional balance, technology use, and student well-being. In addition, this audit will help set a baseline for future studies on the topic of screen time.

Supporting Educators and Responsible Tool Use

Professional learning for educators continues to be aligned with the district’s AI vision and Code of Ethics. This ensures that any use of AI or digital tools in classrooms is intentional, ethical, and focused on supporting, not replacing, strong teaching and learning by our faculty.

Access to AI tools for staff remains controlled and supported, with broader access planned for next year alongside clear expectations, training, and ethical oversight.

I recognize that AI, technology use, and screen time raise important questions for families. My commitment is to continue moving deliberately, communicating transparently, and keeping students’ best interests at the center of every decision. I will continue to provide updates in manageable ways as this work progresses.

Thank you for your trust and partnership as we maneuver this evolving landscape together.

Sincerely,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools