Superintendent's Updates

Dear Westport Families,

As we bring another successful school year to a close, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our parents and families for your extraordinary support. Westport is a community deeply committed to its children and its schools, and the level of partnership, care, and resources you provide is truly exceptional.  High expectations with high levels of support...truly a winning formula!!

This year marked the first year of implementing our district’s strategic plan. Much of that work happened quietly and intentionally behind the scenes. We embraced a “go slow to go fast” approach because meaningful change requires thoughtful preparation. The work behind the scenes was remarkable.  

Over the course of the year, teams of educators helped lay important groundwork for the future. They refined our district vision, strengthened our Code of Ethics and Academic Integrity expectations for a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, and developed our AI literacy curriculum. They also continued important conversations about future readiness, student voice, growth mindset, and healthy technology use.

As I have shared throughout this process, our work did not begin with technology. It began with purpose. It began with essential questions that matter deeply: What knowledge, skills, and dispositions will our students need most? What should remain uniquely human? How do we prepare students for a future we cannot fully predict while ensuring innovation serves our values, not replaces them?

Our mission is not simply to prepare students for college or careers, but to prepare our students for the world they will inherit.  And yes, fulfilling that mission includes preparing students for a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. This is not simply an innovation initiative; it is part of our moral responsibility to prepare students thoughtfully, ethically, and humanely for their future.

Earlier this week, we had the privilege of welcoming Casey Cuny, the 2024 California Teacher of the Year, to Westport. Casey spoke with our faculty during the day and with almost 90 family and community members at the Westport Library that evening. His message was powerful because it reinforced what we believe deeply: technology should never replace the human relationships, creativity, critical thinking, communication, and care that define great teaching and learning. When used thoughtfully, however, emerging tools can help us personalize learning, strengthen feedback, expand student thinking, and support educators in unprecedented ways as they focus on the work that matters most.

Below, I am pleased to share links to Casey’s community presentation at the Westport Library, and two additional 70 North Conversations featuring my interviews of Casey and several of our Westport educators. I hope you will take some time over the summer to watch or listen.

Casey Cuny's Community Keynote at the Westport Library

https://youtu.be/nSZwTo3JoTs?si=ZNrc4NskPS_DCeew

 

"70 North Conversations" Podcast with Casey Cuny, Amanda Moitoso (GFS Gr 2) and Suzanne Propp (GFS Music)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16r0fZ0QLWL1QNLZqyLSonTvAkn8Mh2yP/view?ts=6a3afd21

 

"70 North Conversations" Podcast with Casey Cuny, Rob Rogers (CMS 7th Gr Social Studies) and Phil Abraham (SHS Math)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SVfzv7cSwIsRhRUvSfp3-ZJOBxVKaazM/view?ts=6a3afd21

 

Because of the thoughtful work completed this year, we enter September from a position of strength. We have a clear vision, thoughtful guardrails, growing educator expertise, and a commitment to ensuring that innovation serves our values rather than replaces them.
 
 I leave this school year with tremendous optimism. Thank you for the many ways you support our schools, our educators, and most importantly, our students.
 
 I wish you and your families a very restful and healthy summer.
 
 Sincerely,
 
 Tom Scarice