In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Patrick Fogarty, the founder of the New York State Artificial Intelligence Consortium (NYSAIC), and Daniel Friedman, Director of Educational Technology in Hicksville Public Schools, for this timely conversation about the responsible integration of artificial intelligence in K-12 education.

NYSAIC brings together administrators, teachers, researchers, and technology leaders who are working to move school districts beyond fear, hype, and one-size-fits-all vendor solutions toward ethical, practical, and student-centered AI implementation. The conversation explores how districts can build capacity, protect student data, support teachers, strengthen AI literacy, and create local solutions that reflect the real needs of schools.

Patrick and Daniel will also discuss the growing “builder mentality” among educators, including the shift from simply asking, “What AI tool should we buy?” to asking, “What can we design, test, and improve together?” Their recent conversation on AmpED to 11 highlighted themes such as local AI infrastructure, practitioner collaboration, custom instructional tools, and equity of access across New York State.

https://nysaic.org/

Find us on Twitter @NiagaraErie

Or visit our website E-NSSA.org

In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, we visit East Aurora Union Free School District to celebrate a powerful example of authentic, hands-on learning.

Superintendent Brian Russ joins the podcast to share the story behind East Aurora High School’s Sustainable Agriculture program, launched during the 2023–2024 school year on the district’s beautiful 107-acre campus, once family farmland. Rather than simply honoring the land’s history, East Aurora is bringing it back to life as a “living laboratory” where students learn through farming, animal care, composting, soil health, sustainability, food systems, entrepreneurship, and service to the community.

This episode also features 12th grader Maya Reynolds, along with the work of teachers Jeff Shelley and Ethan Hansen, who are helping students connect science, environmental stewardship, responsibility, business, and community in meaningful ways.

At its heart, this conversation is about what happens when public schools create learning experiences that are real, relevant, and rooted in place. East Aurora’s Sustainable Agriculture program reminds us that students can do more than study the world around them. They can help sustain it, improve it, and grow from it.

Find us on Twitter @NiagaraErie

Or visit our website E-NSSA.org

n this episode, I speak with Dr. Venu Govindaraju, SUNY Distinguished Professor at the University at Buffalo, Senior Vice President for research, innovation and economic development, and founding director of the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education. We discuss the Institute’s continued progress in supporting children with speech and language processing challenges through innovations such as the AI Screener and AI Orchestrator, along with the broader work of UB’s research in AI.

The conversation also explores UB’s growing leadership in artificial intelligence, the promise of Empire AI, and what these developments could mean for education, workforce development, and Western New York. This episode highlights how AI can be used for social good to improve outcomes for children, families, educators, and schools.

Find us on Twitter @NiagaraErie

Or visit our website E-NSSA.org