In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, I sit down with Dr. Jonah Schenker, District Superintendent of Ulster BOCES and host of Leading for Deeper Learning, for a timely conversation about the future of public education in New York State.

At the center of our discussion is NY Inspires, New York State’s multi-year effort to rethink what it means for students to graduate truly prepared for their futures. Jonah helps unpack the major shifts ahead, including the development of a statewide Portrait of a Graduate, new approaches to credits and learning experiences, changes to diploma assessment requirements, and the movement toward a single New York State diploma.

But this conversation goes well beyond policy.

Jonah shares why meaningful transformation must be human-centered, placing students, families, educators, belonging, and access at the center of the design process. We explore the NY Inspires Playbook developed by Ulster BOCES, a practical resource designed to help school communities move from conversations about change to the actual work of redesigning teaching and learning.

We also discuss the power of student voice, the challenge of leading through ambiguity, the resistance that often accompanies meaningful change, and why simply layering innovation on top of outdated systems will never be enough.

As Jonah reminds us, policy alone does not transform schools. People do.

Whether you are a superintendent, principal, teacher, board member, or anyone interested in the future of public education, this episode offers both inspiration and practical ideas for moving from vision to action.

To learn more or to access the "Playbook" follow this link: https://www.ulsterboces.org/educator-edge-home/consulting-for-program-development-support/playbooks

Follow us on X/Twitter: @NiagaraErie

Learn more about the Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association at E-NSSA.org.

Find us on Twitter @NiagaraErie

Or visit our website E-NSSA.org

When we first sat down with the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI (CELaRAI), the IES-funded national center at the University at Buffalo was just launching. In this episode, I return to campus to pick up the story and see how far the work has come — and where it heads next.

I speak with Dr. X. Christine Wang, Professor of Early Education and Learning Sciences at UB, Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Graduate School of Education, Director of the Fisher-Price Endowed Early Childhood Research Center, and Principal Investigator for CELaRAI. Dr. Wang leads a team of ten co-principal investigators across six institutions — UB, Stanford, UCLA, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Michigan State, and East Carolina University — all united around a single conviction: that learning to read is a right, not a luxury. Her vision for the AI Reading Enhancer (AIRE) treats artificial intelligence as a partner to teachers, never a replacement, designed to give every K–2 child personalized, culturally responsive reading support during independent reading time.

I am also joined again by Dr. Kristen Smigielski, Project Manager for CELaRAI, whose work is grounded in inclusive education, teacher preparation, and social justice. A former kindergarten teacher and certified music educator from Western New York, Dr. Smigielski brings the classroom into every conversation about AIRE — reminding us that behind every design decision is a real teacher giving 110 percent and wishing for one more set of hands. She connects the center's research directly to what teachers need to feel empowered rather than overwhelmed.

Together, we look at what the team learned during its foundational year of listening to teachers, observing classrooms, and reviewing responsible-AI policy, and where the work heads next as AIRE moves from prototype toward classroom study. This is a story about Western New York leading the nation — and about keeping students and teachers at the center of everything AI can become in early literacy.

Learn more at https://earlyliteracyai.org/

Find us on Twitter @NiagaraErie

Or visit our website E-NSSA.org

In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, I am thrilled to speak with Dr. Kenneth R. Bossert, Superintendent of Great Neck Public Schools, who was officially sworn in as president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS) on June 28 in Cooperstown.

Elected by his fellow members to lead the organization this year after serving as president-elect the year prior, Dr. Bossert now guides one of the premier professional and advocacy organizations for public school leaders in New York State. NYSCOSS is an institution established in 1883 and dedicated to leadership training, member support, and policy advocacy.

He is only the second Great Neck superintendent to hold this role, following Dr. John L. Miller, the namesake of Great Neck North High School, who served in 1961–62.

Find us on Twitter @NiagaraErie

Or visit our website E-NSSA.org