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ambiguity, the resistance that often accompanies meaningful change, and why simply layering innovation on top of outdated systems will never be enough.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

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

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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/

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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.

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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/

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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.

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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.

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In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, we highlight one of the Grand Island Central School District’s and Tonawanda City School District's most meaningful early literacy initiatives: Growing Readers. Launched in 2018, this community-based effort helps place free books into the hands of families during well-baby visits, encouraging parents and caregivers to begin reading aloud to their children from the very start.

This conversation explores how early literacy, strong family connections, and community collaboration can work together to build a lasting love of reading in young children. Our guests discuss the origins of the initiative, the importance of reaching families before children enter school, and the powerful role that schools, pediatricians, libraries, Rotary, and community partners play in supporting language development and literacy.

Featured guests include Cheryl Cardone, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services for the Grand Island Central School District; Stephanie Anderson, principal; Maureen Roussi, early childhood educator; Faye Teluk, President of the Grand Island Rotary Club; Sarah Infante, Assistant Superintendent for the Tonawanda City School District; and Bridgette Heintz, Librarian Director II at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library branch on Grand Island.

Together, they reflect on why investing in babies, toddlers, and families is one of the smartest and most hopeful things a community can do.

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Public schools do far more than teach academics — they often serve as the heartbeat of a community. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jacob Reimer, the Superintendent of Barker CSD and school counselor Allison Finitz as well as Andrea Gray from the United Way to share the story behind Barker’s Care Closet and the broader network of support services now available to students and families.

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