On Tuesday, November 18th, educators from nine Kansas school districts came together at the University of Kansas for a collaborative professional development day centered on advancing the Center for Reimagining Education AI initiative. Lansing USD 469 was proudly represented by teachers and administrators from both the elementary and middle levels, all eager to deepen their understanding and build on the AI work already happening in our district.
Throughout the morning, teams were grouped by grade bands, giving elementary, middle, and high school educators intentional time to talk about what's working, share classroom examples, and identify barriers they’re seeing in their buildings. These conversations highlighted meaningful successes, such as time-saving tools, more effective communication, and creative instructional possibilities, while also recognizing the need for clearer guidelines, additional training, and more consistent implementation across schools.
In the afternoon, educators participated in a “County Fair” of breakout sessions led by CRE district leaders. Session options included chatbot creation, effective prompting strategies, AI guardrails and guidelines, success scorecards, district storytelling, and collaborative roundtables. This structure allowed participants to personalize their learning and take home actionable ideas to support their work. Our Director of Teaching & Learning Miles Azzeh led one of the sessions geared toward helping districts evaluate the effectiveness of their CRE projects.
For Lansing, the day further reinforced the momentum we’re already building around thoughtful AI integration. Our teachers and administrators walked away with new strategies, a shared language, and a clearer sense of direction as we continue moving forward. The event underscored the power of districts learning together and gave our educators a look at how ongoing collaboration will help shape the future of AI in Kansas education.