Superintendent and CEO of Hartford Public Schools, Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez shared her experience at our inaugural Playlab AI Professional Learning Community last week. Playlab enables a global community of educators, students, and organizations to transform education with AI. They use Playlab to build AI literacy, explore possibilities and risks, and create tools that reflect their values and needs.
The goal has been clear: drive innovation through those closest to the work—our educators and administrators who understand the challenges and opportunities in the classroom. The learning sessions, composed of teachers, school administrators, and district staff, have developed 38 AI-powered tools focused on:
Personalized Learning – Using AI to tailor instruction and support diverse learners.
Efficiency & Productivity – Streamlining lesson planning, grading, and administrative tasks.
Student Engagement – Leveraging AI-powered apps and tools to make learning more interactive.
Access & Opportunity – Exploring how AI can help bridge learning gaps and create more inclusive experiences.
This initiative is about more than just AI—it’s about empowering our educators to be creators of technology, not just consumers. Next month, March 2025, through a train-the-trainer model, cohort participants will share their expertise across the district, ensuring AI literacy reaches even more educators.
A huge thank you to our educators who embraced this challenge with curiosity and creativity! Kudos also to Matt Kelley, Jordan Wissinger, assistant principal at Hartford Public High School, Daisy Torres-Hill, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, Sean Tomany, principal of University High School of Science and Engineering, Evelyn Mendoza, principal of Sanchez School, Erin Wilson-Ruff, principal of Annie Fisher STEM Magnet School, and Dr. Jessica Fitzgerald, principal of Great Path Academy, for trusting the vision and helping shape the future of learning!
