Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Welcome back! The days are getting shorter and there’s a new chill in the air, signaling the end of summer. We know that for many of you the past few months have been a blur of preparation for the new school year, but we hope that you all were able to take some time to rest, reboot, and recharge for opening day and beyond.
This summer I had the pleasure of meeting one-on-one with many of the ECLC superintendents. I learned so much and was deeply impressed by the bold, innovative work these leaders are taking on. The energy was palpable—almost contagious—and it left me eager to launch the 2025–26 school year.
For our team, the new year began with our standing room only, two-day Summer Institute “Staying Human in the Age of AI.” More than 200 people from across the state joined us, and for the first time we had to add a few last minute registrants to a waiting list. (Find yourself and your colleagues in this photo gallery from our talented photographer, Tracey Westgate.)
We were thrilled to partner with Project Adventure, whose beautiful campus and thoughtful co-design support helped us weave rigorous, meaningful content with reflective, sensory activities that deepened learning. We collaborated with Day of AI, the MIT-affiliated organization co-founded by former DESE Commissioner Jeff Riley for a keynote and breakouts to introduce a variety of educator- and student-facing tools. Mel Sellick led the plenary session on Day 2, reminding us to prioritize our relationships and our humanity as we encounter and begin to leverage the new technology. Other sessions included Susan Shapiro in an animated workshop on the intersection of AI and Special Education, and a panel of ECLC educators about their experiences with student- and teacher-facing AI tools. We are grateful to each and every guest faculty member – and to every attendee who came with their thirst for learning. And we are grateful beyond measure for the support of the Peter and Elizabeth Tower Foundation, the Barr Foundation, and the Essex County Community Foundation for making this work possible.
AI is truly everywhere, and we were glad to connect with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education earlier this summer to hear how they are thinking about its use. Just this week, they released Massachusetts Guidance for Artificial Intelligence in K–12 Education—a rich, actionable resource designed to help district leaders make informed decisions about how to engage most effectively with AI. We cannot wait to dig into it, and would love to know what you think.
This is going to be an exciting year for Power of Place. We are thrilled to be the new home of the Teacher Collaborative (TTC) and its Senior Director, Diana Lebeaux, who officially joined us in July. And In the next couple of weeks, you will be able to choose from a variety of upcoming ECLC and TTC learning experiences, as well as several year-long opportunities. Keep an eye out for more information – we will share the latest in this biweekly newsletter, and over email. Be sure to bookmark the PoP homepage so you can always see the latest on our calendar.
One of our greatest joys is seeing educators come together across Essex County and beyond. Educators too rarely get the gift of protected time together, away from the daily mayhem of school life. As you forge new relationships across districts, we know you’ll see yourselves as part of a larger community of practice—a neighborhood, if you will—that will be there in good times and bad, to support your growth. That spirit of learning and growing in connection is what Power of Place is all about.
For those who have been with us on this journey all along, welcome back. And to those of you who are new to Power of Place, I want to warmly welcome you to our community. We are excited to move forward with you, together.
With warmth and deep appreciation,
Jane
Read the full newsletter here.