Designed to meet the varied needs of school leaders in the rapidly evolving areas of technology, VAIS’ Technology Week encourages participants to dive deep through a week of virtual sessions that are aligned with the work they support.

One registration covers an unlimited number of school participants, and session recordings will be shared with registrants for future viewing.

All live sessions will take place from 9 – 10:30 AM each day.

REGISTER HERE

Sessions Include:

Monday
Educators’ AI Playbook:
Governing AI in the Year Ahead
Mark Orchison, 9ine
and Dan Fitzpatrick, edsembli

AI is appearing in classroom tools, productivity platforms, student workflows, vendor products and the wider digital environments students use every day. For independent schools, the challenge is shifting. Early experimentation has shown what may be possible. The next stage is deciding how AI should be governed, how staff and students should be supported, and how leaders can evidence that AI is being used safely, responsibly and in line with the school’s values. In this keynote, Mark Orchison and Dan Fitzpatrick will explore how schools can move from encouragement to expectation: not by forcing AI adoption, but by creating the conditions, behaviors and governance structures that allow AI to be used well. The session will help schools think clearly about the year ahead: what to encourage, what to expect, what to restrict, what to evidence, and how to build a sustainable model for responsible AI adoption.

Tuesday
Redefining Assessment in the Age of AI
Amanda Bickerstaff, AI for Education

Redefining Assessment in the Age of AI challenges traditional concepts of assessment and redefines the term for the era of Generative AI. Participants will reframe their understanding of assessment and consider how best to measure authentic student learning in light of the availability of AI technologies, gaining hands-on experience with practical tools and strategies that capture real-time student performance while limiting cognitive offload. We will explore Paradigm Shifts, GenAI’s Impact, AI-enabled Assessment, and Assessment Redefined. This session is ideal for educators, support staff, instructional coaches, and administrators who need to reimagine classroom assessments to preserve measuring student learning.

Wednesday
Practical Governance, Privacy, Security, and Liability
Hiram Cuevas, St. Christopher’s School
and Cameron Stoll, Chief Privacy Officer, Blackbaud

This interactive session explores key strategies for managing data privacy, cybersecurity, and legal liability within organizations. The session provides actionable insights into establishing robust IT governance frameworks, protecting sensitive information, and navigating the evolving compliance landscape in educational and enterprise environments. Anticipate interactive elements throughout.

Thursday
VAIS Homegrown Solutions
VAIS member schools

Discover how independent schools are solving unique operational and instructional challenges by building their own custom tools. In this fast-paced showcase, three VAIS member schools present innovative, house-made technology solutions designed to address distinct campus needs. Attendees will gain practical insights into the development process, the key problems solved, and how custom tech can streamline workflows or elevate learning experiences. Walk away with fresh inspiration and actionable ideas to adapt for your own institution.

• Campuswide Event Management Application with Teresa Gravely, Applications and Data Systems Analyst & Susan Fuhs, Director of IT Services, Norfolk Academy
• Gemini Notebook & Snorkl with Rachael Rachau, Instructional Technology Coach and Integrator, Collegiate School
• Copyright Coaching with Sheree Garrett, Librarian, St. Christopher’s School

Friday
What’s Running in the Background?
A Decision Lab for Technology Teachers
Michael Walker, Ed.D., Dynamic Decisions Coaching

How much of your decision-making is happening in the background? Technology leaders are accustomed to systems running in the background—processes they may not see but that continuously shape performance. Decision-making works much the same way. Cognitive tendencies, assumptions, habits, and team dynamics influence our decisions, often outside our awareness. In this interactive Decision Lab, you will work through a decision you are facing using the Decision-Making Triad™: Awareness, Practices, and Design, and practical tools, including the Decision-Making Preamble™, Decision Classification Grid, and Information Audit. You will bring your decision-making processes to the foreground and learn how to design important decisions more deliberately. Come with a decision. Leave with a path forward.