Allison Carey, the technology teacher at Piper Creek Elementary, and Rebecca Martin, an elementary teacher at Piper Prairie, presented the board with a program to expand technology integration in K‑5 classrooms.

The presentation explained why the district is building teacher capacity before scaling new classroom uses: the specialists described monthly staff challenges, after‑school trainings, and a plan for a formal coaching cycle to begin in the district’s third or fourth quarter. Carey and Martin said the work is intended to support the district’s learning goals and the “portrait of a graduate” competencies by helping teachers design lessons that use technology to develop creativity and critical thinking.

The presenters said they pursued additional certifications to support teachers: both are Canvas certified; Carey has a Canvas technical administrator certification and said she and Martin are pursuing Google coaching credentials. They also reported attending two AI conferences and said a central takeaway was to ensure any AI tools used at the elementary level are age‑appropriate and grounded in ethical practices.

To build teacher buy‑in, Carey and Martin described several concrete supports: monthly staff challenges that reward experimentation with classroom tech, after‑school hands‑on help sessions, and monthly newsletters that highlight tools and quick classroom tips. They said the Piper Education Foundation supplied funds to continue the staff challenge incentives.

Carey and Martin showcased classroom examples from both buildings: Seesaw units in first grade, Padlet use in a third‑grade communities unit, an interactive regional map and storyboard in fourth‑grade social studies, and Magic School AI in fifth‑grade inventor research. The presenters said a district gifted teacher developed an “interactive enrichment room” teachers can share on Canvas or Seesaw as an early‑finish activity.

The presenters said they will pilot a technology coaching cycle in Q3–Q4, and will continue training and modeling for teachers so classroom use transfers beyond demonstration into daily practice. "Good evening. I'm Allison Carey. I am the technology teacher at Piper Creek Elementary," Carey said when introducing the program; Rebecca Martin identified herself as the elementary teacher at Piper Prairie.

Board members praised the approach, noting the value of after‑school, hands‑on support and the emphasis on teacher vulnerability when trying new tools. Carey and Martin said they will continue to report progress to the board as the coaching cycle and teacher challenges proceed.

The presentation materials and examples cited Seesaw and Canvas as the district learning management systems, and referenced third‑party tools such as Padlet and image/AI tools used in classroom showcases.