Superintendent proposes five 2025-26 focus areas: school-to-work expansion, budget adaptation, AI academy and enrollment study

Superintendent Michael Hillman presented five draft focus areas to the Northfield Public School Board on Aug. 25 that he recommended the district prioritize for 2025-26: (1) expand career and technical education into a school-to-work program option for general education high school students beginning in 2026-27; (2) lead system adaptation in response to last year's priority-based budget reductions; (3) plan and run a district artificial intelligence development academy for staff; (4) conduct an enrollment study to understand why families open-enroll into and out of the district; and (5) continue work to increase belonging and engagement for BIPOC and other historically marginalized students and families.

Hillman said the school-to-work expansion builds on an existing program for students receiving special education services and aims to have partnerships, licensing and registration options available for the 2026-27 school year. He described progress made with the workforce center and the Chamber of Commerce to build employer partnerships.

On budget adaptation, Hillman told the board that following priority-based reductions the district must determine which tasks can be streamlined and where services must change. "We are doing this with fewer people," he said, adding that some measures of progress will be qualitative (leader rounding, staff surveys) because the work is organizational and system-level rather than a single measurable metric.

Hillman proposed an "AI development academy" modeled on the district's earlier leadership-development academy and drawing on local higher-education and community partners to teach both classroom and operational applications of generative AI, along with ethics and safety. He said the district would start with a cohort of about 20 staff who could then support others across the district.

The superintendent also proposed an enrollment study focused on families who open-enroll into Northfield and those who leave; methods would combine focus groups and surveys to identify perceptions and actionable steps. "We want to learn why over 400 people choose to come to this district from other districts," he said, and asked the board to expect public reporting of study results.

Board members supported aspects of the proposal but suggested refinements. Board member Amy urged adding consideration of later school start times for secondary students to the district's work and recommended a work session to examine logistics, transportation and community impacts. Board members discussed whether the enrollment study should wait until the reimagined high school opens, and Hillman said the study could yield useful information about perceptions and choices regardless of future facilities.

Several trustees agreed the AI academy is promising but asked for clarity that it is a staff development program rather than a student program; Hillman confirmed the initial academy is intended for staff and other employees across the district, with partner colleges and local professionals contributing content.

Hillman said these focus areas will return for board action at the next meeting and that he welcomed board direction on priorities.