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Shawnee Mission technology team outlines cybersecurity gains and an 'intentional, metered' approach to AI in classrooms
Summary
ICT leaders reported near-95% compliance on device OS versions, described infrastructure and staffing improvements, and said the district will guide responsible AI use through teacher training, a district guidance document and phased pilots rather than an outright ban.
The Shawnee Mission School District's information and communications technology (ICT) team briefed the board on operations, cybersecurity and early plans for artificial intelligence use in classrooms.
Dr. Stubblefield introduced the ICT presentation and said the team's work supports the district's strategic goals. ICT staff reviewed three work groups: customer service (help desk and endpoint management), data and programming services (reporting and compliance) and engineering/networking/cybersecurity. Presenters said standardizing operating-system versions helped improve security and reliability; the presentation reported "nearly 95% compliance across the board on those versions." The team also described E-Rate synchronization and a strategic infrastructure refresh to modernize networks and communications systems.
On classroom AI, ICT leaders said the district will take an "intentional and metered" approach. Mister Lane told the board the district aims to do due diligence on privacy and terms of service, to educate teachers first, and to pilot tools before broad adoption. "Intentional and metered," he said, "I think I would start with those descriptors of the approach we're attempting to take when it comes to AI." Jenny Collier, instructional technology coordinator, said the district has created an instructional tech cadre with one representative per building to support teacher learning and to scale consistent guidance across schools.
Collier said guidance focuses on teacher learning and on structuring classroom workflows so teachers can spot potential misuse; she warned that AI-detection tools produce false positives and that detection systems must be used carefully. The district's early guidance also emphasizes conversations with students about how to use AI responsibly; Collier said students told the advisory group they want instruction on how to use those tools.
Board members asked about staffing, recruitment and retention for ICT; presenters said they seek candidates with people skills and a commitment to working in education, and noted efforts to create career paths and internal promotions to retain staff. The board also discussed cybersecurity tabletop exercises and preparedness work for instructors.
Next steps: ICT will continue action-team work on AI guidance and teacher professional learning, maintain infrastructure refresh planning, and return with recommendations as pilots produce data.
