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Urbana SD 116 details network upgrades, ParentSquare rollout and framework for AI in classrooms
Summary
The district technology lead summarized network and device upgrades including a new diverse internet path and fiber loops, rolled out ParentSquare for parent communications, and presented a district AI framework emphasizing walled‑garden tools, age‑appropriate controls and teacher guidance.
John, the district's technology lead, updated the board on infrastructure work, the ParentSquare rollout and the district's AI guidance for teachers and students.
John said the district completed major infrastructure upgrades this past summer, including new structured cabling and wireless in the sixth grade center, additional fiber runs that closed a network loop (UMS to King and other buildings), and a switch from AT&T to Comcast to create a diverse upstream path. He described device rotations and classroom technology upgrades (interactive displays, document cameras, large‑venue projectors) and said the district added roughly 80 cameras and consolidated network video recorders to simplify access to footage. The district has also upgraded firewalls and VM hosts to reduce licensing costs and improve resiliency.
On communications, John and district staff began rolling ParentSquare districtwide; parents (and students who opt in) should have received invites, and the tool will deliver critical messages that cannot be blocked, which administrators said will reduce missed emergency notices. John emphasized administrators can target messages to staff, families and students and explained the app and notification settings.
On AI, John summarized district guidance driven by state and federal privacy rules (FERPA, COPPA) and recommended "walled‑garden" AI tools that keep student data within controlled systems. He said teachers should never claim AI-generated work as original student work and described a stoplight model for assignment-level guidance (red: no AI; yellow: limited/controlled AI use; green: AI incorporated as a tool). District‑recommended tools mentioned included Gemini for Education, NotebookLM (for controlled local datasets) and MagicSchool; John said the technology committee will develop the district AI plan and staff training will follow.
Board members asked about casting content between schools; John confirmed that casting across buildings is possible but requires a secure code on the receiving device.
Next steps: continue staff training on AI tools and ParentSquare usage, complete the cell‑tower construction behind the football field (weather permitting), and finalize the AI plan via the technology committee.
