Mineola schools roll out districtwide media‑literacy and AI curriculum from pre‑K to 12

Mineola Union Free School District administrators outlined a districtwide media‑literacy and artificial‑intelligence (AI) continuum at the April 16 board meeting, saying instruction will be spiraled across grade bands and paired with teacher professional development.

Sarah Ortiz, director of curriculum, instruction and learning, said media literacy is “the critical consumption of information” and described alignment to New York State’s new Portrait of a Graduate competencies for critical thinking, communication and digital citizenship. Ortiz framed the program as developmentally sequenced from primary grades through high school with explicit connections to classroom work and library instruction.

Library and curriculum staff described a four‑anchor standard model adapted from multiple national and state frameworks: information fluency (research and source evaluation), digital communication (creating with digital tools), personal growth and agency (digital footprint and sharing choices), and digital citizenship (safe, ethical participation). The district described concrete classroom examples: first graders practicing safe tablet use and signing a “digital promise,” elementary Genius Hour research projects using Canva and Google tools, middle school National History Day research projects, and high‑school AP research and student‑created AI tutors.

Dr. Smith and library lead Mr. Brozik described the district’s AI approach. Students use controlled AI environments called DATs (teacher‑configured chatbots) and KidOYO tools where teachers can limit inputs, view transcripts, and prevent private data from leaving the district’s closed systems. “We use AI as a thought partner,” a presenter said, describing an AP research project that tested student reactions to human‑ vs AI‑generated music and used AI as a tool for statistical analysis rather than a substitute for learning.

Administrators stressed teacher training and parent resources. Staff have developed an AI manual and engaged in professional learning on prompting and purposeful use; district leaders said middle and high school teachers will complete a final PD cycle on the program before full classroom implementation. The district also pointed parents to resources on the technology and assessment webpage, and explained Jamf Parent controls and Apple screen‑time features for families who wish to manage devices at home.

What the district will do next: continue rolling out professional development, complete the security and safety checks for AI tools in classroom contexts, and consider a parent “university” session to walk families through tools and safeguards.

Why it matters: The program formalizes grade‑band expectations for a technology environment students already inhabit. Administrators said the approach balances safety and critical thinking while preparing students for college and careers where AI tools are increasingly common.