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Empowering Educators, Elevating Learning: The AI-Ready School District
In this episode of The Learning Equation, host Danelle Almaraz sits down with Elizabeth Weis, Director of Instructional Technology at Connetquot Central School District, to explore how thoughtful leadership, shared vision, and a commitment to digital citizenship are shaping the future of education.
From her early days as a preschool teacher to becoming a district-wide leader, Elizabeth shares a compelling journey marked by curiosity, lifelong learning, and a deep passion for empowering both educators and students. The conversation covers everything from implementing AI tools and ensuring EdLaw 2D compliance to elevating teacher voice, cultivating digital fluency, and driving systemic change in professional development, assessment, and instructional practices.
Elizabeth offers real-world stories—including how a skeptical PE teacher embraced AI—and dives into the infrastructure that supports innovation at scale, such as collaborative committees, usage data, and continuous feedback loops. This episode is a masterclass in how districts can balance innovation with intentionality.
Key Moments
03:27 "Essential Digital Citizenship Education"
07:52 Evaluating Educational Initiatives Effectively
11:28 Adapting to New Math Tools
15:19 PE Teacher Embraces AI Learning
18:44 Empowering Educators to Guide AI
21:16 Tracking Platform Usage Effectively
24:13 Designing Inclusive PD for Technology Adoption
29:32 iReady Adoption in Schools
31:09 Improving District Feedback Systems
Why You’ll Love This Episode:
If you're a school leader, educator, or edtech enthusiast wondering how to move from tech chaos to tech clarity, this episode is a must-listen. You’ll love hearing how Elizabeth Weiss approaches instructional technology not as a one-off initiative, but as an integrated, strategic driver of educational equity and student success. Her mix of practical insights, compassionate leadership, and systems thinking offers both inspiration and actionable takeaways—plus, the discussion on AI in math classrooms and redefining "cheating" will leave you rethinking what learning can really look like in the digital age.
Connect with Elizabeth Weis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-weis-4b4878317
Website: https://ccsdli.org/
Connect with Host Danelle Almaraz
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danelle-almaraz
Website: joinsmartschool.com
Thanks for listening to The Learning Equation. If you found this episode helpful, share it and subscribe for more. Until next time, keep learning and leading.
View all episodes
By SmartschoolIn this episode of The Learning Equation, host Danelle Almaraz sits down with Elizabeth Weis, Director of Instructional Technology at Connetquot Central School District, to explore how thoughtful leadership, shared vision, and a commitment to digital citizenship are shaping the future of education.
From her early days as a preschool teacher to becoming a district-wide leader, Elizabeth shares a compelling journey marked by curiosity, lifelong learning, and a deep passion for empowering both educators and students. The conversation covers everything from implementing AI tools and ensuring EdLaw 2D compliance to elevating teacher voice, cultivating digital fluency, and driving systemic change in professional development, assessment, and instructional practices.
Elizabeth offers real-world stories—including how a skeptical PE teacher embraced AI—and dives into the infrastructure that supports innovation at scale, such as collaborative committees, usage data, and continuous feedback loops. This episode is a masterclass in how districts can balance innovation with intentionality.
Key Moments
03:27 "Essential Digital Citizenship Education"
07:52 Evaluating Educational Initiatives Effectively
11:28 Adapting to New Math Tools
15:19 PE Teacher Embraces AI Learning
18:44 Empowering Educators to Guide AI
21:16 Tracking Platform Usage Effectively
24:13 Designing Inclusive PD for Technology Adoption
29:32 iReady Adoption in Schools
31:09 Improving District Feedback Systems
Why You’ll Love This Episode:
If you're a school leader, educator, or edtech enthusiast wondering how to move from tech chaos to tech clarity, this episode is a must-listen. You’ll love hearing how Elizabeth Weiss approaches instructional technology not as a one-off initiative, but as an integrated, strategic driver of educational equity and student success. Her mix of practical insights, compassionate leadership, and systems thinking offers both inspiration and actionable takeaways—plus, the discussion on AI in math classrooms and redefining "cheating" will leave you rethinking what learning can really look like in the digital age.
Connect with Elizabeth Weis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-weis-4b4878317
Website: https://ccsdli.org/
Connect with Host Danelle Almaraz
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danelle-almaraz
Website: joinsmartschool.com
Thanks for listening to The Learning Equation. If you found this episode helpful, share it and subscribe for more. Until next time, keep learning and leading.