School Leaders Project

In this episode of School Leaders Project, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with Matt Miller, author of AI Literacy in Any Class, for a deeply practical and refreshingly human conversation about AI, teaching, and the future of learning. 

Together, they explore what AI literacy actually looks like in real classrooms, beyond prompting and hype. Drawing from his experience teaching high school Spanish, Matt shares how small moments of curiosity, critique, and conversation can help students build meaningful AI literacy skills without sacrificing strong teaching or deep learning. 

The conversation explores:
• What “AI literacy” really means in schools
• Why every teacher is now an AI literacy teacher
• The tension between AI, assessment, and authentic thinking
• How teachers can preserve what matters most in learning
• Why the best teachers are “teacher teachers,” not tech teachers
• Motivation, agency, and the future of education in an AI world

This episode is for educators, school leaders, and anyone wrestling with how to thoughtfully navigate AI while keeping humanity, curiosity, and meaningful learning at the center.

In this episode of The School Leaders Project, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with education leader and author Al Kingsley to explore AI in education, AI in schools, and what it really means to be AI literate today.

While many conversations about artificial intelligence in the classroom focus on tools, prompting, or policies, this episode takes a different angle. Together, Cindy and Al unpack AI literacy as a thinking discipline. One grounded in judgment, critical thinking, and teacher expertise.

They dive into some of the biggest questions school leaders and educators are asking right now:

• What is AI literacy, really?
• How should schools approach AI in the classroom?
• Do teachers need to learn AI before students?
• What skills matter most in an AI-driven world?
• And can AI ever be unbiased?

One of the most powerful moments in this conversation centers on AI bias in education. As AI tools become more embedded in teaching and learning, Al challenges a common assumption: that avoiding AI is the safest path. Instead, he raises a critical question: If schools and communities don’t actively shape these systems, how can we expect them to reflect our students?

This episode is especially relevant for:

• School leaders and administrators navigating AI strategy
• Teachers exploring AI in the classroom
• Educators thinking about the future of learning and curriculum
• Anyone interested in AI literacy, bias, and equity in education

Topics covered include:
AI in education, AI in schools, AI literacy, artificial intelligence in the classroom, teacher AI use, AI bias, bias in AI systems, education technology, EdTech, digital strategy in schools, future of education, skills vs knowledge, critical thinking, and teacher readiness.

If you’re thinking about how to bring AI into your school in a way that is thoughtful, ethical, and impactful, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of School Leaders Project, host Cindy Blackburn is joined by Denise Pope, Jay McTighe, and Eric Hudson, the founding panelists of The 100.

The 100 is a new national initiative designed to recognize and connect 100 educators who are advancing some of the most meaningful, innovative, and sustainable work happening in independent schools today. More than an award, it is an effort to surface powerful ideas, celebrate the people behind them, and create a community where innovation can be shared, strengthened, and sustained.

Organized around the three focus areas of The 100, AI, curriculum innovation, and leadership, the conversation explores what it takes for new ideas to move beyond isolated initiatives and become meaningful, sustainable change within schools. Along the way, the panel discusses the future of AI in education, the evolution of curriculum and assessment, student well being, leadership, and the systems that help great ideas take root and endure.

Denise, Jay, and Eric also share their hopes for The 100, reflecting on the importance of elevating practitioner voices, creating stronger networks of innovators, and building a future where great work is more visible, connected, and impactful.

Whether you're a teacher, school leader, or educational changemaker, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how innovation is recognized, supported, and sustained across schools.

In this episode, Cindy Blackburn sits down with Rachel Gorsky, Director of Institutional Research and Data Analytics at Gilman School, to explore how schools can actually use data to drive meaningful change.

They unpack what institutional research looks like in K–12 independent schools, how to move from vague questions to actionable insights, and why combining qualitative and quantitative data is essential for understanding school culture.

Rachel shares her process for analyzing school climate surveys, navigating sensitive topics, and turning complex data into findings that leaders can actually use. The conversation also dives into a real research project on women’s experiences in boys’ schools, offering a powerful example of how data can surface hidden patterns and inform leadership decisions.

They also explore the ethical challenges of working with sensitive data, how to build trust through transparency, and why sharing findings is often the hardest part of the process.

If you're a school leader, educator, or anyone interested in data-informed decision-making in education, this episode offers practical insights you can apply right away.

On this episode of the School Leaders Project, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with Dr. Danielle Mirliss, Director of Research and Academic Innovation at Pingry School, to explore how schools can build AI literacy with purpose, ethics, and trust.

Danielle shares how Pingry has shifted from creating rigid AI policies to grounding its approach in clear values, keeping relationships, critical thinking, and student agency at the center of teaching and learning. Together, they unpack what families are most concerned about when it comes to artificial intelligence in schools, from academic integrity and misinformation to the future of education and work.

The conversation dives into practical strategies for supporting teachers, engaging parents, and developing an AI literacy curriculum that helps students understand how AI works, how to use it responsibly, and how to think critically about its ethical impact.

If you’re a school leader, educator, or parent looking for a thoughtful, real-world approach to teaching AI in K–12 schools, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and actionable ideas.

On this episode of the School Leaders Project, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with Antonio Vigil, Director of Innovative Classroom Technology at Aurora Public Schools, to explore what it really takes to transform public education in a moment of rapid change.

Together, they unpack how Aurora Public Schools is rethinking equity, AI, and instruction through its districtwide strategy, Destination APS. Antonio shares powerful stories of using AI to support multilingual learners, build belonging through real-time translation, and strengthen relationships between schools and families.

The conversation dives into the “both and” philosophy of education: creating rigorous, engaging learning experiences while also centering relationships, empathy, and student voice. You’ll hear practical insights on data literacy, dashboards for educators, street data for equity, liberatory design, and why adaptive leadership matters when schools are moving beyond improving the status quo.

If you’re a school leader, educator, or anyone interested in the future of teaching and learning, this episode offers a hopeful, grounded look at how systems can change in meaningful ways.

In this episode, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with Eric Heilman from CIRIS to unpack a question many independent school leaders are quietly asking: What is institutional research, and how is it actually used to make better decisions in schools?

Together, they explore how institutional research can move beyond dashboards and compliance to support clearer questions, healthier data culture, and more human decision-making. Eric shares how schools can democratize access to data, distinguish between operational and strategic data, and build governance practices that make data trustworthy and usable rather than overwhelming.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• what institutional research looks like in independent schools
  
  
  
• how school leaders can use data without drowning in it
  
  
  
• the difference between having data and having clarity
  
  
  
• why better questions matter more than more metrics
  
  
  
• how AI is beginning to intersect with institutional research and data governance
  
  
  

This episode is especially relevant for heads of school, academic leaders, and anyone responsible for stewarding data in K–12 independent schools who wants to use information thoughtfully, ethically, and in service of their mission.

In this episode of The School Leaders Project, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with Jamie Sullivan, Director of Academic Technology at Castilleja School. Jamie shares how her team moved from scattered tools and grading confusion to a unified platform that actually worked for teachers and students.

From curriculum design to AI integration, this conversation reveals how Toddle became more than just a vendor, it became a partner in the learning journey.

Whether you’re a school leader, tech director, or just exploring what’s next in education, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and real-world insights.

Topics covered:
 • Curriculum mapping and coherence
 • Standards-based grading
 • AI in education
 • Implementing edtech in independent schools
 • Building trust with tech partners

On this episode of The School Leaders Project, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with Vinnie Vrotny, Director of Innovation and Technology at The Kinkaid School, to unpack one of the most pressing questions facing schools today:

How should schools actually use AI?

Rather than treating AI as just another tool, Vinnie reframes it as a major change-management challenge. He shares how Kinkaid moved from uncertainty to clarity by starting with guiding principles, then building AI policies and acceptable-use frameworks aligned to mission, culture, and human development.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• Why AI is a change-management problem, not a tech problem
• How Kinkaid designed human-centered AI guiding principles
• What schools should do before writing AI policies
• How to move beyond stoplight models to clearer expectations
• Why access, equity, and guardrails matter for students and faculty
• How schools can communicate AI decisions to parents and boards
  
  
  

This episode is especially relevant for school leaders, tech directors, academic leaders, and boards navigating AI governance, acceptable use, and long-term strategy in K–12 schools.

On this episode of The School Leaders Project, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with legendary educator, author, and speaker Principal Baruti Kafele to unpack one of the most important and uncomfortable questions in school leadership:

What is my value instructionally to the teachers I supervise?

In this conversation, Principal Kafele challenges school leaders to move beyond management and discipline and step fully into their role as instructional leaders. Drawing on decades of experience as a teacher, principal, and coach, he shares practical insights on supporting teacher growth, building strong school culture, and rethinking the role of assistant principals as instructional partners rather than disciplinarians.

You’ll hear:

• What instructional leadership actually looks like in practice
• Why school culture matters more than discipline systems
• How principals and assistant principals can truly support teachers
• The difference between leadership and management in schools
• Why vulnerability, visibility, and conversation are core leadership skills
  
  
  

Whether you are a principal, assistant principal, instructional coach, or aspiring school leader, this episode offers a powerful reframe for how leadership can directly improve teaching and learning.