Canadian K-12 GenAI School Leadership Summit

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Summit Recap Video, courtesy of Surrey Schools

October 1–2, 2025 | Surrey, British Columbia

The Canadian K-12 GenAI School Leadership Summit brought together educational leaders, researchers, and partners from across Canada to explore the role of generative AI in schools. Hosted at Surrey Schools’ Resource & Education Centre, the two-day gathering created space for dialogue around pedagogy, ethics, governance, and practical strategies.

Thank you to our summit partners Google for Education, PowerSchool, and Wayground (formerly Quizizz).

Contexts, Voices, and Foundations

Day One, Contexts, Voices, and Foundations, emphasized big-picture framing and foundational considerations.

• Dr. Soroush Sabbaghan’s Keynote grounded the discussion in the pedagogical and ethical imperatives of adopting AI. His address challenged leaders to avoid uncritical adoption and instead shape AI use to reflect human-centered values and inclusive education.
• Breakout Sessions highlighted practical approaches: Wayground’s personalization and differentiation tools, Google for Education’s Gemini for streamlining workflows, PowerSchool’s global perspectives on AI adoption, and ALP’s integration of two AIs—Artificial Intelligence and Appreciative Inquiry—into strategic planning.
• Hot Topics in the afternoon explored transparency, governance, authentic writing practices, and parent/community engagement. These sessions surfaced the complexity of introducing AI into schools responsibly.
• The AI and the World of Work panel connected K-12 education to broader industries, reinforcing the need to prepare students for an AI-rich future.
• The day closed with reflection activities and an evening networking reception.

Practice, Leadership, and Next Steps

Day Two, Practice, Leadership, and Next Steps, shifted to applied practice and leadership action.

• The Keynote from Dr. Alec Couros provided a comprehensive overview of generative AI’s current state and emerging directions, equipping leaders with frameworks to guide thoughtful implementation.
• Breakout Sessions covered inclusive classrooms, global adoption trends, Gemini in practice, and AI-driven meeting optimization with Elk Island Catholic Schools.
• Later sessions introduced innovative applications such as agentic AI in leadership, AI-powered video tools, AI for superintendents/directors, and Canva AI for design efficiency. These offered hands-on insights and future-facing possibilities.
• The Leadership Action Planning Workshop asked participants to identify what they would take back to their districts, encouraging concrete follow-through.
• A closing plenary established the foundation for a cross-Canada leadership network, underscoring the importance of ongoing collaboration beyond the summit.

Several themes emerged across the summit:

1. Ethical Imperatives – Leaders must navigate privacy, equity, and transparency while experimenting with AI.
2. Capacity Building – Professional learning, clear governance frameworks, and community engagement are essential.
3. Innovation with Caution – Sessions balanced enthusiasm for AI’s potential with recognition of risks and limitations.
4. Collaboration Across Sectors – The summit highlighted the value of industry–education partnerships.
5. Action-Oriented Leadership – By concluding with action planning and network-building, the summit ensured momentum continues beyond the event.

This summit was a catalyst for reimagining leadership in an AI-driven era—one that values ethics, humanity, and shared vision above all. Participants left with both inspiration and actionable strategies to shape how AI will serve students, educators, and communities across Canada.

Follow the Summit Story on LinkedIn

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  Post by Amos Fodchuk: 🎙 170+ Canadian education leaders. One shared goal: to lead GenAI implementation with wisdom, equity, and intention.Day 1 of the Canadian K-12 GenAI School Leadership Summit is underway, and I’m already filled with gratitude, questions, and renewed commitment. Read full post.
• 
  Post by Dean Shareski: Quick story. A year ago, the plan was for Advanced Learning Partnerships, Inc (ALP) to host a North American gathering of district leaders in Nashville who were trying to figure out AI and what that meant for their communities. Then stuff happened south of the border and things got turned upside down. In early 2025 Mark Pearmain Chris Kennedy Amos Fodchuk and myself talked about doing something in Canada. What was an idea turned into a gathering of 170 educational leaders from across Canada in Surrey to learn, connect and share. Read full post.

Learn more about ALP’s work with Generative AI in districts across North America.

Read about ALP’s 2025 Second Annual Generative AI Summit – The Curious World of Generative AI.