At a time when Generative AI is reshaping the landscape of education and AI challenges leadership, it’s easy to focus on tools, frameworks, and policy. Yet, recent summits hosted by ALP in both the U.S. and Canada have made clear that human connection is the most powerful catalyst for navigating rapid system change. Even as digital platforms allow us to share ideas instantly across continents, the value of in-person gatherings remains strong. ALP’s summits weren’t just about absorbing content; they were about discovering, reflecting, and creating a collaborative community. And, communities are vital for driving thoughtful, sustainable change.
Collective Wisdom: Why We Must Learn Together
In both the U.S. summit held in Nashville, Tennessee and the Canadian summit held in Surrey, Vancouver, a theme of connection permeated keynotes, breakout sessions, panels, and informal conversations. Leaders recognized that no single district has all the answers and working in isolation slows progress. According to ALP President Amos Fodchuk, that’s why these convenings matter: “…we know how important it is to bring leaders together so that they can learn not just from us, but from one another.” This community-building is not just a nice-to-have, but a core strategy: “The research bears out that building a sense of community around the learning creates higher outcomes, it creates more sustainable outcomes, and it creates a longitudinal trajectory that is required for systems level change.”
Those insights support that learning from peers is an important component of leadership. As Mark Pearmain, Superintendent of Surry Schools, stated while welcoming summit participants, “It’s not just nice to share. We have an obligation to share.” This commitment to sharing wisdom across communities, to fulfill the obligation to share, is what transforms an individual district’s challenge into a collective opportunity. Coming together in-person is a powerful way to create such opportunities.
The Human Element: Conversations and Connection
With the understanding that no single district has all the answers and that working in isolation can hinder progress, summit attendees sought to learn from each other by exploring emerging issues, reflecting on experiences and practice, and sharing strategies, setbacks, and successes. The summits deliberately fostered an environment where district leaders, pioneering educators, and partners could connect on a peer-to-peer level around the challenges and opportunities of Generative AI in Education. Often these connections took the form of deep listening and vulnerable sharing.
The Surrey Summit framed GenAI as a leadership shift that “starts with listening deeply.” Its opening day theme of Contexts, Voices, and Foundations supported conversations, curiosity, and moments of shared vulnerability and shared reality that make up the bedrock of meaningful collaboration. Participants were encouraged to share unique strengths and opportunities in their communities, and to discuss what is energizing them.
In Nashville, the daily agenda began with “homerooms” where attendees gathered at round tables to discuss important issues surrounding AI integration in their districts. Participants consistently highlighted the value of such face-to-face interactions. Jacqueline Firster from Arlington Public Schools shared that “Being able to get together and collaborate with others is so helpful for the work we’re trying to do in our district.” Participants mentioned the value they found in listening to districts from different states discussing how they approached AI implementation.
Hearing about specific ways districts are shaping their own AI journeys provides concrete ideas and next steps for other leaders. It also offers reassurance and a sense of “we’re all in this together” that provides the emotional and peer support which is so important when leading systemwide change. “When we came here we thought other districts would be so far ahead of us,” said a Nashville Summit participant from Loudoun County, TN, “but in collaborating and sharing with other districts we found we all had the same issues to contend with.” Amber Moser, of Knox County Schools, TN, expressed both reassurance and inspiration for new pathways, stating, “I’ve heard a lot that confirms that what my district is doing is on the right track… Today I’ve been able to think more about assessment, student relationships, and content knowledge, and those can really be big levers in the classroom.”
Being able to get together and collaborate with others is so helpful for the work we’re trying to do in our district. — Jacqueline Firster, Arlington Public Schools, VA
Building a Lasting Community of Practice
The true measure of a successful summit is not what is learned in the moment, but the collaboration that continues long after the final session ends. In-person connections made at these events create collaborative learning networks that become the engine for continued progress.
School leaders from Rochester, NY attended the Nashville Summit after participating in a previous year’s summit which “kicked it all off” for their district and led to an ongoing partnership with ALP focused on AI integration and the development of internal teacher cohorts dedicated to AI integration and evaluation. They highlighted the importance of in person collaboration at the Summit, “The small groups are so valuable and the homerooms–you make connections.” Through these connections, districts can gauge progress across AI implementation efforts, exchange ideas and outcomes, and collectively build momentum for change.
This sustained momentum underscores the lasting value of in-person gatherings. They go beyond one-off professional development events and serve as starting points for long-term systems change. By forging relationships and shared purpose within collaborative learning networks, summits transform initial curiosity into the dedicated, ongoing work necessary for thoughtful AI integration, ensuring that districts don’t navigate the shift alone.
ALP is continuing to support this work beyond creating and facilitating these gatherings. Prior to the Nashville Summit and following the Surrey Summit, ALP has and will continue to provide monthly virtual Community of Practice sessions designed to extend the learning from these onsite experiences. These additional opportunities to learn and connect keep the network strong.
Connecting Beyond AI
The path to thoughtful, strategic AI integration in schools begins with equipping educators and leaders. As the Nashville and Surrey Summits so powerfully demonstrated, doing so through strong, supportive, in-person networks is key. But by carving out this time to learn together, summit attendees were able to focus on much more than technology and its impact. They explored assessment redesign, students’ needs for achievement and belonging, productive struggle, and understanding our own biases.
By addressing such topics together, the answers to the question posed at Surrey’s Leadership Action Planning Workshop, “What will you take back to your district?,” can go far beyond AI integration into many other areas of focus for educators. And the added bonus of a wider, stronger professional network, fostered through dedicated networking sessions and the creation of communities of practice, is that any of these topics can be approached collaboratively. Ultimately, by investing in these in-person connections, leaders gain an enduring, collaborative resource to navigate a variety of challenges or opportunities their districts will face.
The Enduring Value: Why Human Connection Directs the Change
Within collaborative, in-person spaces we find support, enthusiasm, and inspiration. These new connections allow us to co-design professional learning, share sustainable strategies, and build capacity for integrating AI ethically, equitably, and strategically. We expand our network, grow as leaders, and play an important part in a community of learners impacting the future of education.
When it comes to AI integration, technology may be driving the change, but human connection helps to determine how we understand and respond to the change, what shape the change will take, and how it will look in our schools and districts.
Believe us that learning in community is valuable? We can help you create it. Explore how ALP supports organizational change through Innovative Networking Teams, Leadership Consulting, AI Executive Consulting, and Institutes. Each of these services support organizational change by building strong relationships and developing a deep understanding of districts’ unique needs.
Generative AI was used to organize original thoughts and refine ideas for clarity. This content was written through original thinking and revised with a fully human editorial review.
Christine Sachs is an Education Consultant at ALP. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
