Educational leaders from across the region recently gathered for the 37th Annual Administrators’ Leadership Conference in Lake Placid, where participants explored innovative strategies to support student success through research-based instructional practices and emerging technologies.
Among the presenters were St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES’ Johnathan Hirschey and Rachel Atkins, who shared expertise on two timely topics shaping education today.
Johnathan Hirschey, St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, presented “Science of Learning,” an engaging session examining how students learn and the critical role memory plays in the learning process. Participants explored key concepts from cognitive science, including cognitive load, the productive role of forgetting in strengthening memory, and the information processing model that supports the development of long-term memory. The session provided administrators with practical, evidence-informed approaches for creating meaningful learning experiences that promote retention and understanding for all students.
Rachel Atkins, St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, presented “Library Ready AI’s AI Scope and Sequence: A Base of Understanding Our Students Need to Succeed in the Land of Artificial Intelligence.” Her session focused on helping educational leaders navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of Generative AI. Atkins introduced Library Ready AI’s standards-based AI Scope and Sequence, a framework organized around four grade bands and four core strands designed to prepare students for an AI-driven future. The presentation highlighted the importance of building foundational AI literacy and showcased a collaborative statewide effort to support schools in developing students’ understanding of artificial intelligence.
Together, these presentations reflected the conference’s focus on equipping educational leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to address both the science behind effective learning and the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies. The sessions offered valuable insights that administrators can bring back to their schools to enhance teaching, learning, and student readiness for the future.
