Leading Change — Embracing AI in Education with Purpose and Heart
When ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022, many school districts responded with caution or outright bans in the classroom. As a former science teacher, I saw something different — an opportunity to embrace the kind of curiosity and innovation that has always driven education forward.
Within a week of ChatGPT’s release, Peninsula School District (PSD) made a bold choice. Instead of restricting this new technology, we decided to lean in, becoming one of the first districts in Washington to actively integrate AI into our educational framework. It wasn’t just about being early adopters — it was about fulfilling our promise to prepare students for their futures.
Our Journey with AI
I’ll be honest — my first interaction with AI was both exciting and humbling. As someone who started teaching when overhead projectors were coveted, I initially approached AI with the same mix of wonder and wariness I’ve seen in many other educators. But watching our students navigate these tools with natural curiosity reminded me of something crucial; every generation deserves the chance to shape the tools that will define their future.
Our early adoption of AI came with great responsibility. We knew we needed clear guidelines that would protect our students while empowering their learning. Working with our AI Task Force, comprised of teachers and district administrators, we developed comprehensive AI principles focusing on three key areas;
- Ethics: Ensuring AI use aligns with our educational values.
- Transparency: Being clear about how and when AI is used.
- Data Privacy: Protecting our students’ and staff’s information and rights.
These principles are not just documents gathering metaphorical dust — we view them as living guidelines that help our students understand both the potential and the limitations of AI tools.
Transforming Learning, Not Replacing Teaching
What makes me most proud isn’t just that we were early adopters, but how we’ve approached this integration. Our AI implementation aligns perfectly with our strategic plan goal of innovation; “We will develop and adopt practices and programs that encourage children to remain curious, take chances, and learn from failure.” We’re seeing students use AI to tackle complex research projects, create multilingual learning materials, and explore creative possibilities that weren’t available even a year ago.
But here’s what I see as crucial — AI in our district is not meant to replace human connection, it’s about enhancing it. When teachers can use AI to streamline administrative tasks, they have more time for meaningful interactions with students. When students can get instant feedback on their writing, they’re more likely to revise and improve their work.
Our district’s leadership in AI education has drawn national attention, with other districts now looking to our framework as a model. But what excites me most is watching our students engage with these tools in new ways many of us hadn’t imagined. They are looking at AI and questioning it, improving it, and thinking critically about the role this tool will play in their lives.
As we continue this journey, I’m reminded that education isn’t just about teaching students to use new tools — it’s about empowering them to shape how those tools will be used. In PSD, we’re not just preparing students for the future; we’re giving them the confidence and capability to create it.
We are still in the first few chapters of our adventure with AI, and I invite you to be a part of it. Explore our psd401.ai website to learn more about our initiatives and join the conversation about how we can continue to innovate while staying true to our core values of student-centered, ethical and equitable education.
The future is bright, and it’s being shaped right her in our schools.
Krestin Bahr is the Superintendent of Peninsula School District and has spent nearly four decades in education. She began her work at PSD in 2021 and is the district’s first female superintendent. Since joining Peninsula, she was honored as the Leader of Distinction for 2023 by the Washington Association of School Business Officials and serves on both the Professional Educator Standards Board and as a Governing Board member of AASA.