Lebanon Public School District

CSDE Launches Groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence (AI) Pilot Program and Sets the National Standard with Digital Citizenship Curricula (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) today announced two initiatives that will transform how students engage with technology in the classroom: the release of a comprehensive Model K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum, and the launch of an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) in education pilot program across seven school districts. These complementary programs represent a coordinated approach to preparing Connecticut's students for an increasingly digital future, combining foundational digital literacy skills with hands-on experience in emerging technologies and the age of AI. These programs also align with, and build upon, the CSDE’s Cell Phone and Personal Technology Guidance, which was issued earlier this school year at the direction of Governor Lamont and approved by the State Board of Education. “In today's technology-driven world, digital citizenship education and the integration of artificial intelligence are vital to preparing students for learning and success in the future," said Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker. "By launching these initiatives in tandem, we are empowering educators and students with the tools they need to engage with technology responsibly. The AI pilot districts will serve as innovation hubs, sharing best practices to guide future AI integration efforts across the state. At the same time, the digital citizenship curriculum provides a consistent framework for all Connecticut schools, ensuring equitable access to resources that prepare students for success in a connected world.” Connecticut is the first state to adopt the widely recognized Common Sense Education K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum as its state model, leading the nation in preparing students for responsible and effective engagement in the digital world. "The digital citizenship curriculum creates the ethical framework and critical thinking skills essential for students to responsibly engage with AI tools," said Yvette Renteria, chief program officer, Common Sense Media. "This sequential approach ensures students understand not just how to use AI, but when and why to use it appropriately.” The adoption of the K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum represents a significant milestone in fostering responsible technology use and digital literacy among students. This curriculum provides Connecticut educators with standards-aligned, research-backed materials designed to promote online safety, digital ethics, and student well-being. The tools included in the curriculum support the integration of digital citizenship across subjects and engage families in fostering responsible technology use. This curriculum specifically addresses AI ethics and responsible use, preparing students for targeted AI instruction that will follow in participating pilot districts. The AI Pilot Program, running from January to June 2025, will introduce state-approved AI tools into classroom instruction in seven districts: East Hartford, Lebanon, Rocky Hill, Seymour, Waterford, Westport, and Odyssey Community School in Manchester. Focused on students in grades 7-12, the program will provide hands-on experience with tools such as CK12 Foundation, Cloud Navigator, MagicSchoolAI, SchoolAI, and SNORKL. Educators will receive professional development to maximize the tools’ benefits and assess their impact on teaching and learning. The pilot program will build upon the digital citizenship curriculum by providing students hands-on experience with AI tools, including skills such as prompt engineering and critical analysis of AI-generated content. Throughout the six-month pilot period, CSDE will monitor implementation and outcomes, sharing best practices to guide future technology integration efforts across the state. Both initiatives are part of CSDE’s broader commitment to leveraging technology to create meaningful and equitable learning opportunities. Key components of the combined initiative include: Comprehensive digital citizenship education laying the groundwork for responsible AI use. Professional development supporting educators in both digital citizenship instruction and AI implementation. Integration strategies for cross-curricular implementation of both programs. Focus on ethical considerations and responsible use of emerging technologies. Family and community engagement resources for both digital citizenship and AI awareness. The Digital Citizenship Curriculum materials are immediately available to all Connecticut educators through GoOpenCT. For more information about either initiative, please contact Chief Academic Officer Irene Parisi at Irene.Parisi@ct.gov. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 30, 2025 Matthew Cerrone CONNECTICUT Education matthew.cerrone@ct.gov

Hello Lebanon Staff, Students, and Families, Please enjoy the January 2025 Superintendent Update. https://secure.smore.com/n/154nk-lebanon-public-schools

Congratulations to Kiersten Kulman, the winner of the American Legion Oratorical Speech Competition. She will now compete at the district level on February 15th.

Hello Lebanon Students, Staff and Families, Please enjoy the December 2024 Superintendent Update. https://secure.smore.com/n/c2h0g-lebanon-public-schools Have a great winter break, Superintendent Gonzalez

On Friday, November 22, 2024 members of the Connecticut State Department of Education visited our Lyman Memorial High School Agriculture Science and Technology Education program. Our students led them on tours of each of our indoor and outdoor facilities. The visitors were thoroughly impressed! Our students did an amazing job sharing highlights and benefits of being an ASTE student in Lebanon.

Hello Lebanon Staff, Students, and Families, Please enjoy the November 2024 Superintendent Update- https://secure.smore.com/n/93nkez-lebanon-public-schools

Congratulations to the newest members of the Wheelock Chapter of the National Honor Society!

We are still actively looking for substitutes to support our schools. Please see the attached flyer for rates and if you would like more information on how to join our team please do not hesitate to reach out.

Thank you to the LES staff and all the volunteers who planned and supported the STEAM Night. It was great to see so many students and families having fun learning and playing together!

On Monday, November 4 and Wednesday, November 6 eighteen students from Lyman Memorial’s music department traveled to Coventry High School for the 41st annual Charter Oak Music Festival. Charter Oak is a nomination-based festival for schools in the Eastern Region Conference. After two days of rehearsal working with guest conductors the students perform a concert with 8 surrounding schools. Congratulations to this group of young musicians on a fantastic concert!

This week we had the pleasure of having our produce supplier visit our cafeterias. Sardilla is our produce company supplying us locally grown apples and cider. Three events were held at each of the schools in the district. The events were in conjunction with the CT Farm to School Month initiative. All produce for these events were procured within 50 miles of the district. Also, we had Lebanon farms participate in the events and want give special thanks to Sweet Acre Farm and West Green Farm!

Please congratulate the members of the Livestock Judging and Milk Quality teams for placing 1st in the state, earning them the opportunity to compete at National FFA Convention next Fall. Livestock team: Taylor Lawrence- 1st in state William Wildes- 2nd in state Aly Satowski- 8th in state Ella Allen Milk Quality team: Ava Padewski- 4th in state Austyn Ross- 10th in state Nora Johnson - 10th in state Jaidin Ladouceur

The championships keep coming for Lyman Memorial High School. Congrats to our Girls Soccer Team for capturing the ECC tournament championship! An additional congratulations to Most Outstanding Player of the Game , Junior, Emily McKelvey as well as the Lyman All ECC First team members- Becca Ziegler, Haley Cardinali, Phoebe Carpenter, Avery Volle and Emily McKelvey.

Congrats to our Lyman Memorial High School Girls Cross Country team for taking home the Class S State Championship this past weekend #BleedBlue #TheChampsAreHere

Attention residents: We invite you to attend a Public Information Session on Wednesday, October 30th at 7 PM at the Lyman Memorial High School Auditorium. This session will provide an overview of the SLAM Subcommittee's ongoing efforts and plans for the future of Lebanon Public Schools. Please note: This meeting will not be held virtually, so we encourage all community members to attend in person. Your feedback and questions are crucial to this process. The SLAM Subcommittee is a collaborative initiative involving the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, and Board of Education. Your voice matters—be part of shaping our schools’ future!

Hello Lebanon Students, Staff, and Families, Please enjoy the October 2024 Superintendent Update. https://secure.smore.com/n/bf1rq2-lebanon-public-schools Best, Superintendent Gonzalez

Congratulations to our Lyman Girls Cross Country Team. In addition to being crowned division champion they won the overall Eastern Connecticut Conference Championship. Hazel DeLucia set a course record at the ECC Championship race and Hannah Bower won the JV Open race.

Congrats to Coach Morello and our Lyman Memorial Girls Soccer Team! theday.com- Lyman Memorial High School girls’ soccer coach Mark Morello earned his 400th career victory Monday as the Bulldogs defeated Wheeler 6-0 to capture the Eastern Connecticut Conference Division IV title. Emily McKelvey and Avery Volle had two goals each for Lyman (10-2-1, 4-0-1), while Becca Ziegler and Bridey LaFleur each had one goal and two assists. Phoebe Carpenter made six saves in goal for the shutout.

On October 2nd, students in the Turf Management class participated in a tour of Dodd Stadium's baseball field. While on the tour students learned about the equipment used to maintain the field and the overall care schedule the Field Manager goes through during the year.

We invite you to come take a look at all Lyman Memorial High School has to offer.