AI Leadership Professional
Learning Community

CIS Ontario Schools | January – May 2026

A 5-month collaborative professional learning journey specifically designed for CIS Ontario educators to develop informed perspectives on AI in education. Building on insights from our successful founding cohort of 40+ educators across six independent schools, this program combines expert guidance with peer collaboration, helping educators understand AI's implications, explore applications and ethical considerations, and make thoughtful decisions about its role in their teaching, learning, and leadership contexts.

What Participants Value Most

  • Dedicated time to learn from peers across schools—both in breakout sessions and asynchronously

  • Connecting with colleagues within their own school to identify shared goals

  • Collaborative mapping of realistic pathways for teacher training, student use, and specific tool rollout

  • Cross-school perspectives that accelerate learning and reduce the burden of figuring everything out alone

Hear from our founding members!

  • “Seeing what other schools/teachers/coordinators are doing in this area is invaluable. We are all facing these new opportunities and challenges in real-time. It's not a one-size-fits-all, but it's important to keep engaging and adjusting.”

    Lucas Tompkins
    Teacher & Coordinator of Learning Technology, Greenwood College

  • “Collaboration allows us to bring our unique strengths and capacities to the the table, providing a richer, more diverse pool of knowledge for everyone to glean from. Collectively, we have a greater chance of staying up to date with the break neck pace of how things are changing!”

    Stephanie Stephens
    Director of Learning Innovation and Technology, HTS

  • “Nobody learns deeply on their own!”

    Andrew Moore
    English Teacher, Bayview Glen

  • “Collaborating while on my AI journey is important to me because I am evolving in my career along side the evolution of AI resources and tools. Learning from my peers with similar interests is key for mutual growth as it provides greater perspective and insight into what it means to be an educator in the digital era.”

    Anna Spotta
    French Teacher, Greenwood

  • “Collaboration is important to me because AI can do a lot, but it can’t replace the ideas, creativity, and encouragement that come from working with other people.”

    Barry Panas
    Science Teacher
    St. John’s Ravenscourt

  • “Working together with other educators puts an emphasis on critical thinking skills so that we can all start to understand the issues and opportunities in the quickly changing world of AI.”

    Grace Sheppard
    Teacher-Librarian
    St. John’s Ravenscourt

Go to Interest Form ↴
AI PLC Cohort Options

Foundations Cohort

For educators at any stage of AI familiarity:

  • Brand new to AI
  • Experimenting with tools
  • Beginning classroom integration

Advanced Implementation

For leaders ready to move beyond basics into:

  • Strategic implementation
  • Change management
  • School-wide adoption

Two Cohort Options

Program Structure

Monthly Learning Cycle with gentle launch in January to account for busy winter term:

  • 80% asynchronous learning with flexible timing

  • One live session per month scheduled as a cohort to fit your schedule

  • Small group, 1-on-1, and large group collaboration to explore key concepts

  • Structured time for cross-school and within-school collaboration—our participants' most valued feature

Go to Interest Form ↴

Five Monthly Focus Areas

  • ✺

    AI Foundations & Personal Practice
    Build shared understanding of what AI can (and can't) do in education, examine ethical considerations

  • ✺

    Teaching & Learning Exploration
    Explore case studies from different schools, see how others are experimenting with AI

  • ✺

    Student Perspectives on AI
    Examine AI from the student lens: how it shapes learning, student feedback, and potential impacts

  • ✺

    Leadership & Change Management

    Share approaches to decision-making and collaborate on what makes sense in your context

  • ✺

    Sustainability & Vision
    Reflect on the long-term role AI might play and shape a vision that fits your community

Expert Facilitation Team

Peter Siner – AI Professional Learning Support
Active school administrator, Google Certified Innovator, and host of the Teach Smarter Podcast. Peter is a recognized AI for Education Specialist with a decade of experience in instructional leadership and technology integration. He regularly presents at national conferences including MATSOL, ISTE, and FETC, focusing on sustainable AI integration and systems-level planning.

Ariella Racco – Program Design & Community Leadership

CEO of CoLab, Google Certified Innovator, and former CIS Ontario teacher at Appleby College and The York School. Ariella brings deep understanding of independent school culture and designs professional learning experiences that foster authentic collaboration and practical implementation.



Who Can Participate?

All staff members are encouraged to join—teachers across all divisions/departments, non-teaching staff, and school leaders. Leadership doesn't mean you have to fully embrace AI—it means fully understanding it to make informed decisions for your students and school community. We recommend joining with several staff members per school to build internal capacity and establish shared language.

Go to Interest Form ↴

The Opportunity

✺ 5-Month AI Leadership Progression: Personal practice → classroom integration → peer collaboration → leading school change

✺ Year-Round CoLab Platform Access: Ongoing resource sharing and professional networking with CIS Ontario educators

✺ Expert Support: Curated AI content, research, facilitation guides, and coaching with AI specialists


✺ Ready-to-Use Resources: Practical, educator-ready materials for immediate school application

Investment: $800 per participant

Group rates and early bird discounts available for those who register before November 22, 2025. Custom school-based PLCs also available for schools with 10+ participants.

AI PLC Interest Form

Please confirm your school's interest and approximate staff count by November 30, 2025. Reach out if you need an extension for any reason.

Program Launch: Week of January 12th or 19th, 2026 based on participant poll

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