Overview

October 28
11AM PT, 2PM ET

Register

AI can support everything from predictive staffing models to personalized learning — but it can’t do any of that without a solid data foundation.

For many school districts, the path forward feels blocked by rigid legacy systems, fragmented data sets and sprawling monolithic structures. The good news is you don’t have to scrap everything and start from zero. A modern data architecture can help you make better use of what you already have, manage unstructured data more effectively and scale toward AI with confidence.

This webinar explores what you can do from a standpoint of people, processes and technology to establish the right data architecture for your district's needs.

You’ll learn:

  • Why a strong data architecture is the foundation for AI — and what’s holding districts back from getting there
  • How to manage unstructured data and fold in legacy investments without starting from scratch
  • Best practices for building stakeholder buy-in and governance around AI and data strategy

Speakers

Don Wolff headshot

Don Wolff

Sr. Business Development Manager, Amazon Web Services

With 34 years of experience as a K12 educator and technical leader, Don brings deep expertise to the AWS K12 team, where he helps districts leverage cloud technologies to transform education. His focus centers on empowering K12 organizations to maximize their data assets, enhance student experiences, and achieve strategic goals. As a passionate advocate for educational technology, Don combines his classroom insights with technical knowledge to bridge the gap between pedagogy and innovation. When not helping schools modernize their data strategies, he's an avid reader and devoted dog parent to his four beloved fur-babies.

Kevin McCandless headshot

Kevin McCandless

Sr. Solutions Architect, K-12 Education, Amazon Web Services

Kevin McCandless is a Senior Solutions Architect on the AWS K12 Education team. For the past eight years, Kevin has helped K12 organizations positively impact student success by using cloud technology to become more efficient, agile, and secure. He’s worked with school districts, private schools, charter schools, educational service agencies, state departments, and everything in between. Kevin loves volleyball, Star Wars, and Taco Bell.

Tom Ryan headshot

Tom Ryan — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Education

Tom Ryan has recently retired from Santa Fe Public Schools, in New Mexico, as Chief Information and Strategy Officer. He has co-founded, K12 Strategic Technology Advisory Group, to assist district leaders deliver educational success with technology, which is led by experienced school technology leaders. He has expertise in strategic planning and leadership, designing digital learning environments, technology infrastructure reviews.

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