A Principal’s Playbook For Diversity And AI

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book Company. I am Devin Pintozi, your host. We are here in sunny Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at the Scabsey Conference. And we are joined here by our special guest, Dr. Felicia Williams. Good morning. Dr. Williams. No problem. Dr. Williams uh joins us. She is the principal at Lake Marion Middle School in Orangeburg County Schools in South Carolina. Um Dr. Williams, uh can you let us know, uh introduce the audience to what you're what brings you here to SCABSE today?

SPEAKER_00 0:42

Good morning. So what brings me to SCASBE is that I'm a believer in diversity, and SCASB does a great job at um introducing diversity, but also I receive so many tips and uh strategies here at SCASBE.

Life As A Middle School Principal

SPEAKER_01 0:59

Oh, that's wonderful. And uh can you tell us a bit about your work at the uh at Marion Middle School?

SPEAKER_00 1:05

Well, at Lake Marin Middle School, I am the proud principal of Lake Marion Middle School, um, where I do a number of things, uh instructional leader, teacher, uh guidance counselors, uh I do everything. Um, even though we have people for those roles, I play a lot of them. Um so that is what I do on a daily basis.

Embracing AI For Teachers And Students

SPEAKER_01 1:27

Oh wow, wonderful. And so here at Scabsey, are there certain uh uh takeaways you want to get, certain things you're looking for?

SPEAKER_00 1:35

So actually, I'm looking for um different ideas on how to utilize AI. This year's um um theme is about AI. So I'm really looking at um learning and gleaning more information about how to use AI, but as well as teach our students how to use AI as well as our teachers.

SPEAKER_01 1:59

That is such a big concept right now. Absolutely. Everybody's trying to find a way to instead of fighting AI, let's bring it into the classroom and figure out how to take advantage of this great new technology.

SPEAKER_00 2:09

Certainly, well, um the way to get around usually a challenge is to embrace it. So I am going to embrace AI uh as much as I can.

Using ABC Books For Student Growth

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. Um I understand uh you've you've had some uh good experiences using uh ABC materials in the classroom.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

Absolutely. Um my school purchased um science, math, as well as um geometry and statistics uh and reading books this past year. And we've used it in intervention as well as homework support. So um we've seen a lot of growth uh with our students using um ABC books. The ABC Books it gives a snapshot of the standard um with activities. So uh I was really excited about um using AI um ABC uh books, but my teachers were even more excited because it gave them another resource to use.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

Oh, that's wonderful. Uh happy to hear that. And uh uh so um what are some uh things that you uh would is there anything you'd like to share with the SCABSE community?

Community Message And Closing

SPEAKER_00 3:18

Well, I'd just like to share, uh just keep doing what you're doing and um keep introducing diversity and making sure that you know um we are heard. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:29

Oh, that's wonderful. Uh well Dr. Williams, it was a pleasure having you on today. Thank you for joining us.

SPEAKER_00 3:34

Uh you're welcome. Thank you for having me.