How our Teachers Design the Future of Learning

Ever wonder what happens on a Late Start Day? When Mount Vernon students arrive a little later on Late Start Days, something exciting is happening behind the scenes. While learners ease into their morning, our faculty and staff are already designing experiences that will shape the School for years to come.

Mount Vernon is more than a school. We are a learning organization that thrives on curiosity, research, and bold problem-solving. Nowhere is that more alive than in our Research, Design, and Iteration program. Through RDI, teachers don’t just deliver curriculum—they create it, refine it, and imagine what comes next.

Late Start Days give faculty dedicated time to experiment, prototype, and innovate. These blocks of time, combined with faculty meetings and professional learning days, allow teachers to design dynamic, student-centered learning experiences that connect directly to the Impact Ready Project. Innovation at Mount Vernon is not a one-off initiative. It is woven into the DNA of the School.

This year, 223 Mount Vernon employees are participating in 18 RDI groups, each advancing learning, strategy, and experience across the School. Examples of the groups include: AI Catalyst, Futures Thinking, IDEA Curriculum Review, Impact Summit Development, Behavioral Health and Wellness, Global and Cultural Competencies, and Humanities, Neuroscience, and Differentiation.

Lower Campus Maker Teacher Constanza Pizano shared how her experience in RDI has shaped her practice: “I started my career in research so RDI has always felt relevant. I spent two years as a part of the AI group where we grappled with questions of ethics, student experience, and engaged in futures thinking. I feel like those two years gave me a foundation to build on. I could then bring this knowledge back to my team or answer parent questions. The work we engaged in not only established the school’s position on the technology but also helped stretch me as a practitioner.”

Spotlight: AI Catalyst

This year, the AI Catalyst group is divided into three teams, each advancing a critical dimension of AI in education.

The AI Fluency and Curriculum and Design team, led by Mary Ann Stillerman, is building a K–12 curriculum framework to develop student AI literacy and define faculty and staff competencies.

The AI Tools and Use Cases team, led by Tyler Dale, is prototyping AI tools for classrooms and school operations and producing a comprehensive handbook to guide their use.

The AI Ethics and Position team is developing a responsible use framework and an ethical position statement for Mount Vernon, aligned with UNESCO and OECD standards and grounded in our values.

Leah Hannon, Head of Middle School and lead for the AI Catalyst group, says, “We want AI practices to be part of every teacher’s toolbox. This work helps us think about where AI literacy fits in the classroom, how to integrate AI vocabulary into our Mount Vernon language, and how to ensure we use AI responsibly as a school. It’s an exciting step forward for our students and staff alike.”

These teams are asking bold questions. Which AI tools are best for students versus teachers? How can AI literacy be integrated across all grade levels? How can we ensure that AI practices are ethically sustainable? They are building frameworks that will equip both students and educators to navigate the future with confidence and purpose.

Spotlight: IDEA Curriculum Review

The IDEA Curriculum Review RDI group, led by Dr. Chaundra Suddith, serves as a design team committed to advancing culturally and historically responsive teaching across Mount Vernon by reviewing academic disciplines and content areas K–12 through the IDEA lens in support of Target 4 of the MV Impact Ready Project. Dr. Suddith draws inspiration from Gholdy Muhammad (2023): “Our students are a Song of Color and beauty. They are ‘Blooming,’ but only for those of ‘deserving eyes’—those who deserve to be in the presence of their greatness.” The group is conducting course audits, gathering student feedback, studying key texts, analyzing performance trends, and revisiting course design frameworks to strengthen accessibility and belonging. Centered on the driving question, How might we assess current curriculum and design future curriculum that cultivates an environment where all learners are seen, valued, and heard while developing cultural proficiency across all learning experiences at Mount Vernon?, the team will provide feedback on language, alignment, and instructional best practices to share with division leaders, learning architects, and the Teaching & Learning team. Although Unearthing Joy is the primary book study, supplemental resources further guide the team’s work as they curate curriculum insight that recognizes, supports, and celebrates every learner’s potential.

Every RDI project is led by educators who know our learners best. Faculty and staff collaborate across teams, divisions, and roles to design experiences that put students’ curiosity, growth, and joy at the center. Many projects span multiple years, modeling a growth mindset that we hope every Mustang will carry into their own learning journey. This is innovation that matters, innovation that lasts, and innovation that transforms the student experience.

Our Next Late Start Day is December 10.