District staff provided a lengthy update April 7 on the Mendon‑Upton Regional School District's learning-innovation work, describing a set of priorities—deeper learning, curriculum alignment, inclusion and community support—and recent events that staff say illustrate progress across grade levels.

Ryan, a district staff member presenting the report, said the district's recent science and engineering symposium engaged 538 students working on 146 research projects with feedback from 43 STEM professionals. "All the students who participated received feedback on all the presentations," Ryan said. He also described the district's first Inspired Learning Day (ILD), where elementary students devoted a full day to a single theme, and middle- and high-school sessions that produced portfolio artifacts and mastery transcript evidence.

Other highlights: a broader rollout of Project Lead The Way (PLTW) at elementary grades supported by a three‑year grant at Memorial Elementary; an Innovation Career Pathways (ICP) signing day for students; cybersecurity and computer-science pathway work; and professional development for teachers on AI in education. Ryan said the district is using AI tools for research support, text leveling and writing feedback in classrooms and is training teachers on appropriate classroom uses.

Why it matters: the initiatives aim to align project-based learning and technical pathways from elementary through high school, create authentic learning opportunities tied to local industry and prepare students for innovation pathways and capstone experiences.

Staff gave several implementation details and next steps: by the end of the school year teachers at the middle school are to complete PBL training, and elementary classroom teachers will complete PLTW training; the next Inspired Learning Day is scheduled for June 6. Ryan said the district is building a community partner database to support authentic experiences and plans an April/May showcase event where professionals will give feedback to student projects.

Committee members asked clarifying questions during the update; no formal votes were taken on these items.