Leading Systemic Change With Responsible AI
Written by: By Anju Shivaram, AI Project Manager, MSA (posted Monday, August 24th, 2025 | 12:31 am)
August 2025 marks one year since the first pioneering schools completed the world’s first (and only) endorsement in AI Literacy, Safety, and Ethics through RAIL—Responsible AI in Learning. We celebrate this milestone by revisiting some of these early adopters to reflect on what has changed for them since.
ACS Athens is one of these exemplary schools. And they didn’t simply complete the RAIL endorsement experience—they used it to lead real, system-wide change.
“We were already doing the work. RAIL gave us the structure to move faster — and together.”
— Dr. Peggy Pelonis, President
Before beginning the endorsement series, ACS Athens had already started exploring generative AI through robotics, summer camps, and classroom experimentation. Early experimentation sparked excitement, but school leaders knew they needed a shared framework to scale that work with coherence—and to ensure each decision aligned with their mission of Conscious Global Citizenship.
They found that implementation framework in the RAIL endorsement for AI Literacy, Safety, and Ethics. That experience proved so successful that ACS Athens enrolled in the second RAIL endorsement, Essential Learning Experience with AI, which enables teachers to lead action research into ways in which AI can support powerful learning.
Key Shifts They Saw
Faculty ownership—25% of teachers now lead AI research. 90%+ use tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
Student voice—Students co-created the school’s definition of powerful learning.
Intentional systems change—Leaders have shaped AI use to align with the school’s mission across curriculum, policies, leadership, and operations.
“There were people who were afraid of AI. But once they had knowledge and a structure, the fear subsided.”
— MaryAnn Augoustatos, Director of the Learning Commons
For ACS Athens, RAIL is more than a credential. It has become a momentum builder. A source of trust. Even a foundation for personalized learning that helps students find success—including those at risk of not graduating.
“This isn’t about integrating a tool. It’s about leading with values and using AI as support, not a threat.”
— Dr. Pelonis
What’s Next for AI at ACS Athens?
ACS Athens not only continues to use their RAIL endorsements to build on early innovation—they’re also leveraging RAIL to drive unified, mission-aligned change across their school. Their next areas of focus are:
Inviting student advisory groups to share input on when, when, and how AI can support powerful learning.
Establishing a deeper focus on media literacy with AI.
Continuing teacher-led experimentation and action research that will shape powerful learning with AI.
This week, we’ll share clips on our socials from some of ACS Athens’ leadership team—watch to discover how they got buy-in, what they learned from students, and what’s next for their school. Follow us to stay up to date (links below).
