Ontario parents urged to move beyond fear as AI reshapes Catholic schools
The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education will host its 87th annual conference April 18 in Mississauga to address how artificial intelligence is affecting students and families. The event comes as parents increasingly ask educators about AI's role in classrooms and its influence on children outside school.
Co-executive directors Joe Perri and Annalisa Crudo-Perri said the conference theme emerged directly from parent questions about AI in Catholic schools. Stories about students developing unhealthy relationships with AI systems, combined with parents wanting more information, prompted organizers to bring in experts.
Two speakers bring different perspectives
Lucy Colangelo, founder and CEO of ShineOn, will discuss practical tools for families managing technology use. She has worked with parents to prevent technology from overtaking family relationships and will present programs including the "Total Digital Reset," which offers strategies to shift from disconnection to clarity.
Giancarlo Brotto, founder and CEO of Pave Education, brings two decades of experience helping schools navigate digital transitions. He argues that fear and passivity are no longer viable responses to AI, which is now embedded in daily life.
"What I hope to accomplish with parents, especially Catholic parents, is not only give them a reality of where we're at with AI and how it's shaping our world, but also the skills to navigate it, one of which is being a creator," Brotto said.
Bishop Yvan Mathieu of the Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall will send a pre-recorded message on shepherding AI from a Catholic perspective.
What to expect at the conference
The event at St. Francis Xavier Secondary School will open with Mass, followed by keynote sessions and a plenary discussion allowing attendees to share feedback. Organizers expect over 200 parents from across Ontario, with 25 exhibitors offering resources.
A new closing session will give parents a chance to connect with one another and use their voices on these issues, Crudo-Perri said. This element reflects feedback from previous conferences where attendees valued networking with other parents.
Perri framed the conference as a "rallying call" for Catholic parents at a time when their input is needed. "We want parents to come away knowing that their voice matters, that there is power in one voice and that getting all of those voices together makes them amplified," he said.
Registration remains open through the day of the event. For details, visit oapce.org/events/.
Educators seeking deeper knowledge of AI in school settings can explore AI for Education resources or the AI Learning Path for Teachers.
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