One of my favourite running routes in Vancouver takes me over the Burrard Bridge, through downtown, and across the Lions Gate Bridge. Another finds me winding through the city, looping back along the Cambie Street Bridge.

There is something about running on those bridges that is peaceful, beautiful, interesting, and inspiring.

Perhaps it is the perspective, with the water moving steadily below and the multitudes of vessels moving up and down the waterways. Seaspan vessels waiting to be loaded and unloaded, sailboats exploring, tugboats pulling their mighty loads, all while paddle boarders and kayakers make their way, and the occasional seal – or even whale – breaks the surface. In the early morning hours, there are fewer cars, more stillness. The centre point of each bridge feels the airiest, the suspended space in between where you have been, and where you are going.

Crossing bridges feels a bit like this moment in education.

Across the province, in conversations with Principals and Vice-Principals, a common thread is emerging. Artificial intelligence is no longer something on the horizon: it is here. It is showing up in classrooms, in planning, in assessment, and in the ways students are engaging with their learning.

And yet, what I am hearing most often is not about the technology itself.

It is about leadership.

Because this moment is not asking us to become experts in AI. It is asking us to lead while we are on the bridge.

To have a hand on the railing when we feel unsure of our footing.

To follow the pathway with intention, towards opportunity.

In this moment, we are experiencing a natural tension.

On one hand, AI offers possibilities: new ways to support learning, to reduce workload, to personalize experiences for students. On the other hand, it raises important questions around equity, access, authorship, and the very nature of learning.

Not all students have the same access.

Not all communities are navigating AI in the same way.

And not all questions have clear answers.

This is where leadership lives.

Not in having a definitive roadmap, but in creating the conditions and guidance for thoughtful navigation.

This moment returns us to what we know about strong leadership, about being grounded in values, reading context carefully, and engaging in conversation rather than rushing to conclusion.

As leaders, we are being asked to consider:

What do we hold firm?
What are the non-negotiables that anchor our work, our commitments to equity, to integrity in learning, to the well-being of students and staff?

And alongside that…

Where do we innovate?
Where are we open to exploring new approaches, new tools, and new possibilities that may enhance the learning experience for students?

These are not technical questions.

These are leadership questions.

And, like so much of our work, they will not be answered in isolation. They will emerge through dialogue with staff, with students, with families, and with one another.

This is also where the strength of our Association comes to life.

BCPVPA continues to be a space where learning is shaped by members and for members. In response to this emerging landscape, starting this week, we are hosting the four-session webinar Navigating AI with Relational Integrity in BC Schools, designed to bring leaders together to explore this topic in a thoughtful and practical way, grounded in real experiences from the field.

I encourage you to join the conversation and learn alongside colleagues from across the province. Each session will be recorded: if registrants miss a session, they will have access to the recordings for a limited period of time.

What gives me confidence is what I see in our members: thoughtful, values-driven leaders who are reflecting rather than reacting. Who are contemplating rather than rushing. Who are deeply committed to ensuring that any shift we make ultimately serves students in meaningful and equitable ways.

We may not yet be on the other side of the bridge.

But we are moving further along the span, with care, and with purpose.

And in that, there is both responsibility… and a world of possibility.

Onward,

Dr. Shannon Behan
sbehan@bcpvpa.bc.ca