Graduation speaker: Jeffrey W. Piontek

Rockland Central School District has announced Jeffrey W. Piontek will be the featured speaker for the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony.

Piontek is an internationally recognized education leader, author and advocate who has spent more than three decades helping students, educators and communities prepare for a rapidly changing world. Throughout his career, he has served as a teacher, principal, district leader, curriculum specialist, and advisor, working across public schools, higher education, international education systems and educational technology organizations.

His work has focused on a simple but powerful belief: education should prepare students not only for graduation, but for life. Whether supporting literacy initiatives, workforce development programs, artificial intelligence integration, or future-ready learning models, Piontek has dedicated his career to helping learners develop the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex world.

As a leading voice in the conversation surrounding education and emerging technologies, Piontek is the author of the upcoming books "AI, EI, O and YOU: Preparing Education for an AI Driven World," and "The Artificial Generation." These works explore one of the defining questions of our time: How do we prepare students for a future where artificial intelligence is everywhere, while ensuring that human creativity, communication, empathy, and purpose remain at the center of learning?

In "AI, EI, O and YOU," Piontek introduces a framework that combines Artificial Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Oral Language Development, and student agency to help educators and learners navigate the future responsibly. 

In "The Artificial Generation," he examines the opportunities and challenges facing the first generation to grow up surrounded by AI, offering insights into how schools, families, and communities can help young people succeed in a technology-driven world.

A passionate advocate for workforce readiness, Piontek believes the jobs of tomorrow will belong to those who can think critically, communicate effectively, adapt continuously, and collaborate across cultures and disciplines. His work emphasizes that while technology will continue to evolve, the uniquely human skills of leadership, empathy, creativity, ethics, and communication will become more valuable than ever.

Today, Piontek works with educators, policymakers, business leaders, and communities around the world to build bridges between education, workforce development, and innovation. 

His message to students is both optimistic and practical: the future is not something that happens to you, it is something you help create.