Dear Middle and High School Families,
At Greenville, we value human creativity, critical thinking, and authentic student work. At the same time, we recognize that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming part of the world our students will enter, and we have a responsibility to help them learn how to navigate this technology thoughtfully and responsibly. Over the past 11 months, we have developed an AI Framework to help guide the use of AI in our classrooms.
We began by researching and observing best practices from other districts. We then brought those ideas to our Technology Committee, which includes faculty and staff as well as representatives from stakeholder groups including parents, Board of Education members, and administrators. Working with our K-12 Technology Specialist, we developed a draft framework and brought it back to the committee for review. It was then reviewed by our instructional administrators and teachers before being finalized for the school year. This framework is intended to be an ongoing document. We will revisit it each year as the technology evolves and we continue to develop our professional practices around AI use.
At the beginning of the school year, I will visit each class in Grades 6-12 to introduce the framework, explain how it works, and give students an opportunity to ask questions. But first, I wanted to share it with all of you.
The framework provides:
Shared language for discussing AI use in teaching and learning
Clear expectations for how AI may or may not be used in academic work
A common approach to academic integrity and student/teacher responsibility
The framework is not intended to mandate AI use, answer every emerging question about AI, or resolve all of the legal, ethical, and technological questions surrounding this rapidly evolving technology. Rather, it provides a foundation that we can continue to adapt as AI changes.
Our goal is not simply to teach students how to use AI, but to help them understand when it is appropriate to use it, how to use it ethically, and how to remain responsible for their own learning and work. AI is an emerging technology impacting our personal and professional worlds, and we want our students to be prepared to use it thoughtfully and responsibly.
I encourage you to review the linked AI Framework before school begins. Teachers will review their syllabi and communicate with their students about which level of AI will be used in their classes throughout the year. For many teachers, AI expectations may vary from assignment to assignment. In these cases, teachers will clearly communicate the expectations when each assignment is given.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
Sincerely,
Matt Berkshire
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment