How the district plans to handle AI was discussed during the Clearview board of education meeting on Feb. 26.
The chief academic officer of the Clearview Regional School District recently discussed the school system’s AI plan with the board of education, specifically how teachers in the district’s middle and high school will tackle it.
Keith Brook was joined by a professional learning committee (PLC) formed by teachers who attended an AI summit at Gateway Regional High School last summer to discuss what will go into the Clearview plan, approved at a previous school board meeting.
“Essentially what our plan calls for is a coordinator,” explained Brook. “Which I found out was me, when I went to the first PLC meeting, which was awesome. I’m happy to be the AI coordinator for the district. What we are focusing on is providing some form of governance.
“Admittedly, I’ve been treading lightly on this topic for our district so we can put some things in place so that there is safety, there is privacy.”
Safety and security are primary concerns for the PLC, which will hold presentations once the budget process progresses, according to Brook. He also addressed students at the board meeting, who were there to give their class reports.
“This plan and our board policy states that there is no AI use approved, unless the teacher tells you in advance,” Brook acknowledged. “That’s really important to know, because we want to make sure that we’re using the AI sites appropriately.”
Teachers are expected to be trained in proper AI once they return for the next school year at the beginning of September, just before students go back.
“One of the things that’s very, very important to us is that we do not want AI to replace independent thought and rigor,” Brook emphasized, “things that we feel are really important for students to walk out of Clearview with experience in and go be very successful adults after high school.
“Certainly, there are concerns with academic integrity, and learning all the things that you’re going to need to do,” he added. “To write, to think and to argue, things of that nature when you’re adults.”
The next Clearview school board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m.
