MCS Working on AI Policy for Students

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - Now that the majority of Middleburgh Central School teachers have started using AI in their daily lessons, school board members have turned their attention to crafting a district policy for student use of artificial intelligence.

School board members last month began discussing a comprehensive AI policy that would have different rules and outcomes for different grade levels.

Currently, about 80 percent of staff "buy in" to AI and between 60 to 65 percent use AI daily, Superintendent Mark Place told school board members.

Board members discussed the AI draft policy that would have different access to AI tools, student outcomes, and safeguards for Pre-kindergarten to second grade, third grade through eighth, and ninth through 12th grades. There could be a grade level change for some of the groups.

Discussions are to continue this month and a policy may be approved this spring.

Mr. Place said the policy will not be implemented too fast and one grade level at a time.

For now, students are not ready and not all staff feel confident to introduce it, Mr. Place said. "You can't push everyone into the deep end."

Mr. Place, who used AI to draft the policy table, said students can be trained to write effective prompts.

The draft policy was sent out to staff before the break and the board will welcome feedback.

The guiding beliefs for the policy are: AI should enhance and not replace the human connection in learning; literacy, inquiry, and ethical reasoning are the foundation of AI readiness; students will learn to use AI responsibly, equitably, and creatively as part of becoming future-ready learners; and access will expand gradually as skills, maturity, and understanding deepen.

There will be board presentations through February on what teachers are doing in their content area in AI. At the March Superintendent's conference day, there will be a discussion on the work done to that point and suggestions on a draft policy with the input of all staff, Mr. Place said.

In December, Science teacher Mollie Burgett detailed how Science teachers are including and using AI in their teaching.

* * *

In other action, board members:

* Named Brody Smith as a certified teaching substitute. He is certified in physical education.

* Appointed the following support staff substitutes: Terri Cronin and Kelsey Terrell.

* Named the following long-term volunteers: Joseph McGrail for Odyssey of the Mind and Kevin DeLaet and Kaitlyn MacMillan for the Little Knights.

* Accepted the resignation of Leanne Baker as modified softball coach for the spring season.

* Approved a leave of absence for Carmen Grimes for child birth from May 22 through July 31.

* Accepted donations from the Huntersland Firefighters Auxiliary in the amount of $250 for the MCS Community Closets and from the Hannaford Fight Hunger Bag Program in the amount of $113 for the MCS Backpack program.

* Had first readings on the following policies: procurement: uniform grant guidance for federal awards, school safety plans, data networks and security access, cybersecurity incident response, and concussion management.