SJS News

With generative AI advancing daily, Saint James has adopted a policy to give students and teachers a framework for how to use these tools effectively and responsibly.

According to an article published by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), “Generative AI can help students produce content faster by recognizing patterns to generate ideas, summarize texts, and refine work. However, it doesn’t think or understand—it follows patterns without judgment. This means students have to stay attentive—not only to what they’re creating but also to how they’re creating it. If handled carelessly, AI can shape ideas in ways students never intended or lead them to rely on shortcuts over achieving true understanding.”

In June 2024, the National Education Association (NEA) adopted an AI policy for schools to establish guidelines for using AI in a safe and ethical way. The NEA policy statement is intended to help educators to navigate these new waters as state and local policies and practices are developed, and it became the foundation for the new policy at Saint James. Kimberly Kingry, Associate Headmaster and Academic Dean, said adapting this policy to meet the needs at Saint James was a collaborative process with input from the department heads.

“We created this policy in response to the obvious need to embrace this emerging technology and teach students how to be responsible users rather than approach this as a secret or something that would always be an infraction,” said Mrs. Kingry. “AI has to be utilized responsibly, and it can even be approached as a potential thought partner in learning, so long as it is within the context of our very strict honor code.”

Mrs. Kingry said the policy applies to formal programs like ChatGPT but could also be a simple Google search where an AI response is generated.

“Students are expected to submit work that is properly cited in any situation where they might be using AI or other sources. Additionally, students must fully understand the content they submit and ensure that their work consistently reflects their own thinking and original ideas," she said.

The AI policy was introduced to the Board of Trustees at the January meeting, presented to faculty members at their January 26 meeting, and then rolled out officially to students in February. 

“We have faculty who are very much embracing this idea and using this as a tool in the classroom,” Mrs. Kingry said. “There are some who believe that when teaching critical thinking, writing, and articulating ideas, AI could potentially interfere with these skills. We need to find a balance. How can we embrace this technology and teach students to use it effectively in school, higher education, or the workplace? How can students use AI responsibly while still relying on their own understanding, learning, and thinking processes?”

The AI policy is divided into two sections—one that outlines AI tools and examples of how it may be used responsibly, such as using it as a study tool by creating sample questions. The second section deals with ways to abuse or misuse AI tools and where that sits within the School’s Honor Code.

Mrs. Kingry said the policy reflects best practice at this moment, but it is a moving target as AI is continually developing and changing. 

“We're trying to stay ahead of what our students are going to need in the way of training so that when they graduate and go into higher education, they're ready to use these tools responsibly, because that will be the expectation,” Mrs. Kingry said.