AI Related Policies

Keep the focus where it belongs: on your students' growth!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving change across all areas of human life, and education is no exception. AI can support research, generate answers to quizzes, produce essays, breakdown ideas to be better understood, and so much more in seconds. There is both opportunity and cause for concern ahead.

Our Mission is to “Prepare promising students for meaningful lives as principled leaders.” We see that this mission is even more important as technology, especially AI, continues to advance.

Therefore, all of us at the Williamsburg Family of Schools have been thinking carefully about what schoolwork should look like in the age of AI and, most importantly, how to keep the focus where it belongs: on your students' growth!

This page walks you through how that works, in plain language: what we expect, what happens when offloading of thinking to AI is suspected, and how every step is built to support your student.

Becoming Better Thinkers

Used well, AI can help students become better thinkers.

It can help students complete research faster and often better than a simple search, just like the internet has made research faster than going to the library.
It can break down ideas, equations, and problems into many parts to help students better understand.
It can generate quick feedback, giving students more opportunities to iterate on assignments, thereby deepening learning and improving quality.

However, used to replace thinking, it quietly robs students of the very learning school is meant to build. Therefore, we both teach and remind students frequently of that difference.

Occasionally, some students will still push the envelope. So, when a student leans on AI to skip real thinking, we seek to treat that as a skill gap, not a character flaw. Usually, it means they feel overwhelmed, have fallen behind, are unclear about the task, or are missing an underlying skill. So we don't punish it. We notice, we talk, and we teach.

Think First

Good work starts with a student's own thinking. We teach them to wrestle with a problem first. Often, their thinking is enough. However, sometimes a student will also want to bring in AI to test and sharpen their ideas. We welcome this. If they do, we also invite them to reflect on the work before they submit to ensure accuracy and that their thinking is their own.

Therefore, we have created the A.I.M. framework. It is a simple way we help students remember what proper use of AI looks like, every single time.

Acknowledge

Cite your sources

Add an "AI Credits" note that names where and how you used AI, right alongside your other sources.

Inspect

Check for accuracy

AI gets things wrong. Verify facts, reasoning, and claims before you trust them in your work.

Make it your own

Show your thinking

Show your steps and your reasoning, so the work reflects understanding that's truly yours.

Sometimes, Your Student Will Get A Score of “1”

Simply put, a score of "1" is a Mentor’s way of saying something is not quite right with the submitted work. It will always be accompanied by a message on exactly what isn’t quite right, and sometimes they will invite the student to chat with them, so a conversation and mentoring can take place.

When getting a “1,” there is no need for major concern. Sometimes the student just submitted the work incorrectly, and the mentor can’t access it. Other times, the mentor simply wants to chat to understand the student's work better and support them in the best way possible.

Additionally, every assignment starts with clear expectations for how AI can be used. When a mentor is concerned that those weren't met, say, work that doesn't show its steps, or an answer that looks copied and pasted, they will invite them to chat. It shows up in the gradebook as a "1," and it simply means: before I can fully grade this, let's talk.

A "1" is never an accusation, and it always presumes good faith. It is not a failing grade and, on its own, is never a penalty. The best way to think of it is as a yellow flag rather than a red one: a pause to check in, not a stop.

What Happens if My Student Gets a "1"?

Your student's mentor reaches out to start the conversation, and your student can begin it themselves at any time. There are two easy ways to clear a "1," and either one works.

Path one

Resubmit work that shows your thinking

Go back, see what was missing, and turn in work that makes the process and understanding visible.

Path two

Talk it through

Talk it through with a mentor or Program Assistant, at office hours or over email. A short conversation is usually all it takes.

When it Keeps Happening, We Add Support.

A "1" now and then is a normal part of learning. A repeated pattern tells us something underneath needs attention. If a student reaches three "Let's Discuss" tags in a single class, or five across all their classes, we open a small-group support session to find the root cause together, whether that's time management, a skill we can teach, or unclear instructions.

From there, we build a plan, with families invited in as partners. The goal is always the same: more support, not penalties.

One Important Distinction

Plagiarism is handled differently.

Everything above is about learning and conversation. Copying someone else's work word for word from an identified source is something else entirely: a serious Honor Code matter, handled directly with the student and family and focused on restoring integrity. The two are not the same, and we don't treat them the same.

For Students

You can start any of these conversations yourself, anytime. That isn't just allowed, it's leadership. We call it self-advocacy, and it's one of the most valuable habits you can build.

For Families

Reinforce the Integrity Agreement at home, and join us as a partner in any support plan we build together. The whole point is to keep the focus on learning, not punishment.

Our Promise to You

Conversation always comes first and is handled privately. We will presume good faith on the student's behalf. We will then document this as support, not an accusation or a penalty.

And if AI could finish an assignment without real thinking, we would treat that as a signal to improve the assignment, not just the student.

Mentor Use of AI for Grading

Your student's Mentor may use AI tools to assist with certain aspects of the grading process. For example, a first draft of grades on simple yes/no assignments, checking a set of assignments for consistent application of the rubric, or flagging misconceptions shared by several students so the Mentor can address them in the next live class. The purpose is to reduce time spent on mechanical work so that Mentors have more time for what matters: understanding how your student thinks, noticing their growth, and deciding which feedback will help them most.

What never changes is who is responsible. Every grade and every comment your student receives has been read and approved by their Mentor. Mentors stand behind the accuracy and fairness of the grades they give, and if you ever have a question about one, your student's Mentor can explain the reasoning behind it.

Quick Links

Info

Customer Support
1-800-200-6869

Mailing Address
782 S River Rd. #16
Saint George, Utah 84790

Business Hours

Mon-Thurs: 9:00 AM-4:00 PM MT

Friday: 9:00 AM-1:00 PM MT

Closed weekends and holidays

How To Ensure Student Growth In The Age of AI