Getting In Front Of Proper AI Use Important For Sartell Schools

SARTELL (WJON News) -- As AI becomes more and more common in our society, area schools are having to learn how to utilize it best. The Sartell-St. Stephen School District has started to look at AI and is working on helping teachers and staff adjust to it first.  Tune into WJON on Saturday at 7:00 a.m. after the news to hear our full conversation with Superintendent Michael Rivard about AI at the Sartell Schools and timeline for the new HVAC System at Riverview Intermediate School.

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Superintendent Michael Rivard says it is important to get everyone educated on AI:

"AI right now is better than it was ten minutes ago and it will even be better ten minutes from now because it just keeps improving on itself, so I think what we knew we had to start with, is working with our adults in our school district, helping them understand some of the basics of the terminology that's related within artificial intelligence."

Rivard says there is a lot to understand from data privacy to where it's being used, to the different platforms. He says AI can be a good tool for teachers:

"We are continuously growing within the technology field and I think having safeguards in place, especially as we work with kids and helping them understand the ethical and proper use of things like AI is something that educators have been doing for decades now and now it's just going to have to be applied to artificial intelligence and how it can be helpful and impactful while still recognizing that the kids are the learners."

He says the district's Director of Technology, Kyle Breitkreutz, has been working on getting people up to speed on AI for a while already.

Rivard says they plan to have a guiding document in place for staff for this year, and it's important for them to have something that is consistent and aligned across the district. He says they plan to start on some tools for students for the next school year as well.

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