KEARNEY — The Kearney Public Schools Board of Education approved an artificial intelligence policy on first reading during their meeting on the evening of Monday, March 11.
Superintendent Jason Mundorf presented the artificial intelligence (AI) policy to the board and stated that, “we won’t face a more impactful issue in education in the next decade.”
He noted that AI is already being employed in daily life in both business and education.
Mundorf said the board discussed AI at their winter retreat, seeking to have a policy that would put the right foot forward on forming an AI framework for the district.
The board members were of the opinion that the decisions regarding AI be put in the hands of the teachers who could make decisions on an individual basis.
Several board members noted that they use AI in their professions and stated while they want to ensure AI is not abused by students, they are also prepared to use it when they enter the workforce themselves.
For instance, Central Nebraska Today prompted ChatGPT, a popular AI system to, “write an article about the Kearney School Board meeting,” and this was the first paragraph generated.
“Buffalo County, [State] — The Kearney School District #1 convened a productive meeting on March 11, 2024, to discuss and address various educational matters affecting the district. The meeting, held at [location], provided an opportunity for district officials, school board members, and community stakeholders to come together and engage in meaningful dialogue.”
A bit stiff in prose and short on details, but it demonstrates the system’s ability to quickly generate text and the potential for plagiarism.
The policy read in part, “Kearney Public Schools acknowledges that artificial intelligence continues to emerge as a resource that may assist students with future technology and responsible choices about real-time data gathering. However, artificial intelligence also poses challenges to delineate the responsible use of artificial intelligence with perils of student plagiarism, confidentiality, intellectual property infringement and the like.”
The policy continues, “The Board of Education delegates the authority to classroom teachers to decide whether to permit or deny the use of artificial intelligence in any class, project, exam, essay or other assignment from the classroom teacher.”
“A student who, without prior authorization or permission from the classroom teacher, uses artificial intelligence to assist with any class, project, exam, essay or other assignment may be subject to disciplinary measures, including the Board’s plagiarism policy and academic dishonesty rules,” the policy concludes.
The board approved the policy on first reading and will take it up at the April meeting to consider approval on the second and final reading.
Also during the meeting the board considered purchase of a new baseball scoreboard for Memorial Field from Digital Scoreboards at the cost of $206,500.00.
Chris Loofe, Associate Superintendent and Finance Director, gave a presentation about the purchase and noted the City of Kearney had been working on a number of renovations including new turf, new backstops, drainage updates, painting rooms, new carpet, reliable Wi-Fi in the press box, new windows for the press box, live streaming equipment, etc.
The district was requesting $150,000 to be paid from the KPS advertising account. The rest of the funds will come from a Visitor’s Bureau who donated $150,000 to KPS for the purchase.
After the purchase, the scoreboard will be installed by late March 2024.
The board approved the use of the funds for the purchase.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between KPS and City of Kearney to donate the purchased scoreboard to the city for use by all field groups with KPS maintaining scoreboard advertising and collecting revenue, accordingly, was also approved.
There were several recognitions during the board meeting, the first being the KHS football team and Coach Brandon Cool receiving the 2023-2024 NFF National High School Academic Excellence Award.
The National Football Foundation (NFF) and the College Hall of Fame announced the KHS Football Team as the state of Nebraska’s Class A winner of the 2023-2024 NFF National High School Academic Excellence Award, presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, for the third year in a row.
The KHS eSports team and Coach Nate Garringer won the 2024 state championship at York University on Feb. 3.
The KHS Dance Catz earned the 2024 State Runner-Up at the Nebraska State Dance Championship at the Nebraska State Dance Championships on Feb. 17.
Art Teacher Ana Rodriguez Trejo noted Sunrise Middle School Student Emma Payne was recognized as a State Scholastic Art Award Winner and National Qualifier.
Payne received a Gold Key award for her toothpick sculpture at the state level, qualifying her for the national level competition.
There were a number of resignations and retirements approved during the meeting, and included, Paige Uhing, 1st grade teacher at Emerson Elementary School; Emily Noble, 1st grade teacher at Park Elementary School; Ashley Bush, business teacher at Kearney High School; Kirk McLoed, 5th grade teacher at Emerson Elementary School; Mitch Olson, special education teacher for Kearney Public Schools; Jenn DeBord, special education teacher at the Hanny Arram Center; Heidi Straka, 1st grade teacher at Bryant Elementary School; Rebecca Dunn, kindergarten teacher at Emerson Elementary School; Jason Boyd, assistant principal at Kearney High School; Danielle May, 8th grade science teacher at Horizon Middle School; Lisa Cool, school psychologist at Kearney Public Schools; Dr. Dan Endorf, Director of Student Services and Safety at Kearney Public Schools; and Erikka Rhodes, special education teacher at Kearney High School, effective the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Retirements included Kris Hillburn, 3rd grade teacher at Bryant Elementary School; Robin Bennett, 1st grade teacher at Meadowlark Elementary School, and Eleanor Arens, 2nd grade teacher at Buffalo Hills Elementary School.
Melissa Herrmann, Human Resources, noted that these three teachers had 100 years of combined service to the district.
Hirings were also approved and they included, Michelle Hellman, 3rd grade teacher at Bryant Elementary School; Drew Danielson, permanent substitute teacher at Kearney High School; Cortney Hoelck, 1st grade teacher at Bryant Elementary School; Terianne Knott, science teacher at Kearney High School; Michaela Becker, 2nd grade teacher at Buffalo Hills Elementary School; Kylee Rasmussen, 2nd grade teacher at Buffalo Hills Elementary School; Amber Brown, 1st grade teacher at Emerson Elementary School; and Evie Schroeder, 5th grade teacher at Emerson Elementary School; Katheryn Pacheco, at Horizon Middle School; Shelbee Lemburg, at Meadowlark Elementary School; and Jaycee Lapp, math teacher at Sunrise Middle School, for the 2024-2025 school year.
Superintendent Mundorf gave a report to the board regarding the recent legislative activity in the Nebraska Unicameral.
Mundorf said as of Monday, the Legislature was on day 41 of a 60-day session and that all the public hearings for bills have concluded.
Bills the district is tracking is LB 1402 which is similar to the ballot initiative regarding private school scholarships, expect this bill does not include tax credits. LB 1027 changes laws regarding homeschools that instead of “evidence,” they could provide “assurance,” of a child’s education.
LB 1193 would provide for parents the right to have their child repeat a grade. LB 1339 would allow for school boards to specify arming staff or security guards.
The next meeting of the Kearney school board will be April 8 at 5:30 p.m. in the Staff Development Room in the Administration Building.
