The Crawfordsville Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees began reviewing a new AI policy Thursday while also approving an update to the student transportation handbook and several personnel recommendations.
The meeting opened with the board’s Spotlight on Excellence, recognizing student artists from kindergarten through 12th grade. Artwork created by Beau Shrum, Dayana Hernandez Flores, Abigail Olmstead, Gavin Largent, Thomas Lamm, Marceline Wilson, Alice Cunningham, Xavier Carmona Guzman, Silas Thompson, Abigail Sheets, Kirsten Biery and Li Li Yeung will remain on display in the corporation’s administration building for the next year.
Board members approved an update to the student transportation handbook prohibiting hand sanitizer on school buses.
The board also held the second reading of its wireless device prohibition policy before conducting the first reading of a new artificial intelligence policy.
Developed with guidance from the Indiana School Boards Association, the proposed policy allows individual teachers and administrators to determine whether generative AI will be used in their classrooms. If incorporated into instruction, the policy states AI should be part of planned lessons that teach students how AI generates responses and the importance of verifying information through reliable sources.
The policy also states AI can enhance students’ ability to gather and analyze information while developing critical thinking skills, but students must continue to demonstrate their own understanding of coursework. It requires staff and students to follow existing policies regarding academic integrity, cheating and plagiarism and calls for responsible and ethical AI use by addressing bias, transparency and equitable access.
Teachers and administrators would monitor student AI use, while the superintendent or a designee could establish administrative guidelines for implementing the policy throughout the corporation.
The board also reviewed school food prices for the 2026-27 school year which will remain the same.
Board members approved the resignations of Brayden Montgomery, Susan Ward, Shannon Rustin, Jayda Bort, Steffanie Brumett and Tina Herendeen. They also approved the hiring of Adrienne Naylor as the Crawfordsville Middle School counselor, Cale Gray for CMS strength and conditioning, Matthew Commons for the Athens Virtual Academy and CHS as student success coordinator and social studies teacher, Thomas Logan for CHS social studies teacher, Ian Hensley for PE and social studies teacher at Hoover Elementary and Robert Clemence as CTE industrial careers instructor.
