AI Policy Community Letter

August 27, 2026

Dear Manistique Area Schools Community,

Some folks in our community have reached out to ask about our recently adopted AI policy.
Because we wanted to address the ethical and legal responsibilities involved with AI in schools
(think Google and other search engines and apps, classwork, assessments, etc.), our district sent
folks to a conference to see and understand how other districts were addressing AI so Manistique
would be at the front line of educating ourselves about AI and its use in schools. After
committee review and two readings at the board level, we feel pretty good about our final
product. The policy is available for review on our website at our Transparency Button.

Firstly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept of the future; it is a reality of our
present. From the workplaces our graduates enter to the daily tools we use in our homes, AI is
rapidly reshaping how the world communicates, solves problems, and innovates. As a school
district, our core mission is to prepare students for life after high school. To achieve this in a
rapidly evolving technological society, we must proactively embrace change rather than ignore
or dismiss it.

With this responsibility in mind, I am writing to inform you that our school district has officially
adopted a new Artificial Intelligence Policy.
This policy was not created to ban or restrict AI. Instead, its primary intent is to establish a clear,
structured framework for teaching the ethical and legal use of AI during the educational process.
We want both our students and our staff to understand how to leverage these powerful tools
responsibly, productively, and safely.

Our approach focuses on three core pillars:

Preparation Over Avoidance: AI is fundamentally changing the workforce. To ensure our
students are competitive and prepared for college and careers, they must know how to use
technology effectively. We are committed to teaching students how to use AI as a tool for critical
thinking, creativity, and problem-solving.

Ethical and Legal Responsibility: Power comes with responsibility. Our curriculum will
explicitly teach students about intellectual property, data privacy, bias in AI models, and the
importance of academic integrity. Students will learn the difference between using AI as an
educational assistant and using it to bypass the learning process.

Staff Empowerment and Safety: This policy also provides our educators with the guidelines and
the baseline training necessary to integrate AI into their instructional practices safely. Are
teachers using AI to assist them with the work that do? No more so than in other industries and
walks of life. Using a search engine means using AI. By automating routine administrative
tasks, AI can free up more time for our teachers to do what they do best: provide personalized,
face-to-face instruction and mentorship to your children.

We understand that the rise of AI brings valid concerns regarding data security and the
authenticity of student work. Please be assured that our policy includes strict safeguards to
protect student privacy and adhere to data protection laws. Furthermore, our educators are
updating our assessment methods to ensure we can accurately measure true student learning and
mastery. Anyone with a cell phone knows that you are holding the same power as the Library of
Congress: there is virtually nothing that cannot be looked up and researched almost instantly.

How to address AI use in schools? That is why we have developed a policy. We view this not
as a challenge to be feared, but as an extraordinary opportunity to innovate. By teaching our
school community how to navigate this new landscape with integrity and wisdom, we are
ensuring that our students graduate tech-literate, adaptable, and ready to lead. Some of the career
paths our kids will be on in the future do not currently even exist!

We are here to guide students on their educational journey, informed and intentional rather than
random and mapless. Thank you for your continued support, your trust, and your dedication to
the future of our students. The best way to stay informed about your child’s course expectations
is to reach out to teachers and ask questions.

Sincerely,

Matt Lukshaitis, Superintendent