Given the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology on education, Belmont Hill has defined its position on AI through a reformed policy. The October 8 Chapel from Dean of Studies Mr. Smith highlighted the school’s transformation from a restricted position to a well-rounded strategy centered on skill development and moral AI application.
When the school realized the implications of generative AI technologies like ChatGPT, the administration recognized the need for AI policy. The goal is for students to be able to properly critique AI output, not simply regurgitate what the AI says. Last year, the school revealed a zero-tolerance policy; a new one was recently adopted after speaking with experts. The latest AI policy is shaped around the educational principles of Belmont Hill. Jackson Hurd ’26 says “I think it’s so much better this year now that I can use AI to help me study instead of the zero tolerance rule”. The policy’s emphasis on teaching pupils fundamental skills like reading, writing, and critical thinking without using AI is one of its preeminent features. According to Mr. Smith, the aim is to “adequately prepare students to use AI as an addition to their education rather than a replacement.”
Many teachers are piloting an AI tool called Flint that creates customized chatbots from notes or other documents that reference specific course materials and can be used by students to supplement face-to-face extra help. This approach offers more control over content than general AI tools that may generate inaccurate or irrelevant information. Additionally, Flint will allow teachers to indirectly assist students and provide more feedback, especially at the 11th hour, when many students genuinely need the assistance.
While the school aims to enhance learning efficiency by employing AI for lesson planning and content creation, it has restricted its use in official communications or grading and focused on ethical AI use. Mr Smith encourages transparency and advocates for open conversations between students and teachers about AI’s role in assignments, saying, “for cheating, whether it’s on AI or Wikipedia, is if you can’t tell mom and dad about it, and if you don’t feel comfortable telling your teacher about it, you’re probably misusing the technology. I think if you wanna honestly engage with it, you should honestly have open and honest conversations with your teachers about how to do that”.
Belmont Hill envisions a future where AI is a robust tutoring tool, supplementing teacher support and fostering students’ independence. Nathan Zhang ’26 explained, “It’s great that we are encouraging students to use AI realistically…in a way we can use in the workplace as adults.” While the policy will be periodically reviewed to keep pace with technology, the school remains committed to prioritizing personal interaction and developing interpersonal skills essential for students’ long-term success.
