School committee approves handbook revisions; district inserts AI guidance, restores senior exam structure and clarifies athletic absences
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Summary
After presentations from Bedford High School and the middle school, the committee approved proposed handbook revisions that reinstate senior final-exam structure, add unauthorized AI use to academic-integrity language, exempt school-sponsored trips from athletic absences, and remove prescriptive dance lists.
The School Committee approved revisions to student handbooks for the coming 2024–25 year after presentations from high‑school and middle‑school administrators.
Bedford High School Principal Heather Galante and Assistant Principal Dan Hutter walked the committee through changes that include re‑inserting a senior final‑exam structure (students with a minimum qualifying score may be exempted), adding language to the honor code and code of conduct to address unauthorized use of artificial intelligence, and moving static lists of clubs and activities to live links on the Bedford Public Schools website.
Galante described the AI language as an interim step: "There are times where teachers are actively saying, 'this is an appropriate use,'" she said, adding the district will form an academic‑integrity group to develop more detailed guidance. On exams she said the structure mirrors common college approaches and is intended to reduce student stress.
Middle‑school administrators proposed parallel edits at JGMS: removing the antiquated term "guidance counselor" in favor of "counselor," changing team‑placement procedures so administrators form balanced teams with staff input, and significant edits to the dress code to avoid prescriptive enforcement while maintaining standards for safety and cleanliness. The middle school also proposed two recognition lists — an Academic Achievement list and a Tenacity list — and presented an alternative, pilotable metric that would recognize growth as well as high achievement.
Committee members repeatedly asked how "unapproved" AI would be identified and communicated to students. The presenters said consistency will develop through the proposed academic‑integrity committee and teacher guidance: "It is a moving target," one presenter said. Members seeking clarity recommended defining the scope of "AI program" in future handbook language.
On athletics and field trips, presenters said school‑sponsored trips will be designated exempt absences for sports, aligning Bedford with other regional districts and supporting participation in approved international or experiential trips.
The committee voted to approve the BHS handbook revisions (roll-call vote recorded as unanimous) and separately approved the JGMS handbook using the alternative metrics memo (also approved by roll call). No amendments were recorded on the floor.
Why it matters: The changes update handbooks to reflect state discipline‑law adjustments and the rise of classroom AI tools, signal the district's intent to balance academic standards with inclusive language, and shift some procedural detail (club lists) to online systems. The AI policy is intentionally limited pending a broader district policy, and the committee asked administrators to return with clearer definitions and implementation guidance.
The next step: Administrators will convene the academic‑integrity working group and prepare more detailed guidance on AI and implementation protocols for committee review.
