Sycamore Community City presents district AI guidelines and selects Google Gemini for Education pilot

Sycamore Community City administrators and teachers presented the district’s AI work and usage guidelines to the board, describing a multi‑year process that produced a traffic‑light rubric for classroom assignments and the selection of Google Gemini for Education as the district’s managed AI platform.

Superintendent Mr. Long introduced a cross‑functional AI team and said the work began in earnest in the summer of 2024. The district piloted a commercial tool earlier, then moved toward the Google ecosystem because the district manages Chromebooks and Google Workspace and wants a managed, age‑appropriate platform integrated with the learning management system.

"Gemini for Education fits our ecosystem," said Chris Goodmouth, the district’s supervisor of instructional technology. He told the board the platform offers managed histories, safety controls, and integration with the district’s existing Google management console, which allows the district to control access and review usage through the LMS.

Presenters emphasized that AI is offered as an instructional resource, not a required replacement for core instruction: teachers would designate assignment‑level expectations using a traffic‑light system (green = permitted with citation; yellow = teacher‑guided caution; red = prohibited as academic dishonesty). Kate Gesky, a sixth‑grade science teacher who worked on the guidelines, described how the rubric is broken into grade bands and building‑specific guidance so teachers, students and families can see appropriate use at each level.

The presentation addressed privacy and safety: staff said the chosen managed Google platform (Gemini for Education) includes guardrails built for K–12 use and that the district will emphasize parent communications. District leaders also announced a professional‑learning plan for 2026–27 developed with Shannon Eastep (Northern Kentucky University) to build AI literacy for teachers and families and to emphasize ethical use and critical thinking.

Board members asked how the traffic‑light designation will be set for specific assignments (teachers will identify the appropriate light and expectations) and requested parent outreach and demonstrations so families understand when and how AI may be used in schoolwork. Staff said they will share the guidelines with families before summer break and will continue iterative updates as tools evolve.

Context and caution: presenters noted AI tools change rapidly and that the guidelines are designed to be revisited; the team said they do not mandate AI use but seek to teach students responsible, literate and ethical use. The district emphasized that use will be transparent and teacher‑directed.

Provenance: presentation and Q&A (introduction, platform selection, examples, rubric, and next steps) came from the AI team’s presentation and subsequent board discussion.