A symposium hosted by the AI Lab united educators from all three campuses to craft a school-wide policy before the 2026-2027 academic year
JACKSONVILLE, FL, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Episcopal School of Jacksonville (ESJ) hosted a full-day symposium this June, assembling faculty from every campus to explore how artificial intelligence fits into education and to define the school’s classroom strategy. A subsequent session occurred in July, with both events coordinated through the school’s AI Lab initiative and aimed at generating operational policy before implementation begins this school year.
The Episcopal AI Lab, an investigative program thoroughly examining policy development, strategy, and purpose, is supported by a generous contribution from the Cranberg family. This funding reflects a deliberate, mission-centered approach that prioritizes human learning, ethical accountability, and student growth in every decision.
Faculty discussions during both meetings consistently revolved around a central question: What is fundamental to each academic discipline, and how does the inherent challenge of learning in mathematics, science, history, theology, and language shape the skills students carry forward?
“We recognize that it is critically important for students to acquire the skills they gain through the struggle, process, reflection, and revision involved in completing an assignment,” stated Natalie Herford, Upper School Head. “The learning process itself can never be substituted by AI; how we approach education at Episcopal School of Jacksonville becomes increasingly vital as society gravitates toward convenience and speed. Learning must be meaningful, foster practical skills, and broaden intellectual capacity.”
The symposium articulated ESJ’s objective: to instruct students in using AI ethically and intentionally as a tool that enhances deeper thinking rather than supplanting it. Faculty highlighted the distinctively human traits—judgment, creativity, curiosity, and moral reasoning—that AI cannot replicate and that the school must continue to nurture.
AI literacy at ESJ is introduced in stages that correspond to student development. Students in the school’s preschool and lower elementary school divisions do not engage with AI; instead, they participate in age-appropriate lessons on digital literacy and ethical technology use. Fourth and fifth graders may utilize AI via Flint, the school’s proprietary AI platform, under teacher oversight. As pupils advance to Middle School, learning to prompt, inquire, and employ AI as a tool becomes part of the educational process. Lower School faculty can use Episcopal’s closed Flint AI platform for lesson planning and instructional exploration.
Faculty across middle and high school divisions employ consistent language and standards when addressing AI in the classroom. The AI Acceptable Use Menu, developed by ESJ and distributed across all campuses, defines six assignment categories ranging from No Use through Inquiry, Tutoring, Research, Analysis, and Content Generation, each with specific disclosure and citation requirements. Underpinning all six categories are five shared principles: AI use at Episcopal must be human-centered, learning-centered, age-appropriate and safe, ethical, and purposeful. Approved platforms include FlintAI, NotebookLM, Canva, and tools within the Adobe Creative Suite. All authorized AI usage is monitored by educators through the Flint platform.
“Devoting an entire day for our faculty to collaborate on this, and then reconvening them for a second session in July, speaks volumes about how seriously Episcopal School of Jacksonville is approaching this,” remarked Rev. Adam Greene, Head of School. “Many institutions are waiting to see where artificial intelligence lands before making a move. Our faculty chose to grapple with genuinely challenging questions about their own fields and to shape our approach while those questions remain unresolved. We are preparing students for a world that none of us can fully anticipate, and the way to do that is not to predict the technology. It is to be certain about our principles.”
Herford added: “The faculty discussions and conclusions from the symposium mirrored the balanced approach we bring to every challenge. We believe students must be actively engaged to learn, and that learning is infinitely more complex and nuanced than what a machine can accomplish or teach. The significance of the human element in the classroom cannot be overstated.”
About Episcopal School of Jacksonville
Episcopal School of Jacksonville is an independent school in Jacksonville, Florida serving students from age one through grade 12 across three campuses. The school provides an exceptional college preparatory education within an academically challenging and caring environment focused on a balanced experience across the school’s four pillars of academics, arts, athletics, and spiritual life. Learn more at ESJ.org.
Brandon Westerman
Episcopal School of Jacksonville
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