Westonka Public Schools in Minnesota has established a new artificial intelligence (AI) policymaking group to address the challenges and opportunities presented by this rapidly evolving technology. The initiative aims to ensure that advancements in AI are vetted prior to their integration into the classroom.
Mark Femrite, the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, oversees more than 2,400 students within the district and emphasized the need for prompt action regarding AI. “We really had to think quickly about how we’re going to manage this thing called AI,” Femrite said. He has worked with the district since 1990 and views AI as a significant disruptor in education.
Femrite noted that the term “disrupter” can have both positive and negative connotations, and the district is focusing on leveraging the positive aspects. In June 2025, the district held a training session on AI for staff, during which they discussed guidelines and introduced a manual related to AI use in education. Since then, he reports that every school within the district has formed its own committee to work on AI-related initiatives.
Each committee feeds into a central cabinet composed of six staff members strategically selected from various parts of the district. “We wrap around them to support them,” Femrite explained. The cabinet is responsible for guiding the overall implementation of AI in the district, which includes vetting AI tools before they are utilized in classrooms.
Under the current policy, students are prohibited from using AI technologies, whereas teachers are allowed access but limited to the Gemini platform. Femrite acknowledged the uncertainty regarding future policies but remains prepared. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen in January, but we’re ready,” he told WCCO.
He stressed the importance of understanding AI’s impact on instruction and adapting teaching methods accordingly. “We’ll adapt as things change and we’ll end up on top,” he said. Femrite also pointed out their awareness that students may use AI on personal devices and emphasized the need to teach teachers how to detect such usage among students.
Westonka Public Schools consists of several institutions, including Westonka High School, Westonka Middle School, Shirley Hills Primary School, Hilltop Primary School, and Westonka Early Learning.
The Minnesota Department of Education provides additional resources regarding artificial intelligence in education, available on their official website.
