Westonka schools develop AI policymaking group to prepare for evolving technology

Artificial intelligence in the classroom is a hot topic, and one Minnesota school district is aiming to get on top of the tech with a new policymaking group.Right now, it's a process of elimination keeping kids from cheating, but Westonka Public Schools' new AI cabinet is made to vet new advancements in this rapidly evolving technology before they enter the classroom."We really had to think quickly how are we going to manage this thing called AI" said Mark Femrite.Femrite oversees more than 2,400 students as Westonka's assistant superintendent of teaching and learning. Westonka Public Schools ISD 277 sits on the northwest end of Lake Minnetonka."You know nothing surprises me" said Femrite, who's worked for the district since 1990. He calls artificial intelligence a "disrupter.""My definition of a disrupter is it can be positive or negative and we're gonna take the positive route with this" said Femrite. He says in June 2025, the district held a one-day training for staff on AI, discuss