Independent schools are learning to make the most of AI

With the quality and reach of artificial intelligence tools gaining ground almost daily, independent schools in the Baltimore region are learning how to navigate technology that has the potential to disrupt just about every aspect of learning.

In the four years since ChatGPT burst into the scene, schools have been studying what rules to apply regarding AI use, as students and teachers grow increasingly comfortable with the technology.

The dangers are real. Studies show that children’s ability to learn is shaped by the interconnected growth of their cognitive, social and emotional capacities. AI has the potential to disrupt all of that, and its effect on developmental growth both in and out of school is not yet fully known.

With their thoughtful approaches, Baltimore area independent schools are well positioned to steer their communities to what they hope will be the best outcome: One where AI enriches learning by expanding and growing the capabilities of students and teachers to interact and learn.

There is also growing appreciation for uniquely human skills such as leadership, creativity, judgment and empathy, which become even more important in the AI epoch.  

Overall, schools are moving deliberately because they want to get it right, even as storm clouds gather. A recent study by the Brookings Institution’s Center for Universal Education found the potential risks to students from AI overshadow the benefits.

Observers say it’s not too late to bend the arc of AI use to enrich, rather than diminish, student learning and development.

Opting In and Opting Out at Beth Tfiloh

At Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, which serves kindergarten through grade 12, Mark Kaiser is at work on an institution-wide protocol for AI. But there are challenges.

“We’ve got a subcommittee formed, and we’re really trying to get that cranked out and put into acceptance in the building,” said Kaiser, the director of operations who also runs the technology office. “But we’re finding, even as we’re going through writing our proto col, that some of the platforms that we were looking at very carefully have inconsistencies and ambiguities.”

The working group aims to create a living document that will provide guidance for both staff and students.

Currently at Beth Tfiloh, AI use varies by division: Lower school students are not exposed to AI in the classroom, middle school students have limited exposure, and high school students and staff are encouraged to use AI more actively.

The school emphasizes using AI to foster critical thinking, encouraging students and staff to engage with AI outputs thoughtfully rather than accepting them at face value. But notably, some students have opted out of AI-based assignments, citing concerns about maintaining their authentic voice or the ownership of their intellectual property.

Incorporating AI Into the Mission at The St. Paul’s Schools

At The St. Paul’s Schools, staff is using a wide range of approaches to AI, “which I think is appropriate at this stage,” Ziegler said. “Some assignments may prohibit AI because the goal is for students to develop and demonstrate a specific skill independently. In other cases, teachers may allow students to use AI for brainstorming, research support, revision, studying aid, or creative exploration when it enhances the learning experience.”

Teachers, she said, are using AI for tasks like creative lesson-planning and providing interactive experiences that once were unimaginable.

“We recognize that these tools are already part of the reality our students and teachers are navigating,” Ziegler said. “As a result, our work has shifted toward building understanding, developing skills, providing guidance, and creating opportunities for thoughtful exploration so that our community can use AI in ways that align with our mission to ‘discover and pursue our unique gifts’ and our vision to ‘create transformational experiences through innovative and responsive teaching.’”

Educators at The St. Paul’s Schools and elsewhere have always adapted to technological innovation, Ziegler said. “What matters is developing a culture of continuous learning and adaptability,” she said.

AI is being incorporated into St. Paul’s research skills curriculum, technology skill-building curriculums and trainings, and other specific courses. The school’s Tech Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Business class, for example, is examining AI’s impact on areas such as prototyping, business decision-making and developing AI-driven solutions to improve existing businesses.

At Loyola Blakefield, Careful Analysis Guided by Jesuit Principles

At Loyola Blakefield, leaders organized a professional development day for its 150 or so faculty and staff around AI last fall, a session that indicated a shift in its scope and usage. AI had become a “mandatory topic that we know enough about to stand in front of our faculty and say, ‘This is how we want you to think and engage about this tool,’” said Ryan Bromwell, assistant principal for academics.

Following the presentation and breakout sessions, faculty and staff engaged in reflection and dialogue through Ignatian Conversations, a cornerstone of Jesuit instruction rooted in active listening and intentional speaking. “The goal was for staff to put aside preconceived ideas, or the latest article they had read, whether for or against,” said Mike Lackner, academic technology coordinator and registrar, “and to challenge themselves to continue learning.”

The sessions made such an impression on school President Rev. Dennis M. Baker, S.J., that he asked the technology and academic teams to make a presentation to the Board of Trustees.

In Loyola Blakefield classrooms today, teachers are beginning to integrate AI in both practical and instructional ways. Some use it to prepare or plan different versions of assessments, while also introducing students to AI as a thought partner and guiding them in its responsible use. Teachers are asking AI tools to provide an overview or explanation on a topic, and then critically evaluating that response based on their own knowledge.

But the school knows it is only one part of the equation. “The data shows that they’re learning far more about AI through social media and from their friends than through formal instruction,” Lackner said.

Cell Phone Policies are Changing Too

AI is everywhere, including on the smart phones that students carry. Increasingly, there is overlap between AI policies and smart phone policies. Many schools are actively revisiting phone policies, and the general trend is toward limiting phone use during instructional time to reduce distractions and support engagement.

At Beth Tfiloh, the school has implemented policies to manage smartphone use, particularly since the return to in-person learning after COVID-19. Middle and high school students are required to check their phones into secure storage at the start of the day, which has led to a noticeable reduction in distractions and social pressures.

The lower and middle schools at St. Paul’s Schools have long maintained an “off and away for the day” approach to personal devices. This year we extended a cell phone-free academic day to our Upper Schools.

“The results have been overwhelmingly positive,” said Ziegler. “We have seen increased student engagement, more face-to face interaction, and fewer distractions throughout the school day.”

At Loyola Blakefield, for a while the school had a policy that students were able to use phones outdoors, as they moved about an open campus. “And what we discovered is that when they had free time to go outdoors, they would go outside, get on their phone and be largely isolated,” Bromwell said. So last year, the school reverted to an older policy that banned phones completely. “I can’t tell you how delightful it is to watch the kids playing hacky sack and Frisbee and having wonderful conversations and eating lunch together,” Bromwell said.

Last year, The Boys’ Latin of Maryland was among the first schools in the area to adopt a school-day no-phone policy, said headmaster Christopher Post. The results have been positive, he said, with noticeably increased student engagement throughout the day, both in the classroom and in interactions with one another outside of class. Removing phones from the school environment has helped foster more present, focused and socially connected students, Post said.

This article is part of our 2026-2027 Guide to Baltimore Independent Schools.