Artificial Intelligence

We believe generative AI can elevate teaching and learning at Harvard-Westlake. With a focus on integrity, creativity, sustainability, and connection, we are committed to using AI to further the school’s mission.

Generative AI is already part of how students learn, how teachers teach, and how the school runs. Harvard-Westlake approaches it the way we approach any powerful new tool: in service of the mission, grounded in our values, and with people at the center. We equip faculty and staff with AI tools that meet our standards for privacy and data protection, we invest in their professional development, and we teach students to use AI thoughtfully and transparently. We recognize that this work is ongoing. The technology will keep changing, and so will our understanding of how best to use it. What will not change is the framework below, which guides every decision we make about AI at HW.

OUR AI FRAMEWORK

Four commitments shape how AI is used at Harvard-Westlake. We return to them whenever we evaluate a tool, design a lesson, or set expectations for an assignment.

PRIORITIZE HUMAN CONNECTION

At the heart of learning lies human connection. We strengthen student-teacher relationships and peer interactions, using AI to support, not replace, these essential human bonds.

EMBRACE CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

AI expands possibilities in teaching and learning, with novel approaches to creating, understanding, and exploring ideas. We embrace these possibilities to advance student learning through innovative approaches to pedagogy, communication, and discovery.

ENGAGE ETHICALLY

We value responsible AI use and understand its implications for privacy, bias, equity, and attribution. We model accountability to ensure AI enhances teaching and learning for all students.

USE TECHNOLOGY MINDFULLY

We integrate AI thoughtfully, selecting appropriate tools and recognizing when human-only approaches are best. Our choices balance educational benefits with privacy, security, and environmental impact to support sustainable and meaningful learning experiences.

People stay responsible. AI work at HW begins with meaningful human input and ends with thoughtful human review. A person, not a tool, is accountable for what we teach, write, and decide.

Protected school data. Any AI work involving school data or intellectual property happens on platforms Harvard-Westlake has vetted for privacy and security. Faculty and staff use school-licensed tools for that work, so exploring AI never puts school information at risk.

Clear expectations in every class. Teachers communicate how much AI use is appropriate for each assignment using a common, school-wide framework. When AI is permitted, students disclose how they used it.