How Denver Jewish Day School is Balancing the Promise and Pitfalls of AI

In late 2022, students across the world began using artificial intelligence to generate their work and answer complex questions in seconds. Today, inside the halls of Denver Jewish Day School, there is a wide range of ways teachers and students use AI. 

Artificial intelligence is far from a modern invention. In the 1950s, AI referred to machines exhibiting human-like intelligence, including logical deduction and basic problem-solving. During the 1956 Dartmouth summer conference, AI officially launched as a scientific discipline. While humans originally programmed AI, it has learned to improve upon itself. 

From the first AI, used to solve mathematical theorems, to the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, the discipline has evolved from solving limited types of equations to responding to nearly anything asked of it. This capability to solve complicated questions in mere seconds has driven adoption of these tools at home, in workplaces, and in school communities. 

Students and teachers have especially come to leverage AI and its fascinating capacities in their everyday tasks. At DJDS, student engagement with AI spans a broad spectrum. Many report using AI for simple tasks like gaining background information or grammar checks, while others turn to it for writing full paragraphs. 

For many students, the utility comes down to how and when the tools are deployed. “I’m for it, but only if used in the right way,” said Livi Kaplan, a ninth grader at DJDS. 

However, the line between constructive assistance and academic dishonesty remains thin. Another DJDS student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, admitted to using AI for writer’s block. “If I’m completely stuck, I will use it to write some sections for me,” the student said. “[AI] makes me a less honest worker by plagiarizing.” 

Faculty members are equally aware of the dual-edged nature of these tools. DJDS social studies teacher Tommy Bell also sees clear educational benefits from intentionally applied AI usage. 

The technology can “facilitate research, answer questions, and help students get the overarching picture of a topic,” Bell said. Yet, Bell cautions against overreliance. “Students have lost the ability to express themselves,” he said. “AI has had a negative effect on their thinking.” 

The effects of AI at DJDS are not just conjecture. In 2024, former upper division principal, Dr. Jeremy Golubcow-Teglasi, released a statement on the official role of Artificial Intelligence in secondary education. “Our approach to the integration of new technologies at Denver JDS is informed by our divrei chayim (“words to live by”),” the statement read. “Three of those divrei chayim--curiosity, integrity, and purpose--feel especially relevant to the questions surrounding the place of generative Artificial Intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT) in our educational community.” 

The determination was made that students must be trusted in their use of AI, but that teachers should implement rules surrounding the issue in their classroom. While that is the case, few to no teachers allow broad use of AI. 

This year, the English department prohibits students from using AI on any assignment. According to the AP English Literature syllabus, “Students are categorically prohibited from using any and all Artificial Intelligence tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, etc.) or essay writing services (e.g., Chegg, Grammarly, or Course Hero) to guide, brainstorm, draft, or create student work related to any assessment, including written projects and performance tasks.” 

Despite this, like all educational institutions nationwide, DJDS is still figuring out how best to leverage the benefits of AI while reducing consequences to student growth and learning.