Academic INTEGRITY

Cheating/plagiarism is a direct contradiction to our mission at SCHS and will not be tolerated. Cheating is getting unauthorized help on an assignment, quiz, or examination. Plagiarism is submitting the work of someone else as your own. If a student is caught cheating or plagiarizing they will receive an “F” on that assignment and be required to complete an alternate assignment covering the same material. The teacher reserves the right, per their disclosure statement, to replace or average all, or award partial credit for the alternate assignment. If a student is caught altering grades for himself or for another student by request, the students will receive a NC for the classes in which the grades were altered and will be subject to suspension and potential criminal charges. 

Policy 3740: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use

As high school students prepare for college and future careers, the Washington County School District recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a powerful tool to enhance learning. However, AI must be used responsibly to ensure it supports—rather than replaces—your own critical thinking, problem-solving, and academic growth.

• Academic Integrity First: You must never misrepresent AI-generated work as your own. Using AI to write essays, complete assignments, or solve test questions without explicit teacher permission is considered academic dishonesty (cheating/plagiarism) and will result in disciplinary action and academic penalties.

• Transparency and Citation: If a teacher permits or encourages the use of AI for a project, you must be entirely transparent about how it was used. You are required to properly cite and attribute any AI-assisted research or content generation according to your teacher's instructions.

• Fact-Checking and Critical Thinking: AI tools can generate biased, inaccurate, or entirely incorrect information. As upperclassmen, you are expected to think critically and verify any data, sources, or claims made by an AI tool before using them in your work.

• Data Privacy Protection: To protect your personal security and comply with privacy laws, you are strictly prohibited from inputting confidential or protected data—such as your personal student records, ID numbers, or the private information of others—into public AI platforms.

• Prohibited Misuse: Using AI to bypass school network filters, engage in cyberbullying, generate sensitive or inappropriate material, or commit any other harmful or illegal activities is strictly forbidden.

The Big Picture: AI is meant to act as a helpful assistant, not a replacement for your brain. When in doubt about whether AI is allowed on an assignment, always ask your teacher first.