Implementation of artificial intelligence tools for Luxemburg-Casco students, teachers

LUXEMBURG-CASCO – The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in education currently is a huge topic of discussion, both in Wisconsin and nationwide. There is no clear model for educators to use as the technology evolves continually.

The Luxemburg-Casco School District has chosen to follow a proactive path in the implementation of AI tools, believing that the technology is here to stay and can be an advantage, especially to students as they move into post-secondary education and the workforce.

Starting in the 2025-26 school year, the district has made AI tools available for its entire staff and for students in grades 6-12. There are multiple reasons that L-C has chosen to utilize AI tools, according to Scott Waldow, the district’s director of technology who is coordinating the implementation with Sarah Monfils, library media specialist for the high school and middle school.

Waldow says that AI enhances teaching and learning through personalized instruction, immediate feedback and accessibility support. Support tools include translation and text-to-speech.

He said it can also help teachers to save time, gain insights from student data and focus on high-value instruction. It can reduce their time spent on repetitive tasks like lesson planning and grading.

AI also provides L-C students with valuable skills they can use in their personal and professional lives over a lifetime, according to Superintendent Jo-Ellen Fairbanks, Ph.D.

“The implementation of AI for student use prepares them for a future where this technology is everywhere,” says Fairbanks. “It gives them critical skills in digital citizenship, responsible use and career readiness. These AI skills are becoming increasingly important in both higher education and the workforce.”

A paper released last month by three Stanford University economists showed that while young workers can be negatively affected in fields where generative AI tools can easily automate tasks done by humans, improvement in employment for this same group is possible when they can utilize AI in their work.

An Aug. 27 story in the Wall Street Journal, ‘AI Begins to Disrupt Job Hunters’ Prospects,’ indicated that researchers had found that in occupations where AI could act as a helper, rather than a replacement, there was employment growth that exceeded overall employment.

It further shared that AI could help workers to do their jobs better, citing the example of medical professionals utilizing AI to make accurate diagnoses more quickly.

After piloting a number of AI products, the district selected MagicSchool Enterprise because of its ease of use for students and teachers, along with the fact that its student-facing side is very robust, Waldow said. It allows L-C students to leverage the power of AI in an environment where guardrails are in place.

MagicSchool is utilized by more than six million educators. Its personalized-learning platform has driven positive student outcomes, in many cases more than a 25 percent improvement in students meeting their literacy grade-level expectations.

Staff training on AI and the MagicSchool tool was offered over the summer to any staff member who wished to participate. There were four different sessions.

The initial session provided a foundational overview of artificial intelligence with a focus on its practical applications in education. Real-world classroom examples were explored and ethical considerations were discussed.

The second session centered on practical classroom integration with hands-on work. There was a deep dive into AI tool customization and lesson-design strategies that incorporate AI for student use. Emphasis was placed on developing digital literacy and responsible AI use by students.

Session three was an introduction to the teacher side of MagicSchool, where key features, educational-use cases and classroom-integration strategies were demonstrated.

The final session was dedicated to training for teachers in grades 6-12, where they explored the student-facing side of MagicSchool AI. According to Waldow, the teachers were able to gain a clear understanding of why MagicSchool is a powerful tool for students, how it enhances their learning and how it supports academic integrity and creativity.

Monfils says that AI tools should help teachers to be more efficient in their work. It will help with time-consuming tasks like grading, lesson plan creation, drafting of communications and analysis of student performance data.

Additionally, it can generate differentiated learning materials and provide quick feedback to students.

There are five specific ways that Monfils sees AI benefitting the Luxemburg-Casco teaching staff.

One is in vocabulary instruction. It may save their time in creating differentiated word lists, generating practice activities that are engaging and adapting content to students’ individual reading levels. It can provide instant feedback on student work, track progress and highlight which words or concepts need re-teaching, allowing teachers to focus more on personalized support and deeper instruction.

Another way is connecting math topics to real-world applications and student interests by generating personalized examples, problems and projects that align with the hobbies or career goals of students, along with current events.

“We believe that if we can connect any topic with a student’s interests, it makes learning more engaging,” says Monfils.

MagicSchool Enterprise also enables teachers to create classroom materials aligned with the district’s curriculum and Wisconsin state standards, leading to customized instruction without lengthy teacher work to ensure alignment.

A fourth way – and a huge benefit to teacher efficiency – is that AI tools can generate lesson outlines, activities and assignments matched to specific grade levels and standards, reducing the amount of prep work a teacher must do from scratch. Lessons can be adapted based on different learning styles and student needs, including differentiated materials for advanced learners or students who need extra support. Teachers also are provided with ideas for different and more engaging activities.

A final benefit is AI’s ability to generate thought-provoking questions, real-world problem scenarios and data sets that encourage students to explore, analyze and draw conclusions. Teachers can design tasks where students have to investigate authentic challenges, interpret information and justify their reasoning.

Practical advantages for students also are part of the AI integration into learning at Luxemburg-Casco.

“We believe it will benefit students by providing personalized learning that adapts to their pace and individual needs,” says Waldow. “It will offer instant feedback to help them improve, along with giving them effective tools like translation, speech-to-text and text-to-speech. It also will provide new ways to explore content, practice critical thinking and engagement with interactive learning resources.”

Improving the student learning experience is an ongoing goal of the Luxemburg-Casco School District, and the incorporation of AI tools into the curriculum should make a notable impact toward reaching that objective.