Based on direct feedback from administrators working in all kinds of school environments, Flint has made some major updates to better support the real-world challenges educators face with AI tools. These aren't just new features—they're practical solutions built to meet actual needs. Every setting and configuration we've added plays an important role in making sure AI is used in a safe, responsible, and meaningful way. If you're an admin, it's important to think of these tools not as extras, but as essential guardrails that help protect students, reflect your school's values, and support thoughtful AI use in the classroom.
Manual User Addition The fastest way to get your faculty and students into Flint is through the manual addition feature, which supports both individual and bulk uploads.
How to add users:
- Navigate to School Settings → People in the left sidebar
- Click on the People tab to view your current roster
- In the search box, enter email addresses:
- Individual: Type or paste one email address
- Bulk: Paste multiple email addresses (the system will recognize each one automatically)
- Click "Assign as" and select the appropriate role:
- Student
- Teacher
- Admin
- Click Update to finalize
Step-by-Step SIS/LMS Integration Directions
Best Practices
-
Terms
- ✅Create a test term first - Set up an inactive "Test" term to safely verify your integration
- ✅Set term for full academic year and import all.
- If there are spring classes that a teacher does not want a student to be able to see, they can go into the class settings and mark them as "unpublished" so the student is unable to see them.
- ✅Identify your data source - Confirm which system (SIS or LMS) has complete roster data and correct role designations.
-
Class Settings
- Access Permission Options:
- Private (Recommended) - Students cannot share links to add others to classes
- Unlisted - Anyone with the link can join
- Open to School - Anyone in your school can join
- Published Status:
- Published - Students and teachers see all classes immediately
- Unpublished - Only teachers see classes; they control which ones students can access
- 💡 Recommended: Set to Private and choose Published/Unpublished based on your preference (see image below)
- Access Permission Options:
- Complete Import
- Click Next → Import
- ⚠️ Warning: The final step asks if you want to remove users not in the import - this includes staff and existing accounts. Consider carefully before checking this box.
- ⛔ DO NOT delete the current active term (24-25), even after it is inactive as this will delete all of the content teachers and students have previously created.
- Safe Testing Tips
- ✅ Always test in an inactive term (look for the gray banner confirming inactive status)
- ✅ You can delete/archive test terms without affecting users or data
- ✅ Verify all settings before activating your term
- Post-Setup Maintenance
- 🔄 Re-run integration after add/drop periods - Flint does NOT automatically update
- Simply click through the 5-step verification process again
- Uncheck the "update group settings" box to preserve teacher customizations
- ⛔ Never delete your current active term (even after it becomes inactive) - this will delete all content teachers and students created
- 🔄 Re-run integration after add/drop periods - Flint does NOT automatically update
- EdLink Troubleshooting
- If you're having role designation issues:
- EdLink can adjust how roles import to Flint via Sharing Rules
- Note the difference between 'Share by Class' and 'Share by Person'
- Share by Class is more useful for active classes
- Need help? Contact Jacob Edington at jacob@flintk12.com for EdLink support
- If you're having role designation issues:
LMS Provider Names:
- Blackboard
- D2L Brightspace
- Canvas
- Google Classroom
- Microsoft Teams
- Moodle
- Schoology
- ManageBac
- Toddle
SIS Provider Names:
- Aeries
- Alma
- Aspen
- Aspire
- Blackbaud
- Bromcom
- ESchoolPlus
- Renweb FACTS
- Focus
- Genesis
- Infinite Campus
- Pinnacle
- Powerschool
- ProgressBook
- Q By Aequitas
- Skyward Qmlativ
- Rediker
- Sapphire
- SchoolTool
- SIMS
- Skyward SMS
- Synergy
- Veracross
⚙️ General: Mission & Background
What is it? A critical setting that provides Flint with contextual information about your educational environment.
Why it matters: This helps provide Flint with the appropriate context about your school to better align its responses with your specific educational values, culture, and context.
Best Practices:
- Try our Mission & Background Activity for assistance in creating a draft of your statement
- Write a summary of everything about your school in a Flint Chat and then ask it to create a 1000-character summary of what Flint would need to know. From there, you can edit and adjust as you see fit.
- Include key details about your school type (e.g., IB, public, private)
- Mention geographic location
- Highlight core educational philosophy
- Specify grade levels
Need additional help writing your mission and background? Learn more here.
⚙️ General: Moderation Settings
What is it? Instructions for how Flint should handle sensitive or inappropriate content - and whether an email notification should be sent
Why it matters: Ensures customized, consistent, compassionate, and appropriate responses to challenging situations - while simultaneously allowing you to modify what initiates an email notification and who should receive it.
Best Practices:
- Provide clear escalation procedures
- Include contact information for support resources
- Specify tone and approach for different scenarios
- Provide the student handbook link to refer students to a certain section
Example: "When a student uses inappropriate language, refer them to Section II Article III of our handbook."
Need additional help updating your moderation settings? Try starting here!
Moderation Categories
What is it? Provides the admin the ability to identify what type of categories will initiate an email notification - in addition to self-harm.
Self-Harm Moderators
What is it? Designated staff members who receive email notifications for self-harm alerts.
Why it matters: Ensures notifications are sent to appropriate individuals for rapid response to student safety concerns.
Best Practices:
- Choose staff members trained in student support
- Ensure multiple moderators for coverage
- Regularly update contact information
Need additional help adding moderators? Try starting here!
🔒 Access Controls: School Hours
What is it? A feature that allows administrators to set specific time windows for Flint school access, controlling when students can interact with the AI platform.
Public Library vs. School Library
Public Library (formerly Templates):
- Contains activities shared across all Flint users
- Provides inspiration and ready-to-use templates
- Accessible to all Flint users
School Library:
- Contains activities specific to your school
- Curated by your organization's educators
- More tailored to your specific educational context
What is it? An organic and collaborative platform for educators across the globe
Key Features:
- Feature enhancement request submissions
- Success story sharing
- Professional learning network
Continuous Improvement Through Collaboration
Flint is more than just a platform - it's a collaborative ecosystem driven by the needs of educators. Every enhancement request, every suggestion, and every piece of feedback brings us closer to creating the ideal AI educational tool. We don't just listen; we actively implement changes based on the real-world experiences of administrators and teachers.
How to Contribute:
- Share your enhancement requests through the Flint Community
- Provide detailed feedback about your experience to jacob@flintk12.com
- Participate in user surveys and focus groups
Your insights are the catalyst for innovation. The more we hear from you, the more precisely we can develop features that truly support educational excellence.