Everything we do at the Simcoe County District School Board is
designed to support student achievement and well-being. We adapt to our
ever-changing world so we can help our students achieve their full
potential.
Today's students have grown up with technology—it's a
regular part of their daily lives. By bringing educational technology
into the classroom, we can tap into our students' interests and build on
their developing skills to create vibrant learning environments that
are innovative, creative and engaging.
Here's how we are
supporting technology-enabled learning environments while at the same
time protecting student privacy and personal information:
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The
SCDSB provides all students and teachers with Office 365 for education,
Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, Google Apps for Education (GAFE), and
the Ministry of Education's Desire to Learn (D2L) program for
educational purposes. These tools and applications meet the privacy and
security requirements of the Municipal Freedom of Information and
Privacy Act.
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These accounts differ from publicly available
accounts in that the security and privacy settings were negotiated by
the Ministry of Education. Students log in to the sites with their
@scdsb.on.ca email addresses to ensure they do not need to provide
personal information in order to access these learning tools.
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All
students are provided with @scdsb.on.ca email addresses, which are also
the email addresses used to access both GAFE and Google Drive.
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While
in class, students will be required to access the Internet through the
school's Wi-Fi network, not their own data plan. Each Wi-Fi network is
protected by the SCDSB's security filter, which limits access to
inappropriate websites and content.
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Students may use social
media tools such as wikis, blogs, podcasts, video conferencing, YouTube,
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other sites or tools deemed
appropriate by the classroom teacher for education use, learning and
collaboration. Under the direction and supervision of teachers, students
are empowered to guide their own learning.
For more information and tips on setting up and accessing GAFE, visit bit.ly/GAFE4parents.
Students receive age-appropriate instruction on digital citizenship and the safe use of technology. Use of the Internet and social media sites are in
accordance with the SCDSB's Appropriate Use Guidelines for students, and personal information will only be posted with parental consent, where appropriate.
Our brochure Modern Learners provides an overview of the ways schools are using technology for
learning, as well as tips for parents so they can support learning and
online safety at home.
Ministry of Education - Cellphone restrictions
To help ensure students can focus on learning without distraction, the Ministry of Education has updated the Provincial Code of Conduct to address the use of cellphones and other personal mobile devices during instructional time unless they are required for health and medical purposes, to support special education needs or for educational purposes, as directed by an educator.
This requirement came into effect provincially on November 4, 2019.
The following resources from the Ministry of Education provide information and guidance to parents, guardians, educators and students about the new requirement:
Safety always comes first
Filtering
While
in class, students will be required to access the Internet through the
school's Wi-Fi network, not their own data plan. Each Wi-Fi network is
protected by the SCDSB's security filter, which limits access to
inappropriate websites and content.
Appropriate use agreement
Students will be required to review and sign our Appropriate Use of Technology Agreement annually. Violation of the agreement may result in discipline.
Digital citizenship
Using
technology in our classrooms creates the opportunity to teach digital
citizenship—an essential skill for our students. We encourage students
to think critically about how technology is used and what is appropriate
to share online. We help students understand the relevant laws and
consequences of actions.
Personal devices
SCDSB
schools are capable of supporting Wi-Fi on personal devices of
students. The decision to allow a student to bring a personally-owned
device to school rests with the parent and the student. The board and
your child's school will not be responsible for devices that are lost,
stolen or damaged in any manner. Students are responsible for connecting
their own devices to the network. Help documents are available, but
board staff will not be responsible for connecting student devices.
Personal devices are only to be connected to the wireless guest networks
and not be plugged into any SCDSB networks using an Ethernet cable.
Devices should be easily identifiable, clearly labelled and where
possible, registered with the manufacturer. Any violation of this
agreement may result in confiscation of personally-owned equipment and
appropriate discipline. Confiscated equipment may be returned to the
parent/legal guardian or in the event of suspected illegal or
inappropriate activity, may be forwarded to the appropriate law
enforcement agency.
Wi-Fi
The
Simcoe County District School Board has Wi-Fi access in all its schools.
We take health advice from trusted medical experts, including Public
Health Ontario, Health Canada and the World Health Organization.
Numerous studies have been conducted and there is no evidence that
exposure to Wi-Fi has negative health effects. We will continue to
follow the advice of these credible health organizations. More
information is available on the Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit's website
here: www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/Environment/electromagnetic.aspx.