As a school, each year we are required to establish a Digital Citizenship Plan and to communicate it to our students and parents or guardians. This plan will be shared at the next School Council meeting on October 9th. As part of the plan, the Admirable Use Policy written in student friendly language and the Acceptable Use of Technology Policy that details the types of inappropriate usage and consequences will be sent home. Teachers will have reviewed these documents with students in class but parents and guardians are asked to review this information with their child/children to ensure that they understand their rights and responsibilities in using technology for learning.
What is the role of Technology in the School?
- Janet Johnstone teachers actively supervise students when they are on-line as well as defines expectations and responsibilities of students regarding the use of electronic resources.
- Within the framework of the Information and Communication Technologies Program of Study, students at all grade levels are taught to be aware of moral and ethical issues around internet use.
- Our Digital Citizenship Plan is discussed every year and the information regarding responsible use of technology reviewed with students at the beginning of the school year and during the year as required. A copy of the Admirable Use Policy for students and the Acceptable Use Policy Technology documents are sent home at the beginning of the school year and are posted on our website after the yearly review in October.
- CBE Administrative Regulation 1062 - Responsible Use of Electronic Information Resources, states that CBE uses filtering technology to block access to inappropriate websites. However, filtering software does not replace an adult as the supervisor of internet use.
Admirable Use Policy
At Janet Johnstone School we ensure the safety of all students by following the three principles of respect when working with educational technology. This ensures that we are using digital information and technology resources in a responsible way:
- Respect Yourself
- Keep CBE account passwords and other personal information private.
- Tell a teacher if something on an electronic device makes me feel uncomfortable or is inappropriate.
- Use school technology to publish, communicate and make my learning visible.
- Respect Others
- Use appropriate language and communicate respectfully at all times.
- Respect the rights of other people and ask for permission to record or post anything about them.
- Help others to have fun and learn things online.
- Respect this Place
- Treat all school technology with care and let an adult know if something is damaged or not working properly.
- Use educational technology for learning.
Acceptable Use of Technology Policy
The use of technology is an integral part of learning at all Calgary Board of Education schools supported through the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Program of Studies. Students are encouraged to use technology for a number of purposes such as:
- communicating information and understanding,
- interacting and collaborating with one another and
- organizing and manipulating data
Our students’ safety in an online environment is very important to us and learning how to be good Digital Citizens will increase our students’ awareness and understanding of the power of technology as a tool for learning. We work hard to ensure that students have access to and develop strong skills in using a variety of technological tools, software and online learning resources and web-based applications to enhance their learning and understanding. It is important that students, teachers and parents/guardians be aware of safe, secure, responsible and respectful ways of interacting with technology.
Please review the following information with your child.
The following activities are inappropriate for students:
Inappropriate Use of Technology
- Sending or displaying offensive messages or pictures
- Using obscene language
- Harassing, insulting, or attacking others online
- Intentionally damaging computer equipment or the network
- Preventing others from using technology (changing passwords, deleting applications)
- Using technology without permission from an adult
Inappropriate Use of Digital Information
- Violating copyright laws
- Trespassing into and/or using other people’s folders, work, or files
- Intentionally destroying other people’s work
- Employing the CBE network for commercial purposes
- Using electronic media for plagiarizing
- Storing and using information for cheating
Not Using Technology for Learning Purposes
- Intentionally wasting system technology on non-teacher-approved activities such as:
- Playing games
- Participating in non-teacher-directed “chat”
- Participating in online gambling or other gaming activities
- Installing software on any school computer
- Excessive or inappropriate printing
Consequences for inappropriate use of technology
- For a first time minor offence, the teacher will ensure that expectations are clear, model appropriate behavior and attitudes, reinforce correct behavior, and be alert to the student who needs assistance.
- When issues are deemed more serious or when minor issues continue to occur:
- Parents/guardians will be notified that the student will not be allowed to use any technology at school for a specified period of time.
- At the end of the consequence time, the parents/guardians, the student and administration will meet to review and sign a contract outlining expectations for future technology use by the student.
- The student will then be allowed to use technology at school with consistent monitoring.
- All inappropriate use of technology by students will be recorded on a tracking sheet to monitor repeated occurrences.
Thank you for helping us to keep our students safe at Janet Johnstone!
Cell Phone Use at School
We understand that many students have cell phones in their backpacks for a number of reasons. This is okay as long as students are following the rules about using their cell phones at school.
If a student has a cell phone at school, it is expected that:
- The phone is turned off in their backpacks
- Their phone stays in their backpack at all times during school hours
- The phone cannot be used for photos or videos, unless a teacher has given them permission and clear expectations related to curriculum
- The phone can be used after dismissal to communicate with parents
- The cell phone is never taken into the washrooms
If your child has a cellphone in their backpack, please take some time to review the expectations with them. Teachers Please feel free to visit the CBE website for more information on some of the CBE-wide digital technologies.
School Digital Citizenship Plan
Theme: Digital Learning
Long-Term Goal
Students will learn how to use technology as an educational tool.
Short-Term Goals
- Students will demonstrate an
understanding
between
educational and
recreational tools
- Students will use technology to
collaborate with
others
Outcomes for students:
- I can use digital tools to identify
problems and
take action to find
solutions
- I can use digital tools to learn,
express my
creativity and
collaborate with
others
Theme: Digital Safety and Security
Long-Term Goal
- Students will understand digital safety and security.
Short Term Goal
- Students will be able to protect
their personal
information online
- Student will demonstrate
online safety
- Students will keep school devices
safe
Outcomes for Students
- I know how to protect my
personal
information online
- I know how to be safe online and
create safe
spaces for others
in online
communities
- I know how to keep the school
devices safe
How To Keep Children Safe Online
1 | Supervise! Supervise! Supervise!
- Children under 12 should not be surfing the internet alone.
- keep internet-connected computers out of children’s rooms and in a highly visible area.
- Use “History” to check websites your children have visited.
2 | Learn about the online environments your children are using.
- Ask your children to teach you everything they know (and they know a lot!).
3 | Create guidelines your children can follow.
For more details, see our Digital Citizenship Plan.
What about Social Media?
Students at school are not to access social media on school computers but please note that the CBE Administrative Regulation 1067 Use of Social Media is part of the Digital Citizenship Plan for all schools. As stated in AR 1067:
- This regulation applies to staff, students, parents, volunteers, contractors, guests, visitors, and those who are authorized to act on behalf of or are associated with the CBE.
- Social media means web-based and mobile technologies providing communications through interactive or social dialogue. Examples include but are not limited to weblogs, social blogs, wikis, Internet Forums, instant messaging and social network aggregation platforms, such as MySpace and Facebook.
Section 5 of this regulation and its subsections state that each user of Social Media shall:
- Use ethical and respectful behaviour when conversing or posting material;
- Not disclose or post confidential, personal or sensitive information pertaining to the CBE, themselves or other persons, including but not limited to family members, teachers, students or friends;
- Ensure postings and/or communications are professional, in good taste, made in a positive tone, exercise good judgment, and do not reflect negatively on the CBE, its students, teachers, staff, Trustees or other stakeholders and be aware of the user requirements stipulated in the school’s Digital Citizenship policy.
