1. August 31, 2011

2. The Etowah County School District’s electronic network is available to all students and employees. The goal is to foster learning environments which provide students with the knowledge and skills to become successful and productive global citizens of the 21st Century. The use of technology by students and employees must be legal and ethical, and it should be consistent with the educational vision, mission, and goals of the Etowah County Board of Education.

3. Schools or school divisions are required to establish guidelines for the appropriate use of computer networks. Such guidelines are generally called an Acceptable Use Policy or AUP. By definition, an AUP is a written agreement in the form of guidelines, signed by students, their parents and their teachers, outlining the terms and conditions of technology-use. It includes definitions of acceptable online behavior and access privileges.

4. To remain compliant with CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act), school districts hold public hearings to address Internet Safety Policies and Procedures. Network and Internet functionality and protection is mission critical. Because of the emphasis and daily requirements of technology, it is paramount that all precautions are being taken and that systems are working and secure.

5. At this time, we have two methods to help ensure Internet safety and block inappropriate material. Lightspeed Systems provides network security and a content filtering system. Secondary filtering is provided though an 8E6 system maintained by the Alabama Supercomputer Authority.

6. Unfortunately, technology-savvy students are tempted to circumnavigate such precautions. This is one reason all students (and their parents) sign an AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) in which they agree to use the technology responsibly. In the event a student violates the AUP, technology access can be revoked. Other disciplinary action may follow, depending on the nature of the violation.

7. The 2008 Alabama Technology Course of Study has been posted on the district website for all teachers and administrators to use for full implementation within the curriculum. A focus area of this course of study is “Digital Citizenship.”

8. All employees sign an AUP. They are held to a high standard of technology usage and implementation. It is agreed that the best preventive measure is adequate supervision. It is the responsibility of all employees to supervise and monitor technology usage. This information can also be found on the district website (http://www.ecboe.org) under the Student/Parent Channel.http://www.ecboe.org Questions or concerns? Please email me if you have any questions: melissa_shields@ecboe.orgmelissa_shields@ecboe.org

10. Why Should Parents and Teachers Teach Digital Citizenship? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfwvuXE2Ln M&feature=youtu.be

11. Speak-Up 2011 - Parents What are your top 3 concerns regarding your child’s school right now? Funding (54%), Too Much Emphasis on Tests (16%), School Safety (16%) What concerns you the most about your child’s Internet use at school and home? Meeting strangers online (67%) 49% of parents who responded have a Facebook page. If your child’s school allowed the use of cell phones for educational purposes, how likely would you be to provide one for your child? Likely-Very Likely – 64%

12. Name a technology, lesson, or Web 2.0 tool that you feel has made a significant impact at your school in preparing students with the "3 R's" (Relevance, Readiness, and Rigor)?

13. What 21st Century technologies and/or Web 2.0 tools would like to see more of in your classrooms this year? Why?

14. Share Ideas for Action Plans Questions / Comments