Instructional Technology Updates

While things are still in their tentative stages  Bristol Schools IT Department is planning a soft deployment of Bristol Schools' new filtering solution Securly (yes that is how it is spelled). Securly is an industry-standard content filter used by many schools with a wide array of tools that can be employed to help keep our students safe. What sets Securly apart from many other content filters is that it is account driven. What this means to parents is that the filter is associated with the student account and not a specific device. The result is that it does not matter if the student is using a personal device or a school-issued device. If they are logged in with a school managed account their content will be filtered under the same protocols as if they were on site. The result will be a safer and more consistent user experience. 

Having deployed Securly in the past it has been my experience that the process is relatively seamless. Securly is an extension that runs in the Chrome browser so a forced installation of the extension is relatively painless. At most we expect students to have to restart their device or log in and log out. The part that will take some adjustment is that we will have to restrict the students' ability to access account and device settings. This is necessary to prevent students (who would wish to do so) from removing the extension and thereby defeating the filter. This will also prevent users from clearing their browser history. We believe students should retain access to some features such as the ability to customize their avatar and wallpaper. 

Currently Google Hangouts/Meet is the only virtual conferencing tool supported by Bristol School district. We currently do not support the use of Zoom for a variety of reasons, namely security. Google Hangout/Meet are Google Apps For Education (GAFE) apps and thus offer many administrative tools that help to keep Bristol School District compliant with the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA). While we are not requiring teachers to use Google Hangouts/Meet we highly encourage them to do so in an effort to adequately support the delivery of their curriculum to students. 

 

Bristol School Deployed the extension, "Google Hangout Grid View" on Thursday, April 23rd. This extension was force installed at all student grade levels. If your student does not see the extension in their extension tray they should restart their device. If they still do not see the extension after a restart they may attempt to install the extension through Google Web Store. This app is one of a few applications and extensions that have been cleared for download.   This extension was highly requested by staff and when active it presents all participants in a Google Hangout/Meet in a grid array or gallery view making it easier for all participants to see each other. 

 

School managed student accounts and the access to GAFE apps provided by that account are to be used exclusively for academic purposes. Bristol School reserves the right to define academic use as it sees fit and the right to lock accounts of students who have been found to be using their school-issued account for non-academic purposes. This would include the attempt to subvert or defeat any measures put in place to keep them safe. Student are not to use Google Hangouts/Meets to socialize with friends. Doing so may result in the suspension of access to Hangouts/Meets. 

Bristol School has restricted student abilities to create, host, and record Google Hangouts/Meets. This restriction was put into place on Wednesday, April 22nd. Students will still be able to join teacher created Hangouts/Meet virtual conferences.