GoGuardian Parent Information
To help ensure the safety and security of our students, Hicksville Public Schools has implemented a set of resources called GoGuardian. This service has three main functions:
- In conjunction with our internet filter, GoGuardian will block students from accessing dangerous or inappropriate websites when they are logged into a Chromebook or Chrome browser with their @hicksvillepublicschools.org Google account.
- Teachers use GoGuardian in the classroom to monitor students activities and ensure that they are on task. Further, GoGuardian allows students to share their Chromebook screens to the Smartboards.
- When students are logged into a Chromebook or into any Chrome web browser with their @hicksvillepublicschools.org Google account AND searches for topics about violence/self-harm or sexually explicit content,school administrators are notified.
The GoGuardian tools are deployed to the students' @hicksvillepublicschools.org user accounts. It will be applied whenever a student logs in to Chrome OS or the Chrome browser with his or her @hicksvillepublicschools.org account, regardless of whether the device was issued by Hicksville Public Schools. GoGuardian will NOT filter content or impact the browsing experience of NON Hicksville Public Schools(private Gmail or other email accounts, etc.).
Through the use of this tool, we hope to:
- Encourage safer practices and responsible browsing habits
- Help protect students against harmful and inappropriate online material
- Help students stay “scholarly” and more focused when learning online
- Help assess students’ progress towards class assignments
- Facilitate communication between teachers and students during class time
Though GoGuardian may provide protection against inappropriate content for students, no filtering system is perfect. The District cannot and does not represent that inappropriate or objectionable material can be completely filtered.
Parents/guardians are responsible for supervising internet access and usage at home. We encourage you to discuss rules for appropriate Internet usage with your child, and reinforce lessons of digital citizenship and safety with your child. We also highly encourage you to report any potential cyberbullying or other sensitive issues to your child's principal.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:
- GoGuardian will monitor all web activity when logged in to a Chrome browser on a personal device or a District issued Chromebook, with the student’s @hicksvillepublicschools.org Google account. All inappropriate activity is monitored and reported to the school.
- If another person in the household accesses the browser while the student is still logged in, GoGuardian will continue to log any web activity and report attempted access to inappropriate content to the school.
- When the student is logged in to Chrome on a personal device or a District issued Chromebook, their teacher has the ability to monitor the student’s screen and communicate directly with the student through the GoGuardian tool. This function only works during regular school hours.