Technology Safety
ISD acknowledges the importance of teaching and reinforcing the safe, purposeful, and responsible use of technology. It is critical that students learn and foster habits regarding technology that include the following:
- Using the right technology for the intended purpose.
- Applying the same behavioral expectations in the digital environment that we expect in the physical environment.
- Reporting unsafe or harmful materials or behaviors encountered online.
Staff and students in the Issaquah School District are expected to follow the Responsible Use Guidelines. These guidelines are reviewed each year with students. The responsible use agreements by grade level bands are linked below:
TechConnect Washington
A free community helpdesk providing basic technical and connectivity support, online, in-person, via chat or over the phone.
Digital Citizenship
The Washington State Educational Technology standards (adopted from the ISTE standards); frame our work for digital citizenship. The Digital Citizen standard can be divided into three key areas – Media Literacy, Digital Identify and Reputation, and Safety and Security. Through these areas, there are natural connections with core curriculum (e.g. English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Health), Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons, and library media. Students will experience a variety of lessons on digital citizenship throughout their K-12 years.
- Students begin learning about digital citizenship in elementary school. The K-5 library scope and sequence includes skills introduced in elementary school.
- The Win@Social curriculum was adopted in Spring of 2023 for implementation in the Middle School Homeroom period.
Win@Social is based on seven social standards aligned to the evidence-based competencies developed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Win@Social aims to empower students, families and educators to navigate social experiences. The seven social standards include:
- Play to your core: Reflecting our values, character, and interests in our actions online and off.
- Protect your privacy like you are famous: Staying in control of our personal information.
- Strike a balance: Balancing our time and attention on technology and the world around us.
- Cyberback: Having each others’ back and supporting each other.
- Find your influencers: Surrounding yourself with positive role models and credible influences
- Use your mic for good: Amplifying your voice to create meaningful change.
- Handle the pressure: finding your own path no matter the pressure from others
-
The Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Second Step lessons included in the middle school Homeroom program are based on the CASEL core competencies which include responsible decision-making, self-awareness, and self-management that apply to both the physical and digital world.
- In high school, lessons are taught during Flex-Time. The lessons have been adapted from those available through Common Sense Media. Each year lessons are reviewed and added to the calendar.
| 2024-25 School Year |
| Fall | Winter | Spring | |
| Grade 9 | Building Our Academic Digital Identity | Your Personal Brand | Fair Use, Copyright & Citation. Oh My! |
| Grade 10 | Social Media and How You Feel | Rewarding Relationships | Countering Hate Speech |
| Grade 11 | Social Media and How You Feel | In development | In development |
| Grade 12 | Social Media and How You Feel | In development | In development |
| Lesson Sequence & Development Timeline | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topics | SY 22-23 | SY 23-24 | SY 24-25 | SY 25-26 | SY 26-27 |
| Fall: Building Our Academic Digital Identity | Grades 9-12 | Grades 9-12 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 |
| Winter: Your Personal Brand | Grades 9-12 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 |
|
Spring: Fair Use, Copyright & Citation. Oh My! |
Grades 9-12 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 |
| Fall: Social Media and How You Feel | Grade 10-12 | Grade 10 | Grade 10 | ||
| Winter: Rewarding Relationships | Grades 10-12 | Grade 10-12 | Grade 10 | Grade 10 | |
| Spring: Countering Hate Speech | Grades 10-12 | Grades 10-12 | Grades 10 | Grade 10 | |
| Fall: To be determined, in development 24/25 school year | Grade 11-12 | Grade 11 | |||
| Winter: To be determined, in development 24/25 school year | Grade 11-12 | Grade 11 | |||
| Spring: To be determined, in development 24/25 school year | Grade 11-12 | Grade 11 | |||
| Fall: To be determined, in development 25/26 school year | Grade 12 | ||||
| Winter: To be determined, in development 25/26 school year | Grade 12 | ||||
| Spring: To be determined, in development 25/26 school year | Grade 12 | ||||
Internet Filtering (School Laptops)
All computers in the district for both staff and students utilize a filter to block inappropriate internet content. The purpose of an internet filter is to prevent access to:
- Images that are obscene, pornographic, or harmful to minors
- Sites that promote violence and hate, gambling, illegal drugs, and weapons
- Sites that contain malware, spyware, or are associated with phishing and fraud
While filters are in place, no filter will block all inappropriate material. Students are encouraged to tell their teacher or other school staff members when they come across inappropriate material on district computers.
Microsoft 365 Monitoring
Issaquah uses MS365 to provide students with district email, file storage, and other productivity and collaboration tools to use as part of the educational program. To ensure students are using these tools safely, the district uses safety management software to monitor activity within the MS365 accounts. This allows the district to identify inappropriate words and images in email, OneDrive, Word, and more. The monitoring software areas include:
- Profanity and Vulgar Language
- Nudity and Sexual Content
- Suicide and Self Harm
- Violence Toward Others
- Harassment
- Drugs and Alcohol
Developing Healthy Technology Habits
The district is often asked, as a parent or guardian, how can I help my student have a healthy relationship with technology? A resource we direct parents and guardians to is Common Sense Media. They have information on a variety of topics, including:
We encourage parents and guardians to do the following:
- Talk to your student about how they use technology (school and personal)
- Have rules about when and where technology can be used at home
- Have a place to store devices outside the bedroom at night
- Most importantly, gradually introduce students to technology and its great responsibility
Monitoring Technology Use at Home
Establishing and enforcing clear expectations on the use of technology with your children is essential. However, you can also use technology to help monitor or restrict access to the internet by the device.
Managing your student's school device through Securly Home (grades 6-12)
Families are able to monitor and configure internet access on school-issued devices through the Securly Home app. Family members listed in the "Family 1 and Family 2" fields of Skyward can activate their Securly Home accounts by visiting https://www.securly.com/home-parent. From there, download your preferred app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, and sign up using the SAME email address listed in Skyward.
For more information please view the video about Securly Home or check the written instructions for the parent control app. For assistance with the app email homesupport@securly.com
CNET article "How to set up and use your Wi-Fi router's parental controls" covers how to set up parental control on your personal Wi-Fi. Your internet provider may also have instructions specific to your router.
Common Sense Media - Parental Controls provides information on how to set up parental controls on a variety of technology from Xbox to Amazon Echo