Good morning! I am so excited to be back at Community School for another exciting year!
This week students in Middle Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School classes have reviewed the Computer Usage Agreement. (The agreements can be found online in our Family Handbook - pages 22-24.) We reviewed what the rules are, and we talked about why these rules are important. Parents will need to return a signed form so that students can use computers here at school. I've already gotten many of the forms back, so thank you! Please try to return these forms next week. (Students in Lower Elementary will receive their forms on Monday, so please try to return theirs by Monday, Sept. 19.)
Students in Upper Elementary and Middle School also learned about Gaggle accounts. If parents provide permission, students will be given an account that will allow them to participate in several kinds of online communication with classmates and teachers here at school, including email, forums, chatrooms, and a social wall (kind of like Facebook). Students will also be given online digital storage lockers and access to online document creation tools, so that they can create, save, and access work from any computer with an Internet connection. One of the best features of the Gaggle accounts is the safety we can offer - these accounts are only accessible by users in our school network, and are monitored by teachers here at school. Gaggle provides online tools that kids enjoy using in a safe environment. It's a little like training wheels on a bike - if students can learn how to use their Gaggle accounts appropriately, then when they are older, and using accounts as young adults and adults, they will be safer, more knowledgeable users. A permission slip for Gaggle was also sent home this week. Please try to return it by Monday, September 12.
If any one discovers that their form has been misplaced, I have extras in the Computer Lab. Please feel free to come by to get one at anytime!
We have a lot of great activities coming up this year, so I hope everybody is as excited as I am for a new school year!
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