GOOGLE AND EDMODO TECHNOLOGY PERMISSION FORM

GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools will be utilizing Google Apps for Education (GAFE) for students, teachers, and staff. This permission form describes the tools and student responsibilities for using these services. As with any educational endeavor, a strong partnership with families is essential to a successful experience.

The following services are available to each student and hosted by Google as part of Mt. Morris Consolidated School’s online presence in Google Apps for Education:

Gmail – an individual email account for school use managed by the Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools

Calendar – an individual calendar providing the ability to organize schedules, daily activities, and assignments

Drive – a word processing, spreadsheet, drawing, and presentation toolset that is very similar to Microsoft Office which enables user cloud storage, file sharing and collaborative editing.

Using these tools, students can collaboratively create, edit and share files for school related projects and communicate via email with other students and teachers. These services are entirely online and available 24/7 from any Internet-connected computer. Examples of student use include showcasing class projects, building an electronic portfolio of school learning experiences, and working in small groups on presentations to share with others.

Technology use in the Mt. Morris Consolidated School’s is governed by federal laws including:

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) COPPA applies to commercial companies and limits their ability to collect personal information from children under 13. By default, advertising is turned off for Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools presence in Google Apps for Education. No personal student information is collected for commercial purposes. This permission form allows the school to act as an agent for parents in the collection of information within the school context. The school’s use of student information is solely for education purposes.

--COPPA – http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/coppafaqs.shtm Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

FERPA protects the privacy of student education records and gives parents the rights to review student records. Under FERPA, schools may disclose directory information (such as contained in the education records of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed) but parents may request the school not disclose this information.

--FERPA – http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/pdf/ferpafaq.pdf Guidelines for the responsible use of Google Apps for Education by students:

1. Official Email Address. All students will be assigned a username @students. mtmorrisschools.org email account. This account will be considered the student’s official LAS email address until such time as the student is no longer enrolled with the Mt. Morris Consolidated School’s.

2. Prohibited Conduct. Please refer to Mt. Morris Consolidated School’s Acceptable Use Policies EGA, EAG-R, EAGD, EHAA, GBEB, and IJNDB.

3. Access Restriction. Access to and use of student email is considered a privilege accorded at the discretion of the Mt. Morris Consolidated School. The District maintains the right to immediately withdraw the access and use of these services including email when there is reason to believe that violations of law or District policies have occurred. In such cases, the alleged violation will be referred to a building Administrator for further investigation and adjudication.

4. Security. Mt. Morris Consolidated School’s cannot and does not guarantee the security of electronic files located on Google systems. However, Google has implemented industry standard systems and procedures to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer data, protect against anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of customer data and protect against unauthorized access to or use of customer data.

5. Privacy. The general right of privacy will be extended to the extent possible in the electronic environment. Mt. Morris Consolidated School’s and all electronic users should treat electronically stored information in individuals’ files as confidential and private. However, users are strictly prohibited from accessing files and information other than their own. The District reserves the right to access the current and archival files of user accounts when there is reasonable suspicion that unacceptable use has occurred.

Mt. Morris Consolidated School Google Apps for Education Permission Form for Student Email, Online Documents and Calendar

By signing below, I confirm that I have read this document and give permission for my child to be assigned a full Mt. Morris Consolidated School’s Google Apps for Education (GAFE) account. This means my child will receive an email account, access to Google Drive, Calendar and all other GAFE services provided by the school.

Under FERPA and corresponding Michigan law, a student’s education records are protected from disclosure to third parties. My signature below confirms by consent to allow my student’s education record to be stored by Google. I understand that by participating in Google Apps for Education, information about my child will be collected and stored electronically. I have read the privacy policies associated with use of Google Apps for Education. I understand that I may ask for my child’s account to be removed at any time.

EDMODO Dear Parents:

This school year, our class will be using Edmodo, a free and secure online learning platform where teachers and students can collaborate, share content, and use educational apps to augment in-classroom learning. Within this private learning environment that is managed by the teacher, students can only interact with others in the class. Edmodo provides a safe and easy way to connect and support learning beyond the classroom.

Edmodo will enhance the learning experience and help students develop important online skills. On Edmodo, students will be able to:

Participate in class or group discussions that are monitored by the teacher (students cannot send private messages to other students)

Communicate directly with the teacher to ask questions and get help with work

Keep track of important due dates, events, and tasks

Receive and turn in assignments and quizzes

View missed work when absent from class

Access Edmodo from any computer or mobile device with Internet capabilities and receive notification reminders via email or text (optional)

You may also sign up for a parent account on Edmodo, which connects to your child’s account. This is a great way to keep informed of due dates, assignments, grades, school events, and any direct communication between your child and me. You will need a parent code to create your account, which can be found in your child’s account (on the right side, below the Notifications section). Parent accounts are not required, but I recommend signing up for one to stay engaged with your child’s learning experience. In order for your child to use Edmodo, he or she must have your permission, and you must read and agree to the Edmodo Terms of Service (http://www.edmodo.com/corporate/terms-of-service) on your child’s behalf. You must also read and agree to the Edmodo Privacy Policy (http://www.edmodo.com/corporate/privacy-policy). Edmodo takes privacy seriously and has received the TRUSTe Children’s Privacy Seal to verify this. The only information required from students to set up an Edmodo account is the teacher’s class code, their name, and a username and password. Please review the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy with your child and note that these policies may change over time, so you should review them again when you or your child receives a notification that they have been updated.

To enhance learning activities, the school may choose to use certain educational applications from the Edmodo Store. This digital content is offered by vetted third-party publishers who have their own privacy policies but are required to abide by Edmodo’s privacy policy standards.

We hope that your child will enjoy using Edmodo and gain beneficial skills this year. You can learn more about Edmodo by visiting www.edmodo.com.

I give consent for my child, listed below, to use Google Apps for Education and Edmodo for class activities. Student Name: (Please Print) _____________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______________