Firewalls & Filtering
What is a Firewall?
A firewall is part of a computer system or network designed to filter/block unauthorized access to external users and websites while permitting outward communication.
The GCSD firewall follows students on their Chromebooks and works even more strongly when students take the devices off of district property. If your student is having trouble accessing the internet on home or public wi-fi, it is because of this firewall. Students will often be able to access their email and Google Drive, but not much else when this is the case. To gain access, students must authenticate their wi-fi source.
Wi-Fi Authentication
Students can authenticate a trusted wi-fi source when they are off school property. This includes home or public wi-fi, though students are always cautioned about their online activity when using public or shared wi-fi connections. View the instructions to authenticate here.
Website Access
Millions of new websites are created every day worldwide, so it is impossible for us to catch every new page as it comes along. With your help, we can work together to make sure sites with inappropriate content are made unavailable to students.
Use this form to submit a request to block a website. We will review the content, and if we feel it is in students' best interest to block the site, it will be submitted to GCSD.
Please note: The district does not have the ability to block or unblock sites for individual students.