BOARD POLICY

​​​​​​The School Board has adopted Board Policy IIBGA which acknowledges CIPA and confirms the Board's commitment to protecting access to inappropriate content. 

INTERNET FILTERING ON CHROMEBOOKS & STUDENT GOOGLE ACCOUNTS

​​​​​​HSD uses Blocksi to provide Internet filtering on student accounts that are used to login to Chromebooks.   Blocksi Filter complies with both CIPA and Board Policy.  Filtering is accomplished by matching any website with a subject category.  HSD determines which categories as a whole are blocked ("hard blocked"). Teachers have the professional discretion to grant temporary access to some categories ("soft blocked").

Category filtering is not an exact science.  There are web sites with educational value that are in the vendor categories that may be blocked.   The system takes time to learn from users and changes categories of sites over time.

The filtering categories are also adjusted for the students level of school.  Elementary schools have the most strict filter, high schools have a lower level of filtering.  All levels comply with CIPA and Board Policy.

SAFE SEARCH

When logged into the Chrome Browser or on a district issued Chromebook, the Blocksi filter is designed to make use of Google and YouTube safe search systems. The filter also attempts to remove inappropriate images and thumbnails. This includes Google SafeSearch and YouTube restricted​ mode. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

The Social Networking Category is currently blocked on the district Chromebooks when elementary and middle school students are logged in with a HSD student account.  Middle school teachers may lift this block for the duration of their class if there is an instructional need.  This includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other systems that fall into the Social Media Category. 

YouTube

All HSD student Google Accounts have YouTube Restricted Mode Enforced.  The Blocksi filter also has a number of YouTube categories which have been turned off, as well as disabling comments, turning off autoplay, and hiding the suggestions sidebar.

More information about YouTube restricted​ mode can be found by following the link.

GOOGLE HANGOUTS / GOOGLE CHAT

Google Hangouts Chat is the Instant Messaging application built within the Google Suite.  Hangouts Chat is only allowed for High Schools students.  Elementary and Middle School students do not have access to this Instant Messaging application using their district account.  All instant messaging done through a district login within Google Hangouts Chat is archived.

BLOCKSI CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Blocksi Classroom Management allows teachers to take some control over Chromebooks during the school day while students are in their classrooms.  This allows teachers to focus learning by pushing content to students, sending students direct messages, viewing screens, directing which websites are accessible to students, sharing, and locking screens.   Blocksi Classroom Management does not work when Chromebooks are not at school.