This section clarifies specific Safeguarding & Protection considerations during online learning.
During the online learning, all communication between teachers and students will be done through assigned ICS identities and on the following approved platforms. The counselors will adhere to the International School Counselor Association guidelines for confidentiality and privacy.
ICS Online Learning Approved Platforms
Google Suite and associated chrome extensions
Google Meet
Seesaw
Flipgrid
Padlet
Screencastify
Toddle
Zoom
All video conferencing will be done through Google Meet/ Zoom. Google Meet is a school-managed platform and all settings and recordings can be monitored and managed by the school.
As part of our online learning, teachers will be meeting with your child synchronously during designated class times. They may also meet with your child 1:1 during office hours. When a teacher sets up an intentional 1:1 meeting with your child, then ES will invite parents by a calendar invite and MS/HS will notify parents by email. Some of these meetings may be recorded for instructional and internal school-related purposes.
These meetings are part of our regular teaching and learning process, ICS assumes general parental consent for all these meetings.
A few child-safeguarding notes:
1. As much as possible, please ensure your child is in a public or neutral space (background is a wall, for example) when they meet online or that you are within hearing distance.
We ask that children’s bedrooms are not visible during 1:1 calls.
2. Students should be wearing school appropriate clothes during online meetings.
3. If you think something inappropriate happens during a meeting, please contact the teacher and/or the divisional leadership team.
As part of our ICS teaching and learning process, our teachers use various educational technology tools available from the market. ICS chooses these tools based on their compliance with privacy, security, and child protection regulations. Since these tools are part of our educational delivery, ICS assumes general parental consent to the use of these tools.
If you have any questions or concerns please send an email to the divisional office at:
es.office@icsaddis.org
ms.office@icsaddis.org
hs.office@icsaddis.org
All video conferencing will be done through Google Meet. Google Meet is a school-managed platform and all settings and recordings can be monitored and managed by the school.
Attending video conferences in whole and small groups is part of the regular teaching and learning at ICS. Sometimes, teachers/counselors may need to work with students 1:1 for instructional purposes. As with all learning both on-campus and online at ICS, our Child Safeguarding Policies and procedures continue to guide our practice. However, due to the specific nature of online learning, we have provided the following guidelines to support our educational practice:
When communicating digitally with students, use only ICS-approved modes of communication (Toddle, Google Classroom, ICS email accounts, etc.).
Contact should be observable and interruptible.
Maintain appropriate boundaries - avoid conduct that any reasonable person might question.
Do not use personal accounts or social media (including WhatsApp) for any direct student contact or communication.
With any Google Meet meetings for online classroom learning, ensure your divisional admin team has access/ability to join the meeting.
In Google Meet meetings, allow students to opt-out of the video option at any point, if need be. We promote students’ video presence and connection during any meeting but in some special circumstances, teachers may allow students to opt-out of the video option.
If there are 1:1 online meetings of any nature between a student and teacher/counselor/administrator these need to be properly recorded as minutes/transcript form or video recorded.
If any student concerns arise, continue to communicate directly to the student’s counselor and/or an Administrator about these concerns.
If any Child Safeguarding concerns arise during online learning, continue to contact your Principal/ Counselor within 24 hours of your concern.
Seek educational solutions to educational problems. Ask if you are not sure!
All intentional 1:1 meetings must be pre-arranged and invite the student through a Google Calendar invite using the default Google Meet video conference link. ES will invite parents by the calendar invite. MS/HS will notify parents by email (inform them that the meeting will be recorded for school purposes).
Teachers must set up all meetings through the following platform and invite the following individuals:
EY - G5 - Google Calendar invite with the parents
MS - invite students to drop in teacher office hours, small group, and whole class sessions through Google Classroom that includes the Google Meet code, remembering to reset the automatic Google Meet link. Please see the ICS Tech Dashboard for Google Meet Tutorials.
HS - for 1:1 meetings a calendar invite will be sent; for drop in teacher office hours/small group/whole class sessions the Google Meet link will be shared on the respective Google Classroom.
Teachers must:
Adhere to the ICS Code of Conduct and Safeguarding & Protection Policy at all times
Be in ICS-approved dress at all times when visible online, use appropriate language and challenge any inappropriate language or comments.
The Teacher ends the call - (student(s) leave first) minutes before ending the call.
Students must:
Use appropriate language at all times.
Use neutral language at all times in order to prevent any misunderstanding of intent
Respect other student's right to privacy.
Be dressed in accordance with the ICS section dress code at all times when visible online
Follow all school rules
Teachers must:
Rename any recording that is automatically stored in their personal Google Drive (Meet Recording Folder) and follows the naming convention: (es/ms/hs)_(course)_(yy-mm-dd)
Notify parents and guardians using appropriate form email if the meeting was not pre-arranged. (MS form email)
All staff and parents must periodically remind students of the potential dangers of sharing personal information on the internet, uploading photographs, online harassment, and the potential for scams.