Using Google Meet

Google Accounts

All SPS students have a Google Account that follows the following format: studentIdNumber@k12.somerville.ma.us

If a student does not know their student ID number, please contact their teacher.

Using this district-issued Google account is optional for using Google Meet, but the district recommends it whenever possible. The reason we recommend it is because if a student chooses to enter the Meet without being signed in to their district Google account, they must wait for their teacher to grant them permission to enter. Their teacher will see a person's name pop up, and if the student is signed in on a different user's account (like a parent or sibling), the teacher will see the account owner's name instead of the student's, and may deny entry into the Meet.

District-wide Google Meet Rules

• Participants will not share the links to the remote sessions with others, or otherwise invite or allow others to participate in the remote services, without the school district’s express consent.

• Participants agree to participate in remote sessions in a quiet, private area free of distraction, to the extent practicable, to provide an environment conducive to learning and to protect the students’ and other participants’ privacy.

• To the extent virtual technologies are used, participants acknowledge other participants in the remote sessions will see whatever is visible by the participants’ webcam or other device, including but not limited to themselves, their children, and portions of their homes. Likewise, participants acknowledge that they will see whatever is broadcasted by other participants. Accordingly, participants are encouraged to participate in remote sessions in appropriate locations and to safeguard information they would not wish to be shared.

• Virtual sessions are intended to provide students and teachers with an opportunity to continue their teaching and learning in a remote classroom environment. Parents and guardians who choose to sit in on a virtual class with their child are asked to please refrain from interrupting the class or interacting with other students participating in the class.

• Participants understand that certain information that may be protected under, among other laws, FERPA, the IDEA, HIPPA, and the Massachusetts Student Records regulations, might be disclosed in the course of remote sessions. Participants agree not to share any confidential student record information for any other students with third parties or others not participating in the specific remote session.

• Participants agree to behave in a manner conducive to learning, to the extent possible. Pertinent district policies and rules, including but not limited to those prohibiting cyberbullying and any acceptable use policies, apply during remote sessions. Students and family members shall refrain from sharing inappropriate visuals or using inappropriate language during remote sessions. The school district reserves the right to remove from any remote session any participant who violates these rules or is not acting appropriately. The school district also reserves the right to suspend students from remote sessions and to impose additional consequences when school resumes, if a student commits disciplinary offenses during or in connection with the remote sessions.

• In addition, recording the remote sessions, however provided (e.g., by video conference, pre-recorded lesson, phone call), without consent, may be prohibited by state and federal law, including the Massachusetts wiretapping law and FERPA. Participants agree not to record in any way (e.g., video or audio recording, screenshots, or photographs) the remote sessions unless otherwise agreed to in advance and in writing by all applicable parties. This prohibition applies to remote sessions provided individually and in a group setting.