... creating a balanced technology plan for a healthy family! 

How should my family monitor my student's iPad?

• • Apple's internal restrictions that can be set by parents on both the iPad and MacBook are great options for monitoring.  Lipscomb Academy highly recommends every parent be the manager of the student devices. We have recommendations for restrictions that can be enabled while using the tool during school hours. Other links for Apple's Content & Privacy Restrictions are here iPad and MacBook .

  • Be open and honest--tell them you will be monitoring (iPad, iPhone, Computer). If they know you're watching, their self-monitoring instinct is more likely to kick in.

  • Be inquisitive, ask questions: Who are they communicating with? Which websites did they visit today? Try to keep your conversations positive -- or at least neutral! If your only message is "You're on the computer too much" or "Don't look at that website," it becomes a point of tension, and kids won't come to you when they see things online that upset or confuse them.

  • We recommend that you know all usernames and passwords to your student's digital. This includes and is not limited to: Password to enter iPad or MacBook, social media accounts, email accounts, etc. 

  • Third Party Software and Apps are options for more monitoring and control for parents! They can further support digital safety, less screen time, and full visibility.  But these are not requirements. Some suggested options that our Lipscomb Academy Families have used before include... 

Lipscomb Academy uses technology for educational purposes. The iPad, as well as any technology device,  is an instructional tool. We have specific guidelines, recommendations, and requirements in place for your child to be successful at Lipscomb Academy. Lipscomb Academy reserves the right to suspend technology from school if a student does not follow the rules as they are expressly written and set forth.  

Students have iPads for educational purposes. Many students also have cell phones for communication purposes. These guidelines pertain to the use of iPads, cell phones, and other electronic mobile devices students possess and use. 

How should I set restrictions and permissions?

• Set up an Apple ID for students under 13 to use with Family Sharing

• Family Sharing Restrictions- Parents are the Manager of all Accounts, Restrictions, Screen time

• Apple's Content & Privacy Restrictions are here iPad and MacBook 

• Reference websites like Safe Smart Social and Common Sense Media for more information about apps, online content, movies, etc. 

• 6th Grade Device Requirements

What are the minimum iPad restriction requirements? 

Lipscomb Academy reserves the right to suspend technology from school if a student does not follow the rules as they are expressly written and set forth.  

Students are not allowed to have any social media platforms or games on their iPads.

During School Hours:

• • • • 1. Disable iMessage - Students are not allowed to send or receive texts or messages via iMessage or any other app during the school day on any device. 

        2. Only parents have permission to download apps (at home or via Family Sharing)

        3. Turn on Do Not Disturb during school hours... Silence calls, alerts, and notifications. 

Consider this: If they have it, you have it. (Apps, Devices, etc)

Reference websites like Safe Smart Social and Common Sense Media for more information about apps, online content, movies, etc. 

Physical Device Management

• • Central charging location for all devices (phones, iPads) 

  • Consider not allowing devices in rooms overnight 

  • It is recommended device use ends an hour before sleep 

  • Be consistent with expectations

What about cell phones? 

Our recommendation is to wait until at least 8th grade before allowing your child to have a cell phone. To date, cell phones are the most significant source of problems in school due to the inability to cope with the pressures of texting, Instagram and Snapchat - among others. Middle grades students are not usually developmentally prepared for 24/7 social media contact. It is not just a distraction but can cause issues due to conflict among students. Parents are encouraged to think through the challenges that come from allowing their child to have a phone and social media accounts. 

Keep in mind, your child may not have their own cell phone, but they still have the ability to interact with cell phones, whether it be yours or someone else's device. We recommend having a conversation now of your expectations for appropriate cell phone use, even before purchasing

Media Agreement/Contract 

• • Create a plan before a situation occurs (it will occur)

  • The plan helps you communicate your expectations clearly regarding responsible use

  • When a situation does occur, you can refer back to the contract. No surprises!     

  • See example from Common Sense Media 

What about the misuse of technology? 

Examples of misuse would include a student texting, taking a picture of a classmate without permission, etc. Fifth graders rarely misuse technology,  and if for some reason they do, then the teacher will partner with parents to work on a solution that is best for the student. 

Other strategies to best prepare your student for the online world, we will be advocates for limiting each student’s digital footprint:

• Set up Family Sharing 

• Students will use single sign-on for apps such as Schoology, Flipgrid, and other educational applications, to limit the times a student has to create their own account.

• Teachers will limit the number of sites/apps requiring students to create a log-in.

Myth of Multitasking

• • One item gets more attention than the other

  • It is impossible to give the same attention to the two or more tasks

  • Put the phone away during homework, dinner time, family time

Be firm

• • We learn how to regulate ourselves by being regulated

  • Make expectations clear

  • Explain rules (media contract) 

  • Help your child think through decisions rather than making them for him or her

  • Set your child up to succeed 

Do not be paralyzed by fear or the unknown

Monitoring and Managing Technology

Below are some guidelines to consider to help monitor technology at home. 

These are only suggestions and may not apply in all situations. It is important to find what works best for your family.

• • • Set up a family media agreement. An excellent example is available at Common Sense Media. Your family can discuss these terms and talk about the consequences. There are blank lines in this agreement for any additional rules that would help your family. With the media agreement, the rules, expectations, and consequences for using technology and media are clear ahead of time.

    • Set a curfew for technology. Set a turn in time for the student’s iPad/phone each night.

    • Do not allow the student to use the iPad for recreational use until all homework is complete. Following the completion of homework, they can use the iPad for other things until curfew time.

    • Enforce consequences. If the student does other things on their iPad instead of homework, they may need to pay the price with some poor homework grades to better understand their responsibility.

    • Do not allow an iPad or technology in the student’s bedroom. Usage can be monitored much better in household community areas.

    • Parents should always be allowed to view the student’s browsing history and app usage. This will assist in holding them accountable to be productive and responsible with screen time. This can be part of the family media agreement. Part of your agreement with your child should be that history never gets cleared by the child.

    • Considering using a monitoring app such as Qustodio.

Questions

What kind of filtering is used at Lipscomb?

Lipscomb uses OpenDNS filtering. While no filtering solution is perfect, this product does a great job for our campus.

Is filtering the only tool used to limit inappropriate web content?

No. We feel very strongly that dealing with inappropriate web content is a teaching responsibility - not only of the school but also of parents. Our classroom teachers monitor what students do while in the classroom and deal with any problems in an appropriate manner. Having family discussions and family rules of what is appropriate and inappropriate is also essential.

Why do some apps, especially browsers, have a 17+ rating? Should I be concerned about those?

You should always be concerned about ratings that are greater than your child's age. Almost all browsers have a 17+ rating because they can be used to access inappropriate information, not because they contain inappropriate information. Always investigate any games or media (movies, songs, etc) with a high age rating.

How do I view my child's browsing history on the iPad?

Open Safari and click on the bookmark icon in the upper right corner. It will give you the option of viewing history. Part of your agreement with your child should be that history never gets cleared by the child.

How do I set up Find My iPad?

Open Settings. Click on iCloud on the left and then Find My iPad on the right. This requires knowing your Apple ID.

How do I backup Notability? 

• • 1. Open Notability. Tap the gear icon in the lower left corner.

    2. Select Manage Accounts.

    3. Choose Google Drive. Login with your Lipscomb Academy email and password. Click Accept.

    4. Go to Auto Back Up. Select Google Drive. Click OK.

To help eliminate distractions:

• • • Turn off "Notifications" on the iPad. It could be that a student is easily distracted from homework due to notifications from games, social media, etc.  This "Do Not Disturb" option could also be beneficial.

    • Uninstall all social media apps (and any other distracting apps) and then add restrictions to the iPad on installing apps. When you add those restrictions, it asks for a passcode and apps can't be installed without the passcode.  Apple support may help with parental controls.

How to Help Your Child be Safe Online  by Kathleen Morris