Device Security
How does PVSchools secure its devices for student use?
PVSchools employs a number of tools and policies on all devices and district accounts to aid in security and management, such as:
SafeSearch is enforced to aid content filtering for the results provided by search engines, YouTube, and other general internet traffic.
Multiple federal and state laws/regulations apply to Internet/network traffic for K12's. PV applies multiple layers of filtering across all traffic to further limit dangerous and inappropriate sites and content. These include Google Workspace, iBoss and Cisco Umbrella filters, firewalls, micro-segmentation, monitoring, detection and logging systems.
Applications and extensions are vetted through Common Sense Media and enterprise security and privacy services.
Devices are centrally managed and monitored to prevent inappropriate, unapproved, and/or malicious content.
Various devices, services, and accounts are monitored for patterns and abnormal behavior to help combat possible cyber threats.
A data governance and cyber security task force (dg.pvschools.net) helps to guide policy decisions related to data privacy, risk tolerance, and compliance. This task force includes various stakeholders, including teachers, parents, students, support staff, and administrators.
School and site administrators help to identify if any local adjustments are appropriate or necessary.
Does that mean that all devices, accounts, and services available to students are 100 percent safe?
Despite our best efforts, no system or policy is ever perfect. Safeguarding against possible threats from the internet is complex and ever-changing.
Perhaps the best safeguard against cyber threats is awareness and education. PVSchools strongly advocates and promotes digital citizenship. Through our digital citizenship website (digitalcitizen.pvschools.net) staff, students, and families can learn valuable skills to help navigate our increasingly digital world.
PVSchools devices and accounts can also be layered into the security rules and preferences employed at a household. Some families choose to have additional web filtering, network availability settings, and other cyber security tools on their home network through their internet service provider or router.