QUEENSTOWN SCHOOL'S CYBERSAFETY EXPECTATIONS

For Year 0 - 3 Students

Note for Parents/Legal Guardians/Caregivers:

At Queenstown Primary School we aim to utilise Information and Communication Technology throughout all classes and across all ages. To ensure that all children learn to use the equipment appropriately and keep safe, please read and discuss these expectations with your child.

I can use the school computers and other school ICT only for school work.

This helps to ensure the equipment is available when students need to use it for their learning. It will also help to reduce the likelihood of any inappropriate activities taking place which put at risk the safety of the learning environment.

If I accidentally find mean or rude or dangerous things on the computer or any other ICT equipment, I will tell the teacher straight away, without showing any other children.

Because anyone at all can publish material on the Internet, it does contain material which is inappropriate, and in some cases illegal. The school has taken a number of steps to prevent this material from being accessed. However, there always remains the possibility that a student may inadvertantly stumble across something inappropriate. Encouraging the student to tell a teacher immediately if they find something which they suspect may be inappropriate, encourages critical thinking and helps children to take responsibility for their actions and keep themselves, and others, safe. This way, they contribute to the cybersafety of the school community.

If I am not feeling safe at any time while using the ICT equipment, I will tell the teacher straight away

Queenstown Primary School strives to create a safe and secure learning environment for all members of the school community. Examples of situations involving the use of ICT which might cause a child to feel unsafe could include: contact being made by a stranger through email or text message, the presence of "scary" images on a computer screen, and/or misconduct by other students. Staff need to be made aware of such situations as soon as they occur to ensure the school can respond immediately.

If I have my own password, I will log on only with that password. I will not tell my password to anyone.

Passwords perform two main functions. Firstly, they help to ensure only approved persons can access the school ICT facilities. Secondly, they are used to track how those facilities are used. Knowing how the equipment is used and by whom, helps the school to maintain a cybersafe environment for all users, and teaches the child the importance of personal security.

I will not tell anyone things like my name, home/email address or telephone number, or anyone else's, when using the Internet or a mobile phone, unless the teacher says its okay

This reduces the risk of your child, or other children, being contacted by someone who wishes to upset or harm them, or use their identity for purposes which might compromise the child's privacy or security online.

I will not download any files or programmes (such as games or music) without the teacher's permission

Many files available on the Internet are covered by copyright, and although they can be easily downloaded, it may be illegal to do so. Sometimes even innocent-looking files may contain malicious content such as viruses, or spyware (software that searches for personal information from your computer and trasmits it to others over the Internet). As well, some files may contain inappropriate or illegal material.

I will not use ICT equipment to be mean or rude

If I don't follow these expectations, my family may have to be told, and there might be consequences.

For Year 4 - 6 Students

Note for Parents/Legal Guardians/Caregivers:

At Queenstown Primary School we aim to utilise Information and Communication Technology throughout all classes and across all ages. To ensure that all children learn to use the equipment appropriately and keep safe, please read and discuss these expectations with your child.

I can use the school computers and other school ICT only for school work

This helps to ensure the equipment is available when students need to use it for their learning. It will also help to reduce the likelihood of any inappropriate activites taking place which put at risk the safety of the learning environment

If I accidentally come across mean, or rude, or dangerous material I will tell the teacher straight away, without showing any other students

Because anyone at all can publish material on the Internet, it does contain material which is inappropriate, and in some cases illegal. The school has taken a number of steps to prevent this material from being accessed. However, there always remains the possibility that a student may inadvertantly stumble across something inappropriate. Encouraging students to tell a teacher immediately if they find something which they suspect may be inappropriate, encourages critical thinking and helps children to take responsibility for their actions and keep themselves, and others, safe. This way, they contribute to the cybersafety of the school community.

If I have my own password, I will only log on with that password. I will not share my password with any other person.

Passwords perform two functions. Firstly, they help to ensure only approved persons can access the school ICT facilities. Secondly, they are used to track how those facilities are used. Knowing how the equipment is being used and by whom, helps the school to maintain a cybersafe environment for all users, and teaches the child the importance of personal security

I will log off before letting someone else use the computer

Logging off stops others from using a computer under your child's username. When the computers interact it is started up again, the next user has to enter their own details to log on

I will check with the teacher before giving anyone information about myself or others when using the Internet or a mobile phone - this includes home and email addresses, and phone numbers.

This reduces the risk of your child, or other children, being contacted by someone who wishes to upset or harm them, or use their identity for purposes which might compromise the child's privacy or security online.

I will not download any files such as music, videos, games or pgorammes without the permission of the teacher, even if they are for school work. If I am unsure, I will ask the teacher first.

Many files available on the Internet are covered by copyright, and although they can be easily downloaded, it may be illegal to do so. Sometimes even innocent-looking files may contain malicious content such as viruses or spyware (software that searches for personal information from your computer and transmits it to others over the Internet). As well, some files may contain inappropriate or illegal material.

I will acknowledge where work has come from if I have copied it from somewhere. This includes graphics and sounds files I use in my own schoolwork.

The Internet has allowed easy access to a huge range of information which can be incorporated into students' work by simply cutting and pasting. Most of this material is copyrighted, and thus involves intellectual property issues. Also, the value to students' learning is questionable if they have not thought through this information themselves.

If i don't follow these expectations, the school may need to talk to my family about what has happened. In very serious cases, the school may take disciplinary action.

STUDENT WORK/PHOTOS ON WEBSITE

From time to time we would like the opportunity to place either a photograph or piece of work from your child on our website or class Blog sites. As professionals we will always be thoughtful and only place material that is complimentary of your child on our website. Previously we have asked permission for each individual photo, but we have found this system too difficult and time consuming to administer. On enrolling your child at Queenstown Primary School you would have signed an ICT User Agreement giving the school permission to publish photos, music, video with your child included in it or pieces of their work (this could be art work or digital work). Students still own the copyright for their work.

Our website contains photographs. It is our intention to safeguard the identity of the children. To ensure their safety we will only use the following information: year level, or room number, or first name