As a national leader in using technology to expand learning opportunities for students, we use a wide range of software to support instruction and learning. One of those tools is Google Apps for Education. Google Apps for Education is used by thousands of schools and universities worldwide to make collaboration tools available for students. Google Apps collaboration tools will make it possible for students to work together virtually on documents, presentations and projects via the web. Google Apps provide an online storage space for files, eliminating most needs for flash drives between home and school. These apps also integrate directly into Schoology, allowing students to electronically submit assignments. To ensure equal access for all students and comply with online safety laws protecting children 13 and under, the District will provide Google Apps accounts to students in grades K‐12.

The catalog of software used in the District along with vendor privacy policies to each can be found here. In all cases, to gain approval for use in the District, each vendor, their software, privacy policy and overall approach to information security is evaluated before the software is approved for use.

Acceptable Use Policy

The Media Specialist at your child’s school, as well as classroom teachers, will instruct students on how to access their account, share and collaborate on files, and how accounts should be used in compliance with our Acceptable Use Policy. Throughout the year, your child may have assignments that are completed using tools like Google Docs and Google Sites and will receive instruction from teachers about the Google tool at that time. Parents are also encouraged to talk with children about online manners and safety. For tips and resources on digital health and wellness, please visit our Digital Health & Wellness page.

Internet access assistance

If your child does not have access to a computer and/or internet at home, please contact your school principal to discuss qualifications for assistance.

Email access begins in grade 4

Email access begins in fourth grade. Email accounts are required by many web‐based educational tools and also allow students and teachers to communicate and collaborate in a safe and structured manner with their class. Web‐based learning tools provide free access to storytelling, concept mapping, video editing and visual presentation tools. District staff and the School Board have carefully considered students’ online safety in setting up the procedures and rules for student accounts.

Students should consider their school email as an extension of the classroom, subject to the same rules of respect and courtesy that we expect in school. As you talk to your child about the acceptable use of email, you might use an analogy of adults’ work and personal emails. Most employers ask that work email only be used for work, and employers have access to view and limit use of email to make sure it is used appropriately. The same will be true of school email accounts. All school emails are archived and retrievable for three years.

School email accounts must comply with the Federal Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Student emails will be filtered, just as internet access at school is filtered, to ensure student safety online. Every email sent and received from a school email account (whether from any home, school or public computer or mobile device) goes through filtering software that scans for language and images. Student email addresses will have restrictions on what can be received. Minnetonka uses very powerful filtering tools and makes every effort to block inappropriate content; however, technology is ever‐evolving. If a student receives any inappropriate emails, they should be reported to an adult and forwarded to family.helpdesk@minnetonkaschools.org.