… from the newsletter notes of Head Teacher John Boyce
Internet safety is an issue that is regularly in the news-and at Garin we do our best to make sure students are safe when they use the net.
Parents need to be aware of the dangers at home too. You can find an Internet safety kit at www.netsafe.org.nz
At Garin, our goal is to provide access to the Internet, so staff and students can:
- become effective and safe users of the Internet
- extend their awareness and knowledge of the Internet
- become motivated, responsible, independent users of the Internet
In general, use of the Internet facilities at Garin is strictly for educational purposes. Our server software records all sites visited by students and we check that list regularly-but we rely on students to keep to the agreement they have signed.
Students are given Internet and email privileges only if they have an educational need for Internet use. That means that students will normally use the Internet during class time, unless given special permission: the only purpose for school computers is to support teaching and classroom learning.
Meeting inappropriate people through the net is one significant risk-another is exposure to inappropriate material. As part of their signed agreement, students agree not to scan or display graphics, record or play sounds, or type messages which could be offensive to others-or to access material that is offensive, dangerous, inappropriate at a school, or illegal.
They agree not to send electronic messages, and they are not permitted to send any messages which are threatening, offensive to anybody, dangerous, inappropriate at school, or illegal.
