Student Acceptable Computer Use

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Oswego City School District (OCSD) utilizes Google Workspace for Education. Google Workspace for Education is a set of education productivity tools including but not limited to; Gmail, Calendar, Docs and Google Classroom which are used by students and teachers around the world. OCSD students will use their Google accounts to interact with learning materials, complete assignments, communicate with their teachers, sign into their devices, and learn 21st century digital citizenship skills.

Google Workspace accounts will be created for each child enrolled in OCSD. Please read this notice carefully and, if you do not consent to your child using digital resources (including Google), you must notify the district technology office in writing, annually to opt-out of digital resources. Opting out of digital resources will remove your child’s access to Google Workspace. For additional information on opting out of district technology resources, please call the technology office at 315-341-2024.

Generally, the same standards of acceptable student conduct which apply to any school activity, shall apply to use of district network resources. Students who engage in unacceptable use may lose access to their account and the Internet, and may be subject to further discipline under the Student Discipline Code of Conduct. Students and staff are expected to follow academic integrity and refrain from using Chat GPT or generative AI as their own work.

The District reserves the right to pursue legal action against a student who willfully, maliciously or unlawfully damages or destroys property of the District. Further, the District may bring suit in civil court against the parents/legal guardians of any student who willfully, maliciously or unlawfully damages or destroys District property pursuant to General Obligations Law Section 3-112. Student data files shall be considered to be School District property subject to control and inspection. The computer coordinator may access all such files and communications to insure system integrity and that users are complying with the requirements of this policy and accompanying regulations. Acceptable use of digital resources are governed by the following district policies #7315, 6410, 6411, 8271, 7243, 7316. For a full description and list of policies, please visit the OCSD policy page: https://go.boarddocs.com/ny/oswego/Board.nsf/vpublic?open

Students should NOT expect that information stored on the district network will be private. The Superintendent or his/her designee is authorized to establish regulations as necessary to implement the terms of district policies.

The District has taken considerable steps to electronically block inappropriate materials and sites. Unfortunately, and by the very nature of the Internet, it is impossible to block all negative or inappropriate content. It may be possible that your child may be able to gain access to services on the Internet which the District has not authorized for educational purposes. Additionally, not all communications on the Internet are censored by the District. Furthermore, your child may gain access to information and communications which you may find inappropriate, offensive, or controversial. 

Google Workspace for Education Notice to Parents and Guardians

This notice describes the personal information we provide to Google for these accounts and how Google collects, uses, and discloses personal information from students in connection with these accounts. 

Using their Google Workspace for Education accounts, students may access and use the following “Core Services” offered by Google (described at https://workspace.google.com/terms/user_features.html): 

• Gmail

• Calendar

• Chrome Sync

• Classroom

• Cloud Search

• Contacts

• Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms

• Drive

• Groups

• Google Chat, Google Meet, Google Talk

• Jamboard

• Keep

• Sites

• Vault

In addition, we also allow students to access other Google services with their Google Workspace for Education accounts. Specifically, your child may have access to the following “Additional Services”: 

• YouTube, Blogger, Google Maps and Google Books

Google provides information about the information it collects, as well as how it uses and discloses the information it collects from Google Workspace for Education accounts in its Google Workspace for Education Privacy Notice. You can read that notice online at https://workspace.google.com/terms/education_privacy.html for more information. You should review this information in its entirety, but below are answers to some common questions:

What personal information does Google collect?

When creating a student account, OCSD may provide Google with certain personal information about the student, including, for example, a name, email address, and password. Google may also collect personal information directly from students, such as a telephone number for account recovery or a profile photo added to the Google Workspace for Education account.

When a student uses Google services, Google also collects information based on the use of those services. This includes:

• device information, such as the hardware model, operating system version, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information including phone number;

• log information, including details of how a user used Google services, device event information, and the user's Internet protocol (IP) address;

• location information, as determined by various technologies including IP address, GPS, and other sensors;

• unique application numbers, such as application version number; and

• cookies or similar technologies which are used to collect and store information about a browser or device, such as preferred language and other settings.

How does Google use this information? 

In Google Workspace for Education Core Services, Google uses student personal information to provide, maintain, and protect the services. Google does not serve ads in the Core Services or use personal information collected in the Core Services for advertising purposes.

In Google Additional Services, Google uses the information collected from all Additional Services to provide, maintain, protect and improve them, to develop new ones, and to protect Google and its users. Google may also use this information to offer tailored content, such as more relevant search results. Google may combine personal information from one service with information, including personal information, from other Google services.

Does Google use student personal information for users in K-12 schools to target advertising?

No. For Google Workspace for Education users in primary and secondary (K-12) schools, Google does not use any user personal information (or any information associated with a Google Workspace for Education Account) to target ads, whether in Core Services or in other Additional Services accessed while using an Google Workspace for Education account.

Can my child share information with others using the Google Workspace for Education account?

We may allow students to access Google services such as Google Docs and Sites, which include features where users can share information with others or publicly. When users share information publicly, it may be indexable by search engines, including Google.

Will Google disclose my child’s personal information?

Google will not share personal information with companies, organizations and individuals outside of Google unless one of the following circumstances applies:

• With parental or guardian consent. Google will share personal information with companies, organizations or individuals outside of Google when it has parents’ consent (for users below the age of consent), which may be obtained through Google Workspace for Education schools.

• With Oswego Google Workspace for Education accounts, because they are school-managed accounts, give administrators access to information stored in them.

• For external processing. Google may provide personal information to affiliates or other trusted businesses or persons to process it for Google, based on Google’s instructions and in compliance with the Google Workspace for Education privacy notice and any other appropriate confidentiality and security measures.

• For legal reasons. Google will share personal information with companies, organizations or individuals outside of Google if it has a good-faith belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary to:

  • meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental request.

  • enforce applicable Terms of Service, including investigation of potential violations.

  • detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues.

  • protect against harm to the rights, property or safety of Google, Google users or the public as required or permitted by law.

Google also shares non-personal information -- such as trends about the use of its services -- publicly and with its partners.

If you wish to stop any further collection or use of your child's information, you can request that we delete your child’s account entirely. You and your child can also visit https://myaccount.google.com while signed in to the Google Workspace for Education account to view and manage the personal information and settings of the account.

What if I have more questions or would like to read further?

If you have questions about our use of Google’s Google Workspace for Education accounts or the choices available to you, please contact the district technology office at 315-341-2024. If you want to learn more about how Google collects, uses, and discloses personal information to provide services to us, please review the Google Workspace for Education Privacy Center (at https://www.google.com/edu/trust/), the Google Workspace for Education Privacy Notice (at https://workspace.google.com/terms/education_privacy.html), and the Google Privacy Policy (at https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/). The Core Google Workspace for Education services are provided to us under Google Workspace for Education Agreement (at https://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/terms/education_terms.html)

Additionally, please note your rights to data privacy in regards to your children enrolled in OCSD; Parents Bill of Rights for Data Privacy which can be located on our Instructional Technology Page of the District website.

You have the right to opt out of digital resources. If you do not consent to your child using and receiving an internet/ network computer account (including a Google account for services like email, digital messaging, docs, drive etc.) you must notify the district technology offices, in writing, annually. 

Please contact the technology office at 315-341-2024 for additional information.