Mr. Cohick’s sixth graders have been doing great work in math, science, language arts, and across the 8 Core Learning Strands; we’d like to discuss ways our families can work together to help ensure that after-school forces don’t jeopardize our students’ academic and social success.

Attendance at a CyberSafety meeting will be part of the mandatory Orientation Process for all families who are returning for the 2013-2014 school year. Please attend tomorrow (we would like to meet with all parents before summer to put in place possible solutions; and we were able to get Rita Buffington, OTA Parent and Training Director at Qualcomm, to attend on short notice and present part of the Common Sense Social Media program for parents).

1. Common Sense Media Video: TV is a Habit, Make it a Good One!
2. Computers are now TVs (Hulu.com, ABC.com, etc.)

Thank you and we hope to see you tomorrow night in 7th Grade Room.
Regards,

Tom Donahue
Executive Director
Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School

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Excerpt from OTA Internet Ethics Policy:

The School understands that a Cyber Safety policy will not be successful without the support of parents in the home. Keeping our children safe, preventing online bullying, and creating a safe learning environment in school is the responsibility of both teachers and parents and guardians. We therefore will ask every OTA family….*…. and student over 3rd grade to read and agree to the following agreement:

Internet Student Code of Ethics

Student Access to Networked Information 

The following actions are a violation of the OTA Online Student Code of Ethics:

1. Sending or accessing offensive messages or pictures.
2. Using obscene language in online communications or web pages.
3. Harassing, insulting, or attacking others.
4. Damaging computers or computer networks.
5. Violating copyright laws.
6. Plagiarizing content and calling it your own.
7. Unauthorized use of a password.
8. Trespassing in another person’s folder, work, or files.
9. Intentionally wasting resources.
10. Employing the school network or computer resources for commercial uses.
11. Searching for inappropriate material.
12. Sponsoring or participating in “Google groups,” “chat rooms,” or other “mass” communication sites or tools where content regarding OTA on its parent/student community can or may be discussed, without an open invite to participate to the entire OTA community.
13.  Students under age 13 having their own Facebook or Twitter or similar media account.
14. Nobody other than school staff may post any photo of any OTA child in an OTA logo-gear on any Facebook or other social network vehicle.

Sanctions:

1. Violations will result in a loss of online access privileges (and the resulting academic penalty)
2. Additional disciplinary action may be taken in accordance with existing rules governing inappropriate language and behavior.
3. When applicable, law enforcement agencies may become involved.
4. Student may be expelled from OTA, as warranted.

Student/Parent Consent

We understand Old Town Academy Online Student Code of Ethics governing use of computers and access to the internet both at home and in school and agree to abide by the terms of the Code.

Student Name (print) ______________________________________   Grade in 2011/2012 School Year: _______

Student Signature:  ________________________________________  Date; ______

Parent/Guardian Name (print) ________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature:  __________________________________  Date;______

Accessing Internet Research Material

During school, teachers will guide students in accessing appropriate materials. Outside of school, families must wear responsibility for such guidance, as they do with TV and other media. Please note that by COPPA privacy law, children under 13 may not have Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Gmail or other accounts. If it is important to you for your underage child to have a Facebook or other account, then OTA may not be the right school for you.

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Old Town Academy K-8 Charter School
Equity and Excellence for All Students