School Cyber Safety Policy

Policy and Integration Plan– January 2010

Overview
The term ‘Cyber Safety’ in this context refers to the safety of our students and staff
when they are interacting with communication devices such telephones and internet-
connected mobile phones and computers.

The School has a long-running and successful counselling procedure in place for
bullying and child protection issues. The Cyber Safety policy aims to deliver a well
documented program that provides students and parents with knowledge of and
strategies for dealing with issues arising from the always-on, connected environment.

We recognise and embrace our broader pastoral responsibility in the area of Cyber
Safety. Our approach to teaching about Cyber Safety is intended to deal with
connectivity issues beyond just bullying. As recommended by the Australian
Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), it refers to four main components of
cyber citizenship:

• Critical Digital Literacy

• Positive Online Behaviour
• Personal and Peer Safety
• e-Security

Our aim is to (carefully) embrace 21st century communication tools and to concentrate
our energies on making clever and innovative use of such tools in our learning
environments. The key to road-safety on the information superhighway is awareness,
and awareness is achieved through practise and engagement rather than through
avoidance and ignorance.

The School also recognises the importance of dealing with issues of online security
and privacy of members of staff. Staff might also make good use of the ABC Four
Corners episode from 17th August 2009, titled ‘Fear in the Fast Lane’, which is
available at school through MonD, as is the Cyber Survivor series.

The Digizen site is a worthwhile international website with more teacher resources.
The Family Online Safety Institute conference in 2009 had some thought provoking
presentations.

Areas of Integration for Cyber Safety

The four main areas where we directly address Cyber Safety are:

1. Internet Filtering
• We use a ‘white list’ in the Junior School. ie. we open Internet sites for student
use as and when teachers deem it appropriate.
• We use a ‘black list’ in the Senior School. We pay a provider to provide us
with list of inappropriate sites regularly, and we ‘block’ them from view.

2. Classrooms
Curriculum areas in Yrs 3-10. Specifically:
Yr 7 PDHPE – ‘Relationships’ unit – bullying.
(MonD ‘Behind the News – Cyber Safe’).

Yr 7 DT – Intro to School network, password security, email etiquette.

(MonD – ‘Jeremy’s Friend’ and ‘Think Before You Post’).

Yr 8 PDHPE – Recognising Abuse (protective strategies)

(MonD – ‘Jeremy’s Friend’)

Yr 8 DT – Web page development and online responsibility.

PB Wiki, Podcasts.

Yr 9 PDHPE – Tolerance and Prejudice

(MonD - ‘What The?’)

Yr 9 and Yr 10 Computing Studies – Social Networking.

Yr 9 English – Exploring the World Wide Web

An extract from the overview of this unit of work: ‘They will also discuss the ethics of
information communication through technology, via a series of open forum
discussions/debates about topics ranging from the uses of SMS text messaging,
cyberbullying, email and netiquette, privacy implications of cameras in phones,
interactivity and simulation software, empowerment or disempowerment through
technology, the internet as a tangled web, chat rooms as light or dark tunnels, MSN
and electronic games, reality TV and SMS.’

Yr 10 PDHPE – Relationships
(MonD - ‘Lauren’s Ordeal’ and ‘Think Before You Post’ and ‘Think Before You Post
2’ videos).

Yr 10 IST (Computing) Social Networking – Pros and Cons

English – Students respond to readings and videos that describe scenarios of cyber
citizenship.
‘Caught in the Crowd’ – by Kate Miller-Heidke http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6ojoqHbPmzg

Pastoral care groups in Yrs 10, 11 and 12. Specifically:

Yr 9. Police visit regarding ‘Police and the Law’, of which online bullying issues are
a part.

Yr 10. The ‘Hack Half Hour – My Face’ video– from ABC JJJ website in, Term 3

Yr 11. Australian Government Initiative – Guest Speakers

Yr 12. Life Skills, digital footprint, online purchasing, Internet banking scams, email
scams. We need a guest speaker that can cover this in an interesting and engaging way
for Year 12 students.

Parental Awareness and Education

Introduction evenings are offered to parents in Middle School and Senior School on
aspects of ‘School Online’, including the resources of the Library, the School Intranet
and strategies for use at home in the area of Cyber Safety.

3. Written Advice
• The School diary.
• An excellent reference for us to use and refer people to is at
http://thewoodverdict.blogspot.com/2008/04/tom-woods-complete-guide-to-
stopping.html. There are good ‘Prevention’ and ‘Resolution’ lists here.
• We provide links both in the Diary and on our website to places such as Net
Alert, ACMA, SMS Management Technology, The Wood Verdict, and
Cybersmart.
• Specific information and advice letters sent to all families, including an
advisory brochure from the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

4. Counselling
• Counsellors have always been available for students and parents with a range
of personal and interpersonal issues.
• See ‘Facebook for Parents’ at http://facebookforparents.org/
• See the ‘That’s Not Cool’ website for students (recommended by counsellors)
at http://www.thatsnotcool.com/
• Short talks at assemblies by Counsellor, Head of MS, etc.

Schools and Internet and the Law

We subscribe to regular bulletins and update from Emil Ford and Co - Lawyers in an
effort to maintain a high level of awareness about a broad range of issues around the
Internet, the law and schools.