UPDATED ZOOM LINK :
Login to Zoom:  Link to May 23, 2023 Technology Filters NPS
To listen to the meeting, call one of these numbers and follow the prompts:
1-253-215-8782 or 1-301-715-8592 
Meeting ID: 816 3173 2665 Passcode: 832698

Questions for the tech department can be emailed to rennet@newberg.k12.or.us until 4:00 pm on Monday, May 22nd, 2023.

Content filters are required by the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), a federal law that was enacted by Congress in 2000. CIPA applies to schools and libraries that receive discounts for Internet access or internal connections through the E-rate program, a program that makes certain communications services and products more affordable for eligible schools and libraries.

For the 2022-2023 school year, Newberg-Dundee Public Schools was awarded a discount of more than a quarter million dollars through eRate funding. Acceptance of this award, and continued eligibility for additional funding, requires the district to be fully compliant with CIPA.

For CIPA compliance, schools and libraries must have an Internet safety policy that includes technology protection measures. The protection measures must block or filter Internet access to pictures that are: (a) obscene; (b) child pornography; or (c) harmful to minors (for computers that are accessed by minors). Schools and libraries must also monitor the online activities of minors and educate them about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and cyberbullying awareness and response.

The content filters at our school district are designed to comply with CIPA and to protect our students from accessing inappropriate or harmful content on the Internet. However, no content filter is perfect and some legitimate content may be blocked or some inappropriate content may be allowed. Therefore, we encourage parents to supervise their children’s Internet use at home and to report any concerns or issues with the content filters to us. Students using district devices at home will have the same content filter policies in place as they do at school. The filter does monitor certain types of network traffic and internet searches, such as searches related to depression or bullying. It does not monitor personal devices at home/personal accounts, nor is it capable of activating any device camera/microphone. It does not screen or view personal communications or social media such as personal email accounts or text messages, but it may block WhatsApp, Snapchat, and social media, such as Facebook and Instagram.

We are continually working with building admins to ensure the content filter is not overly-restrictive for the students in their respective buildings. The purpose of the filter is to support teaching, not to replace classroom management. Some content will be more appropriate for high school grades than elementary or middle school, and our intent is to facilitate that access for high school students while providing a more secure environment for younger ages. Certain types of media streaming may have a mix of age-appropriate and inappropriate content, such as Netflix/Hulu, Pandora/Spotify. These will be blocked to students by default, but staff and teachers will have access to these as appropriate for curriculum support. For additional media and content that may be filtered or blocked by the standard policy, staff are able to request access for students who have accommodation needs as part of an Individual Education Plan or 504.

Lastly, we are planning to have a public meeting regarding the use and function of the content filter in conjunction with a more robust Internet Safety Policy on Tuesday, May 23rd. This will take place at the district office, from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM. 

We appreciate your support and cooperation in ensuring a safe and positive online experience for our students.