Whitehall-Coplay School District supports a 21st-century environment where technology is utilized and promoted by all district administration, faculty members, and students in order to positively impact the teaching and learning process.  We strive to create an atmosphere where all classrooms have equitable access to quality and appropriate technology.

Whitehall-Coplay School District is committed to providing equitable technology access to all students.  Currently, all students in grades K-12 are provided with a Chromebook that remains with them for the duration of the school day.  

A Chromebook is a computer that runs Chrome OS—the fast, smart and secure operating system that powers all Chromebooks. Chromebooks’ software is designed and built by Google, then paired with hardware from leading brands like HP, Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, Acer and ASUS (SOURCE).  According to Google, forty million students and educators now use Chromebooks (SOURCE).

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR CHROMEBOOK HELP SECTION

All Whitehall-Coplay School District students in grades one through eight enroll in one required STEM course per year.  The early-elementary curriculum focuses on computer basics and general navigation of the Google Suite, and the introduction of computer science principals.  Upper elementary and middle school moves the student into an intermediate path that focuses on the application of skills. Furthermore, the high school program of study includes thirteen Computer Science elective courses.

Whitehall-Coplay School District provides ongoing technology professional development to all teachers in the study of instructional technology.

The Whitehall-Coplay School District utilizes Google Apps for Education for students, teachers, and staff. As with any educational endeavor, a strong partnership with families is essential to a successful experience. With this letter, we are sharing information regarding the use of Google Apps for Education in the Whitehall-Coplay School District for your K-12 student.

The following services are available to each student and hosted by Google as part of Whitehall-Coplay School District's online presence in Google Apps for Education: 

Docs - a word processing, spreadsheet, drawing, and presentation toolset that is very similar to Microsoft Office 

Calendar - an individual calendar providing the ability to organize schedules, daily activities, and assignments 

Sites - an individual and collaborative website creation tool 

Mail - an individual email account for school use managed by the Whitehall Coplay School District and is restricted to preapproved domains. 

YouTube for Education - Access thousands of free high quality educational videos. 

Apps Marketplace - Discover student tools and web apps that integrate with Google Apps for Education

Using these tools, students collaboratively create, edit, and share files and websites for school-related projects and communicate via email with other students and teachers. These services are entirely online and available 24/7 from any Internet-connected computer. Examples of student use include showcasing class projects, building an electronic portfolio of school learning experiences, and working in small groups on presentations to share with others. 

In order to comply with federal and local laws, internet access within the district is restricted based on content and category. Please note, this internet content filtering is specific to the district's network and will not override any parental restrictions you may have at home. 

The use of Google Apps for Education in the Whitehall-Coplay School District abides by the district Acceptable Use Policy. Each year internet safety is discussed in all buildings and grade levels through computer classes. 

All students and parents should familiarize themselves with the WCSD Acceptable Use Policy. In addition, the use of proxies to bypass District filtering is not acceptable and violates School Board Policy No. 815: Acceptable Use of the Internet. Chromebooks should be used for educational purposes only. Students shall not visit vulgar or pornographic websites or view or transfer materials that are not suitable for an educational environment. Be cautious about clicking on questionable links or links from unknown sources. Students shall not use Chromebooks to bully, harass, or intimidate other students. Students who violate the Acceptable Use Policy, WCSD User Agreement, or School District Policy while using school district issued Chromebooks will be subject to disciplinary action. 

READ THE FULL POLICY

Students will have access to the WCSD network and will be expected to follow School Board Policy 815 regarding appropriate network usage.

WCSD has installed GoGuardian filtering software that will limit student internet access to sites that are deemed inappropriate. This software will be active on all devices, both at school, and at home. This software also allows the school district to deactivate any device that has gone missing or has been stolen.

With the distribution and access of Chromebooks comes an exciting world of instructional opportunities and strategies to engage our students in the 21st-century learning skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. 

We also recognize that there are excellent online resources that benefit the students by providing a unique learning and educational experiences. Notably, interactive web resources provide some of the most compelling and engaging educational tools for students. While allowing access to these interactive online educational resources, we also want to balance the protection of your child’s online privacy and personal information. 

We want to ensure that the sites and applications are going to be used for educational purposes and enhance the curriculum through student engagement. The district has a list of approved apps and online resources that are essential to our educational programming. These services may provide teachers with student data or results for educational purposes and planning.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE APPROVED APPS LIST

Full Tutorial

How to join a class

Overview of the dashboard

Overview: Creating Google files in Classroom to complete an assignment

Using attachments to complete an assignment (Drive, links, and local files)

Completing an assignment with a Google Doc attached by the teacher

Create Google Slides to complete an assignment

Create a Google Doc to complete an assignment

Attach directly from Google Drive to complete an assignment

How to answer a question posted in Google Classroom

How to view your grades