At HTS, our students have access to a great deal of technology and we are making every effort to ensure that they have strategies to use the tools appropriately and with a focus on safety, well-being and balance. The following structures are in place to help our students navigate their responsibilities and ensure they are set up for success:

• Students in grades 6-12 have access to technology readiness programs, available through Google Classroom. Students can access these guides by logging into their HTS Google account, going to the Google Classroom app (or going to classroom.google.com in the browser) and then enrolling in the courses as follows:

  • • 6-8 iPad Readiness - Use the + sign and "join class"  ylqfblf

    • 9-12 Laptop Readiness - Use the + sign and "join class" klel2y2

• In our HTS handbook, there is a technology policy.  Please help us by reviewing it with your child.  A critical excerpt from this document is highlighted below.

• Once the school year begins, all students have specific programming available to ensure they have followed up with the technology readiness guides. Teacher advisors and our technology integration team will work together with students who are struggling to use their technology appropriately. 

We also rely on our parents to support us with use of devices at home. The following bullets are some important recommendations for students who are very young  and/or struggling with self-management:

(Note: These recommendations are for ALL students in grades K-5, most students in  grades 6-8, some students in grades 9 and 10 and only in extreme cases in grades 11 and 12. Please speak with your child's advisor and/or guidance counselor for further support and consideration)

• Use devices in central locations at home and only with adult supervision. 

• Turn off devices at least one hour before bedtime. 

• Communicate with peers and teachers during reasonable hours. For example, for students in K-5, we recommend that no communications should go out before 7:30 am or after 8 pm.

• Turn on Do Not Disturb for school and sleeping hours.

• Acknowledge that not all Screen Time is equal. Strive for balance and establish limitations (see linked article). 

• Have very limited access to additional personal web accounts (includes social media and email), unless there is significant adult supervision of content and use. 

• Have limitations on use of chat and virtual meeting services.  For example, built in tools like Messages and Facetime should not be used casually between peers without significant parent/teacher oversight and frequent review. YouTube should also be limited in access.

• Know what "private" means and what that looks like in writing, photographs and video. Students should be coached to really limit the private information they share. They should report incidences to a trusted adult, (parent or teacher), when peers are sharing private information .

• Have consequences for misuse of their iPad. If they can't handle the responsibility, take the iPad away and let the school know so we can support the family and make necessary accommodations.

We also recommend that you put a family content filter in place, such as Open DNS family filter.
You can set this up fairly easily on your computer or on your router to help block all sorts of content. There is also a paid version for more features.

There is more great advice and guidelines available here.

Technology Policy Excerpt from the Student Handbook

HTS technology resources are available for instruction and research by students, teachers, and administrators. The use of these facilities is a privilege, and must be in support of the educational objectives of HTS. Violation of these policies will result in the loss of technology privileges and may include other sanctions, up to and including expulsion from the School.

Use HTS technology resources safely, responsible, and in a manner consistent with the goals of the School.

• • All School rules and sanctions, including those pertaining to abuse and harassment and the Code of Conduct, are in effect while using HTS technology resources. The School has an obligation to deal with all cyber bullying involving HTS students, even when it occurs off-site and on non-HTS computers/accounts.

  • Students are expected to be polite, use appropriate language, and treat people with respect.

  • Members of the School community must not disclose personal contact information about students, other staff members or other members of the School community; and must not use or distribute photographs of students other than on the School websites, on School social media websites, pages or accounts, or in School publications even with express informed consent of all those involved, unless prior written consent and approval has been obtained from the relevant School authorities.

  • All School members must respect and comply with all federal, provincial, and municipal laws, including the Criminal Code and the Copyright Act.

The HTS technology resources, and all electronic data found therein (such as email on the School’s server), remains the property of HTS.

• • HTS technology resources must be treated with care and kept in good condition.

  • Students must always follow computer and technology rules and procedures.

  • Students must not attempt to interfere with or delete data or applications, unplug cables, or install any new software on School equipment; intentionally install or transmit any kind of malicious software, which is a serious offense, both within the School and under Canadian law; or otherwise mistreat, abuse, vandalise or destroy School equipment, including hardware or software to which they are granted access.

The School has the right, but not the obligation, to inspect and to monitor all HTS technology resources, including scrutinizing the contents of files residing in School accounts or accessed through the School network.

• • This may be done in situations including, but not limited to, maintenance of the network, in the event of a request for documents as part of litigation or similar proceedings, or where the School has reason to believe that the HTS technology resources are being used in violation of applicable policies.

  • Each student recognizes that they have a limited expectation of privacy regarding access or use of the HTS technology resources. 

• Access HTS technology resources only with an authorized username and password as provided by the School.

• • Students will be held accountable for any activity deemed improper that is conducted by another person who is logged on to the network in their name.

  • Students must never share their passwords. Students should consider their passwords as private and as valuable as a PIN (Personal Identification Number) for a bank card or a credit card.

  • Students must never provide personal information such as their home address, credit card, date of birth, telephone numbers, or information about other community members to anyone over the Internet.

Unacceptable Activities

• Using a device as a distraction from learning/class time. 

• Using a device in Chapel, assembly, or the Dining Hall.

• Using the network to participate in any illegal act or any act that violates any applicable law, including the Ontario Human Rights Code, copyright, intellectual property or other laws, guidelines or agreements.

• Threatening the safety of another person.

• Maliciously destroying, damaging or abusing HTS technology resources.

• Engaging in any sort of activity that could in any way interfere with the functioning of the network.

• Accessing, installing or distributing unauthorized content on the School equipment or networks.

• Creating, processing, distributing, accessing, downloading, storing or sharing any illegal, offensive, obscene, pornographic, discriminatory, harassing, hateful, abusive, violent or other inappropriate materials or materials that are not intended for School purposes.

• Sending or receiving defamatory, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening or racially offensive messages.

• Advertising or soliciting, including for personal services or for alcohol or drug (including cannabis) related products or services, unless prior written permission for specific School-related purposes has been obtained from the applicable School authorities.

• Attempting to access the files, messages or accounts of another person.

• Bypassing system security, logging in as someone else, or any kind of “hacking”.

• Engaging in any bullying or threatening behaviour such as cyber-bullying, making threats, or posting inappropriate material about another student to a social media platform.

• Using classrooms or resource areas that are outfitted with technology resources, without staff supervision.

• Altering the desktop or the operating system of any HTS owned and configured device.

• In Lower School and Middle School, using personal technology outside of classroom instruction.

• Removing or changing resources that were not created by the student (e.g. sharing permissions on course folders in Google Drive).

• Accessing the Internet through wireless connections that are not generated and monitored by HTS (e.g. VPNs).

• Plagiarizing or using copyrighted materials without permission, or attempting to or actually violating or infringing any other person’s intellectual property and related rights (including copyright).

• Using HTS credentials to generate third party accounts (unless specific direction has been given to the student from a teacher or administrator from HTS). This includes social media platforms (like Twitter or Instagram). Any resources generated through the use of HTS credentials is solely to be used for academic functions.

In the event that a student violates these policies, the student and parent may be provided with a notice of violation and may have to meet with their appropriate Head of Division and the Executive Director of Learning Innovation and Technology, who may deny, restrict or suspend a student’s access to the network. Appropriate legal authorities may be contacted if there is any suspicion of illegal activities. As noted, violation of these policies will result in the loss of technology privileges and may include other sanctions, up to and including expulsion from the School.