Over the last term, our Laptop Program has been extremely beneficial to our students in supporting them through
Learning@Home. Our 'everyday' practice of utilising Daymap and OneDrive, and introducing video classes via Blackboard Collaborate helped keep our students on track and learning through what was a very difficult time for so many. I also want to say thank you to our families who persevered through some of the small technological hiccups we experienced in the early days. I have personally received many calls from other schools asking how we overcame what was the
Learning@home obstacle in regards to technology, how staff and students maintained learning 'as normal' and how we are doing what we do so smoothly and achieving success with our Laptop program so early on.
I would like to welcome our new Computer Technical Officer, Josh Woods to our team. Josh will support me in ensuring our laptop program continues running smoothly, and supporting teachers and staff with technology on campus. If you have any tech issues please simply email
tech@ripleyvalleyssc.eq.edu.auSubmitting Assessments
With assessments underway students have been reminded on how to submit their assessments via Daymap. Instructions to do this can be found HERE.
Saving WorkI also encourage all students to save their work on their personal OneDrive accounts. Extensions for lost work from computer hard drives will not be granted. Students know how to access their OneDrive account and all work should be created and saved in this location. Students that need support with this will need to come and see myself or our technician in the library during "tech times".
Cybersafety and at Home Filtering
There have been a few different issues over this term in regards to cyber safety. Please understand that the school laptops are heavily filtered and access to inappropriate websites etc is prohibited. YouTube and other social media sites and many online games are also blocked due to age restrictions and legal requirements of accessing these sites.
It has come to my attention that our students are accessing inappropriate sites on their own personal phones, or other devices within their home environment. I understand how difficult it is to monitor online activity - especially when students learn how to use APPS that are used solely to hide their internet activity or other APPS they have downloaded or how to delete their history. If you are wanting to filter all devices on your home WIFI, I would recommend looking at some of the options available below:
MEET CIRCLE: Filters all devices on the network (Phones, laptops, iPads, Tablets, Smart TVs). Any friends that come from sleepovers are also filtered. You can set times where students can access internet, and specifically what they can access.
FAMILY ZONE: Filters iOs devices on the network You can set times where students can access internet, and specifically what they can access.
KOALA SAFE: Filters iOs and Android devices on the network You can set times where students can access internet, and specifically what they can access.
If you have any questions or are experiencing issues with your child online please let me know.
Angela Waugh
HOD - Digital Technologies | English | Humanities
