All our Middle schoolers are off on alternative programs this coming week. I am sure that families are organising the ‘what to pack’ stuff and mentally preparing your child for what is happening. Most are excited about the prospect of this week; however, there are reservations too. Please be assured that our aim is to ensure they have a great camp! This is what we are good at – it’s our job! If you have questions or need clarification – send us an email. We would appreciate your prayers over this week for all our students, staff and the extra personnel that run the camps or drive the coaches etc.

While last year was the beginning of our iPad trials at GCCC, this is continuing this year as we work through using them at school and issues as they arise. Last Thursday our school hosted an information session on technology. If you were unable to attend this meeting here are a few notes from it.

While human nature does not change, the parameters of activity with this technology need to be grappled with. Our systems in place are to guide students towards responsible use. Hence the need for transparency on what is stored and able to be accessed on them.  Following are some pointers on how we can work together to make this happen.

The iPad is College property which is to be supervised by the parent at home. Just as the College or parent should be able to look through a child’s diary, text or workbook at any time, the same rules apply to the iPad. We would seek to encourage students to use these as tools for educational and positive purposes.

Any material/apps etc stored or loaded onto the iPad that is not required by the school, needs to be approved by the parent/caregiver. (Refer below on how to ensure accountability and oversight on this.)

Our first ICT rule is that the teacher has full discretion over the usage of the iPad   Therefore, if a student will not show their iPad to a teacher for checking – it will be removed from them and if necessary re-imaged. The same goes for you as a parent; you have the right to expect your child to show you anything and everything on their iPad at any point in time. If they are unwilling and keep it from you then they will receive demerits at school. If they are not able to do school work or assessments because their iPad is at home they will also receive demerits. Please do not keep the iPad at home as a consequence of other issues and please communicate with us if you need to regarding this.

We will expect all students to record their passcode to unlock and lock their device and this will be saved on our information database system which will be processed in the next few weeks.

We are asking that parents set up restrictions on your child’s iPad and turn off imessage (so that they are not distracted in class) by doing the following:

If your child has not enabled restrictions, then skip steps 2, 3 and 4.

HOWEVER, If your child has already enabled restrictions and has a passcode on this feature:

1. Tap on the Settings icon

2. Tap on the Restrictions bar (midway on the screen)

3. Click Disable Restrictions at the top of the iPad

4. It will ask you to put in a passcode –(if your child has already put in a pass code, you will need to ask them to put this in).

5. Tap on Messages – green icon at lower left hand of iPad

6. The screen will now show iMessage in top right of screen. Tap off

7. Go back to General

8. Tap on the Restrictions bar (midway on the screen)

9. Click Enable Restrictions at the top of the iPad

10. It will ask you to put in a passcode – 2x

11. Once you have put this in – you can turn various settings on the ipad on or off

12. Scroll the screen down until you get to Accounts

13. When you tap on this, a screen will pop up in the top right, tap on Don’t allow changes

14. Tap on the top middle Restrictions for it to go back one screen, you can now also turn off multiplayer games, installing apps, facebook  and twitter if you think it appropriate for your child.

It’s important you do not disable Safari and photos when your child takes their ipad to school as these may be required for some of the class tasks.