The Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) has compiled the following message and privacy guidelines for parents/guardians to follow during virtual learning.
A Message to Parents and Guardians
Please be patient. We are all learning this together. You can support your child's classroom by:
- Assisting students in finding an appropriate learning space (e.g. quiet, free from distractions as much as possible, does not compromise family privacy, etc.).
- Encouraging your child to attend class on time and participate fully.
- Acknowledging and respecting that the learning environment is for the child. Students must express their own thinking and participate in their own learning process. Encourage independence.
- Contacting the educator directly and privately to discuss concerns or ask questions to avoid disrupting the online learning environment.
- Making sure your child knows how to raise their "virtual hands" and wait to be recognized when responding to a question or comment. If your child does not have the raise hand feature, ensure that they are able to participate in a way that respects classroom norms.
Privacy Guidelines for Parents/Guardians
All parents/guardians are asked to follow the privacy guidelines below. In order to foster a positive, productive learning environment and assure confidentiality for students and staff during virtual learning.
- Parents are encouraged to assist their child in navigating the online environment as much as possible. Please ensure your child is present when logging in and navigating through your child's account.
- Parents/guardians should not join their children's online classes or be visible on their child's screens during classes. This helps to ensure the privacy of our students.
- Please respect the privacy of all by not video recording, audio recording, photographing, live streaming, or transmitting in any way any part of a virtual classroom or lesson. Please do not post any classroom images/video on social media platforms.
- Please do not collect, discuss or share any confidential or personally identifiable information related to students.
- Parents/guardians should try to avoid engaging with their child during classroom time. If you need to speak with your child during a lesson, first mute your child's microphone.
- Please do not share the link to online meetings, activities, or resources with anyone.
- Remember that this is your child's classroom.
Thank you for your support and cooperation in ensuring that virtual learning is a positive, productive, and enjoyable experience for everyone!