IHBHE - Virtual Education FRM-1
Greetings Hopkinton Families:
You are receiving this letter because your child is enrolled in an educational setting where the educator will be employing virtual education in accordance with School Committee Policy IHBHE.
By participating in virtual education, whether at home or in school, parents, guardians, and students must consent to the use of audio and video conferencing technology, tools, and services and acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to the following, as applicable:
1. Students and parents/guardians must not save, record, share, or post sessions or any copies, recordings, materials, or photographs of/from sessions.
2. Parents/guardians/participants acknowledge that virtual education differs from in-person instruction. It may be challenging for a teacher to recognize that a student at home needs immediate assistance. Further, students at home may not have the luxury of a teacher observing the students’ work in real time. Families should recognize these limitations while also acknowledging that the District is making every effort to overcome these obstacles.
3. Students must treat each other with respect and must obey school rules at all times. The student code of conduct applies to all virtual education sessions. Students may be disciplined consistent with the student code of conduct for violating school rules during the sessions. Parents/guardians are responsible for monitoring their child’s use of the provided services and programs.
4. The District reserves the right to remove a student from a virtual education course for inappropriate behavior or conduct.
5. During online instruction, information regarding students and/or their voice, image and writing may be shared with other students (e.g., group chats, shared assignments, video feeds) who are participating in the session.
6. The District in good faith will attempt to ensure that audio and video conferencing platforms that are compliant with FERPA, CIPA, COPPA and all other applicable federal and state laws. The District will take all reasonable measures to preserve the privacy of the students, and each of our educators will continue to maintain the privacy of student record information. Parents/guardians waive any and all claims against the District related to the use of these third-party vendors to provide audio and/or video conferencing services. Examples may include but are not limited to data breaches and internet service disruptions.
7. Parents/guardians and students should be aware that they can be observed by the educator, by other students, and by family members who are in proximity of the screen in the at-home setting. Only students may interject comments, or participate during the class. Parents/Guardians should not attempt to participate on behalf of their child. The District acknowledges that not every family has an isolated area in the home; in these instances, parents’/guardians’/household members’ presence and/or background noise in the livestreaming area should not disrupt the educational process.
Your signature below indicates your receipt, understanding, and acknowledgement of these expectations for virtual education.
School Committee Policies
- A - Foundations and Basic Commitments
- B - School Board Governance and Operations
- C - General School Administration
- D - Fiscal Management
- E - Support Services
- F - Facilities Development
- G - Personnel
- H - Negotiations
- I - Instructional Program
- J - Students
- K - School-Community Relations
- L - Education Agency Relations