Standard applications and accounts that are configured for student use include (but are not limited to):

• Northshore’s Google Workspace for Education Environment: This education-focused Google Apps environment is hosted by Google, and managed by the District.  This collection of online applications provides students with a Google email account, calendar, and access to GoogleDrive, where students can create, share, and publish documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other artifacts of their learning. The District creates and manages user accounts, manages access to applications and email based on grade level organizations, and manages permissions. For example, email accounts the District creates for elementary students can only communicate with other email accounts created by the District. (Note that these accounts are covered by more restrictive data privacy practices than “regular” Google accounts, including a restriction on advertising and the use of student data for advertising purposes. Google EDU also was an early signatory to the Student Privacy Pledge.)
• Online Curriculum Systems: Most of the curriculum adopted in the District is accompanied by or depends on access to an online system where content and assessments are stored.  Many of these systems require students to have a unique account created for them which allows them to access supplemental video content, take quizzes, and strengthen their understanding about the ideas in a content area.  For District-wide curriculum, the District creates and manages these accounts.  In these cases, the terms of use and privacy policies are reviewed thoroughly before providing any student account data to the vendor.

What is GSuite?

Google Workspace for Education, which consists of Google Docs, GMail, and Google Calendar, allows teachers and students to communicate and collaborate inside and outside the classroom.  The GSuite for education was chosen as NSD's primarly online collaboration platform in 2010 after several years of individual schools and teachers using Google tools on their own.  Note that Google Apps for Education (GAFE) accounts are covered by more restrictive data privacy practices than “regular” Google accounts, including a restriction on advertising and the use of student data for advertising purposes. GAFE also was an early signatory to the Student Privacy Pledge. The tools include:

• Google Docs: Students and teachers can create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations with the ability to collaborate with each other in real-time inside a web browser window.
• GMail: Each student is assigned an email account with the ability to communicate with teachers, colleges and universities, and students they are collaborating with.  Students in K-5 can email within the apps.nsd.org domain, and students grades 6-12 can email in and outside of the domain.
• Google Calendar: Students can utilize Google Calendars to keep track of schedules and assignments.

Providing “anytime, anywhere” access lets users upload, access, share, and work on files from any computer. Google Apps create a collaborative online workspace that stores and organizes information and keeps versions current for all users - without flash drives or external media!

Why use it?
Student can use Google Apps to:

• Collaborate with multiple people at the same time
• Make multiple revisions and peer edit
• Create a presentation
• Keep organized using Google Calendar
• ...and much, much more!

Teachers can use Google Apps to:

• Collaborate with students and other teachers
• Create and administer assignments to students
• Provide opportunities for peer collaboration that extend beyond the school day
• Collect assignments digitally
• ...and even more!

Teachers and Administrators have access to Schoology and to Lightspeed Classroom, a tool that allows staff to monitor student work within Google and share documents and files more seamlessly.

NSD Instructional Technology promotes the use of digital tools for learning.  When choosing digital tools, staff should be careful to choose ones that not only support instructional objectives, but should also be careful to adhere to policies that serve to protect data and privacy.  The NSD Instructional Technology Team has developed a set of guidelines for use when choosing digital resources.  These guidelines promote judicious use of digital content and tools to supplement NSD Core Curriculum.  None of the resources here should be used to supplant approved curriculum or effective instructional practices.

Before completing a digital resource review request, staff should review the public list of reviewed services and see if the resource is already approved, used at other schools, or has been denied for use.  

Visit the Digital Resource Library

When reviewing digital resources, users should follow the approved guidelines for evaluation of digital services.  This helpful checklist will ensure that Teachers and Principals verify the quality and safety of any resources to be used with students.  

NSD Digital Resources Review Guidelines

Purchasing and Using a Digital Resource

If you have chosen a high quality resource to use, the use of that resource needs to be approved for use by the Technology Department.  This approval ensures that the vendor adheres to federal and state law concerning data privacy.  Reviews need to be conducted when any of the following criteria apply:

• The resource is an online (web based) system or service that collects user data.
• The resource is free for use, with any conditions.
• The resource is a paid resource.
• You wish to pay for use of the resource for a first year or are renewing a subscription.

When requesting use of any digital resource, please complete this form.  Once your submission is entered, it will be reviewed for completion and then a work order will be generated.  Please note:

• You may not use the resource until it is approved.  Approval will be noted in the work order comments.
• All purchases of subscriptions, seats, or licenses shall be made by the Technology Department.  Office Managers and other staff should not initiate a purchase order or use a p-card for the purchase.
• The review process can take up to 4 weeks due to the complexities of working with vendors and legal agreements.  Please plan accordingly!

This procedure does not apply to the installation of iPad apps.  Those wishing to request the installation of apps on school iPads should submit a support ticket in Incident IQ.  Note that if the app appears to be instructional in nature, it may warrant review by CMAC.