laptop students

1:1 Program for 9-12 Grade Students

2021-22 School Year, our district established a new digital classroom environment for all 9-12 students that enables our school and district to better engage, share, and participate in a collaborative learning community.

This district-managed system, powered by both Google Suite Education and Office 365 (Microsoft), provides access to online classrooms, an email account, Drive (documents, spreadsheets, presentation, forms), and Microsoft Teams. This very important step towards developing a modern learning approach allows all students the opportunity to receive a laptop to keep until they graduate. The 1:1 program will allow us to give students the technology skills they need when they graduate and move on to career or college.

What is included in our digital classroom environment?

As we work to leverage these powerful collaboration tools for 21st-century teaching and learning. We are very excited to offer these learning tools to your children.

  • Extends the classroom environment both within and outside of school

  • Offers discreet and effective individualized instruction between teachers and students

  • Google Suite for Education & Microsoft Office365

  • In compliance with CIPA Guidelines, spam and content filtering is configured for all grade levels

  • Access to digital classrooms and websites

  • Safe and Secure GCSSD email (internal use only)

  • Allows students to develop an e-portfolio of work throughout their careers in the district

  • Provides anytime, anywhere access when connected to internet

  • Allows students to easily collaborate on group projects with other students

Having issues with your GCSSD assigned device?

I can't connect to my home internet? It says I am connected but I am unable to visit any websites.
We are aware of issues when connecting your 1:1 device with Gibson Connect as of 8/17/21. We are working to resolve the issue. We feel it is a filtering policy that is blocking the connection to the internet. If you can't connect to your home network, please put in a work order by utilizing another device or when you are back at campus. We will communicate troubleshooting issues to help resolve the issue as soon as a solution is found.

All GCSSD owned devices will be serviced if hardware or software issues arise. If you have an issue with your GCSSD device and you have tried the simple troubleshooting steps below, please fill out a work order at http://helpdesk.gcssd.org:8080/index.jsp#/Home.jsp . Your log-in to the work order system is the same as your computer username / password. Once the work order is submitted, a technician will review the issue and contact you via email with instructions and next steps. It is very important that student email is checked daily!

  1. Run fewer programs at the same time. Don't have too many programs running at the same time. ...

  2. Restart your computer.

  3. Issues with Outlook? Visit the online version at office.microsoft.com

  4. Locked out of your computer or an account? Ask your teacher or librarian to unlock your account.

Safe and Secure Environment 

GCSSD takes the security and privacy of student information very seriously. GCSSD’s Google Suite for Education and Microsoft Office365 comply with legal requirements for safety and security under the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA), Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The district is responsible for protecting and safeguarding the confidentiality of student information. We have contracted with Microsoft and Google to provide access to tools for our users (students and staff) in a closed and secure environment. Both are governed by a detailed privacy policy and security measures that GCSSD has reviewed thoroughly. Our district is satisfied that these policies protect the privacy of our users. Under their Terms of Service Agreement, Microsoft and Google are obligated to comply with FERPA, therefore advertising is not displayed within GCSSD Google and Microsoft Suite, nor is data in any Microsoft or Google application in use by GCSSD students scanned for commercial purposes.

Students under the age of 13 ordinarily need parent permission to have a email account, however the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) allows GCSSD to act as the parents' agent and approve education accounts on their behalf. To be COPPA compliant, we must provide an opt-out process (see next section). All students will have Google Suite account and Microsoft Office365 (includes Outlook email) built into GCSSD's private domain unless a parent or guardian opts out of their child using technology. GCSSD student emails are only allowed to email other @gcssd.org domains.

Please note, our digital classroom environment is a district-managed service. For the protection of your children, District administrators have the ability to monitor and audit the contents of student accounts.

Opting‐out of Google and Microsoft Office365 Accounts

You may opt your child out of digital technology use at any time and for any reason. If you have concerns about your child having a Google Suite or Microsoft Office365 account, we ask that you please contact your child's teacher(s) and/or school’s Principal to discuss specific examples of how this new learning environment will be used and the alternatives the school offers to web‐based instructional and collaborative tools. If you wish to opt-out after contacting and discussing with school administration, he or she will contact the Technology Department and steps will be taken to remove student from digital technology use within the district.