For the 2020-2021 school year, Effingham County School District is offering a COVID-19 virtual learning option. To make this option the most effective it can be, communication with students is critical for conducting check ins, helping to build a sense of community among students who may be feeling isolated and disconnected, and to engage students in important lesson content and instruction. As educators, we believe that the use of video conferencing and other virtual communication tools are a critical component in the success of Virtual Learning.

With the use of such tools comes some additional responsibilities to protect the privacy of our students and teachers. We ask that parents and guardians electronically sign these responsibilities and agreements by completing the Google Form with their children:

I agree that my child and I will not record any portion of any lesson or conference, in order to preserve any potentially confidential information about my child’s classmates or his/her teacher.

I understand, to whatever extent possible, my child will participate in lessons only in a private space where no other individual is present during the period of instruction, other than a parent/guardian. I understand that the purpose of this is to prevent any third parties from obtaining any personally identifiable information about any other child, even incidentally.

I understand that I could potentially see, hear, or be exposed to confidential and/or personally identifiable information about students other than my own child while I am supervising my own child’s participation. I understand that it is my responsibility to respect and maintain the privacy and confidentiality of any information I may hear about any other students. I agree to maintain the confidentiality of that information, and I agree that I will not access, use, or disclose any such confidential information to any other person.

I understand that the District reserves the right to end my child’s participation in a live Virtual Learning session if my presence, that of my child, or any third party or activity, causes a disruption of the educational process. If a session is terminated, the district can determine alternative means to provide the learning opportunity such as exclusively using google classroom, sending work via e-mail attachments, or reassigning the student to a traditional building.

By your child’s participation in this plan, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions as stated above, and you further understand that some personal information about your child could inadvertently be disclosed to other participants during the course of an interactive lesson.

You understand that the Effingham County School District and Board of Education may have no control over such inadvertent, unintended disclosure, despite its best efforts, and therefore agree to waive any claims and actions against the Effingham County School District or Board of Education, its agents and employees, for any such disclosure, including but not limited to claims brought under FERPA.