NSSD Technology & Closure Updates
November 2019
Student Safety & Monitoring "BARK Notice"
Keeping students safe while utilizing the school-issued Google suite of products is of paramount importance to the North Santiam School District. For the past two years, parents have expressed concerns regarding monitoring their children's online activities both at home and school. To respond, we would like to make you aware of a recent step our District has taken to monitor school-issued accounts and would like to invite you to partner with us. Bark for Schools is a powerful new monitoring service we are utilizing to help us better protect students both at school and at home. This is a highly secure product and is compliant with all related laws and regulations.
When schools give students access to laptops and email accounts, an incredible world of learning opportunities opens up — as well as potential dangers. Bark helps us monitor all of the content our students are creating, sharing, and sending through school-issued accounts (not other devices connected to our wifi) and the sites they are accessing. All building principals have a dashboard to monitor flagged material and receive alerts issues identified as severe. This helps us to detect potentially dangerous situations that students may be facing both in and out of school, including cyberbullying, threats of violence, predatory advances, sexual content, and suicidal ideation.
In the coming days, you will receive an invitation to create a free account for the Bark for Schools Family Alerts Dashboard. If you choose to opt-in, you'll receive alerts if issues are detected on your child's account after school hours and during weekends, breaks, and holidays. Bark provides all of the above for free as part of their give-back program and is available to all K-12 schools and districts in the U.S. You can also enable Bark’s products for families, which monitor texts, email, YouTube and more than 24 social media platforms for potential safety concerns on your student’s personal accounts. In 2018, Bark detected 1.2 million instances of cyberbullying, 140,000+ communications discussing self-harm or suicidal ideation, nearly 100 student conversations with sexual predators, and 51 potential acts of violence in schools.
NSSD Emergency Notifications
If inclement weather necessitates the need for a school closure or delay, the District initiates several notification systems at approximately 5:30 a.m. If it is concluded the road conditions will not clear in time for safe travel for our students and staff, school will be canceled for the day. Other times, it may be determined that a delay in school start times will allow for safe transportation. This is referred to as a "Two Hour Delay". Regardless of the day of the week (even on Monday), a two hour delay will always be two hours later than the normal Tuesday thru Friday start time. If any updates are needed, the District will make updates by 7:30 am.
(Even on late start Mondays) District two hour delay start times are as follows:
Mari-Linn 9:45 am
Stayton High School 10:00 am
Stayton Intermediate/Middle School 10:00 am
Sublimity 10:00 am
Stayton Elementary School 10:05 am
STANDARD NOTIFICATIONS
#1 The School Messenger system will call, text and email the main guardians listed on the registration form (Update your information in the school office)
#2 A Website Alert will be posted on the District Webpage
#4 A posting will be made on the District Facebook page
#3 Local TV and radio stations will have up to date information
SIGN UP NOTIFICATIONS
#1 North Santiam Mobile App (The best way to receive notifications!)
Receive emergency and school information notifications delivered to your mobile device with the free North Santiam School District mobile app. Customize your settings to receive immediate notifications from your student's school in any one of 60 languages. Download is available through iTunes and Google Play. (North Santiam 29j)
#2 Website e-alerts:
To receive an e-alert directly via email, you need to register on the North Santiam School District web site http://www.nsantiam.k12.or.us/. Once registered, click on Edit Account Settings on the top of the page and then subscriptions. Select at least one site and you’ll receive e-alerts.
#3 Flash Alert:
Flash Alert Text: FlashAlert, an Internet-based system for delivering changes in schedule (such as snow closures), and other news, to the news media. To get started, go to www.flashalert.net/id/NSSD You start the subscription process by filling in your email address. Some cell phone carriers experience delays with text do to spam verifications. The mobile App is the solution for any delays.
Flash Alert Mobile App: A free iOS/Android app, FlashAlert Messenger, that lets you receive emergency messages through Push Notification in a non-stop path. The app process is simple. iOS and Android users download and open the free FlashAlert Messenger app. Enter the email address and password for your current FlashAlert account and the app will link to it. The app may ask permission to send you Push Notifications. That’s it.
NSSD Mobile App "ALL IN ONE SPOT"
NSSD App Front Page
- Top Stories: The top 5 stories from the district scroll across the top banner.
- Activity Stream: Feeds all information from twitter, Facebook and the website
- Calendar: Updates from the school website
- Notifications: Any messages from the school office will be sent to your personal notification box when you are signed in.
The Power of The NSSD App
View your child's:
- Grades/Assignments/Missing Assignments
- Lunch Balances
- Attendance
- Schedules
Configure your customized alerts and settings:
- Low grades
- Attendance
- How you want to receive calls (turn off calls for each parent)
Download and Sign In
Download:
- Enter your App or Google Play Store via your mobile device
- Enter North Santiam SD 29J in the search bar
- Download the App to your mobile device
Parent Sign In:
- Click on Student Info icon
- Enter your primary phone number
- Click on forgot password and follow the steps provided
Student Sign In:
- Enter your firstname.lastname
- Click forgot password and follow the steps provided
North Santiam School District
Email: david.bolin@nsantiam.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.nsantiam.k12.or.us/
Location: 1155 North 3rd Avenue, Stayton, OR, USA
Phone: 5037696924