Digital Citizenship at Edgemont School

Digital Citizenship is defined as “the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use” (Ribble & Bailey). To learn more about the nine elements of digital citizenship, you can visit www.digitalcitizenship.net.

At Edgemont School, we place a strong emphasis on helping students become safe, respectful, and ethical digital citizens. This is an important part of ensuring students can take full advantage of the digital tools available to them—both in their learning with the CBE and in their future beyond school.

Our school follows the CBE’s Digital Citizenship Plan, which guides how students use technology responsibly. We expect students to act with integrity when using all digital resources at school. Teachers and staff support this by helping students understand their roles and responsibilities online and by actively supervising their use of networked devices in the classroom.

Together, we are building the skills students need to use technology in safe, respectful, and meaningful ways.

Technology Use at School

To help ensure safe and responsible use of technology, all electronic devices and network access require teacher permission and supervision. Printing of student work is also available with staff approval.

Every student is eligible for a CBE email account, which provides them with secure access to learning tools and communication. By choosing to use the school’s computers and/or network, students are agreeing to follow our school and CBE guidelines for responsible and ethical technology use.

Responsible Use of Technology

Access to devices and networks at school is a privilege that comes with responsibility. Students who demonstrate safe, respectful, and responsible behavior are able to make ongoing use of these powerful tools for learning. It is our goal for every student to be able to access technology regularly to support their growth and success.

Using Technology Responsibly

At Edgemont School, we want all students to enjoy the privilege of using technology for learning. Students who use devices and networks responsibly help create a safe, respectful, and productive digital learning environment for everyone.

We ask students to:
✅ Use technology for learning first. Focus on schoolwork, research, creativity, and collaboration.
✅ Respect privacy. Always ask permission before taking photos, recording, or sharing information about others.
✅ Stay safe online. Visit websites and use apps that are teacher-approved, safe, and appropriate.
✅ Care for devices. Handle school technology responsibly so that it stays in good working order.
✅ Communicate respectfully. Use positive, kind, and appropriate language online.
✅ Protect your information. Keep passwords private and never share personal information online.

While we want students to make positive choices, some actions are strictly prohibited because they may cause harm, endanger safety, or damage the network.

Prohibited acts include:

• Using someone else’s CBE account or network access
• Sending or displaying offensive messages or pictures, or using obscene language
• Harassing, insulting, or attacking another person or their reputation
• Trespassing in other people’s folders, work, or files
• Accessing, posting, sending, or downloading inappropriate material
• Assuming the identity of another person to gain information
• Viewing web pages through a proxy server
• Running applications/programs from a memory stick or jump drive without permission
• Altering, damaging, vandalizing, or tampering with hardware, computer accessories, or keyboards
• Any attempt or threat to harm a person
• Plagiarizing online content
• Posting, publishing, circulating, or distributing personal information about oneself or others without staff supervision and consent
• Sharing usernames and passwords for others to use
• Using technology or the network to access sites/software not approved by staff

Prohibited and Restricted Content

Students are not permitted to access sites containing:

• Vulgar or lewd depictions of the human body
• Content publicly labelled for adults
• Violent acts
• Online gambling
• Content promoting the use of illicit or illegal drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
• Advocacy of violence or hatred against any identifiable group (e.g., race, religion, gender, disabilities, age, colour, sexual orientation, etc.)
• Promotion of criminal activity

By following these expectations, students help ensure that technology remains a safe, powerful, and positive tool for learning.

Violation of CBE Policy

At Edgemont School, our goal is to help students learn to use technology safely, responsibly, and respectfully. When mistakes happen, each situation will be considered on an individual basis.

Possible outcomes of a breach of policy may include:

• Restriction or loss of technology privileges
• School-based disciplinary consequences
• Police involvement and/or legal action, if required by law

We encourage students to view these expectations not just as rules, but as part of becoming responsible digital citizens—skills that will benefit them both now and in the future.