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Mt. Lebanon School District is piloting the use of Gaggle with our students in grades 6-12 through the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year. Gaggle is a student safety software allowing schools to monitor student activity on school-provided Google Workspace accounts for concerning content. This important tool will enhance the safety measures that were introduced to the District through the GoGuardian web filter in the Summer of 2022.
The enhanced features of Gaggle allow for monitoring of students accounts on Google Mail, Google Drive, and Google Chat* in the categories of suicide, self-harm, violence toward others, harassment, nudity or sexual content, pornography, drug and alcohol use. *Note that Google Chat is only enabled for students in grades 9-12.
As a reminder, our Network/Internet Use Policy (IJND) allows for the use software programs and select online servers that are designed to block or filter access to visual depictions that are (among other inappropriate things) obscene, pornographic or harmful to minors. In addition, filtering equipment will be used to ensure that the Network may not be used to access, use, disclose or disseminate personal identification information regarding students or staff as well as to screen out inappropriate text. The District reserves the right to indefinitely store and access any such material or information on the Network, including personal and electronic mail files, and to dispose of any material or information contained therein without prior notice. The District further reserves the right to monitor online activities and review, record or log Network use.
Please find additional information in the FAQs listed below:
What is Gaggle?
Gaggle is a safety tool that supports our efforts to support the safety and wellbeing of our students while they are using online tools and resources through their school issued accounts. Coupling both Artificial Intelligence and trained safety experts that are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, we will be able to respond to a potential crisis with a more efficient and timely response.
Why is this necessary?
We believe that it is imperative to work together on school safety and to utilize resources developed to optimize and better identify potentially concerning communication, and searches, to identify students in need of an emergency intervention. Being able to identify students in distress will assist both employees and families in intervening with help and resources to assist the student.
What products are being monitored by Gaggle?
The Google Suite products covered by the Gaggle program include Google Mail, Google Drive, and Google Chat. These products are being scanned for online activity and communications concerning inappropriate language or imagery.
What is not monitored by Gaggle?
Gaggle will not monitor devices or any personal accounts that are outside of the student’s MTLSTUDENTS account, issued by the District. Students in grades K-5 are not included in this pilot. Teacher and staff accounts are not monitored by this program. Gaggle is not monitoring any social media accounts that students may be utilizing either on a District issued device, or their personal devices.
What happens with the data collected by Gaggle?
The data collected from Gaggle will be shared with the appropriate District personnel who will respond to the individual incidents. On certain occasions, there may be a need to inform the Mt. Lebanon Police Department.
How can we ensure compliance with privacy laws?
Gaggle is both Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) compliant.
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