Desert Sands USD: Teaching Digital Citizenship

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Encouraging Appropriate Online Behavior

The Challenge:

Desert Sands USD implemented a new 1:1 digital device initiative to encourage their 29,000+ students to extend their learning outside of the classroom.

The district soon realized the need for more human eyes on its students’ safety on a 24/7/365 basis, as they were relying on just three teachers to handle student situations.

A circular maze with a lightbulb in the middle of it.

"Real Human" Monitoring and Artificial Intelligence

The Solution:

Previously the district was using a few different student email monitoring systems, the district liked Gaggle’s artificial intelligence (AI)-based screening capabilities. Combined with “real human” monitoring, the solution helps the district make quick—and sometimes lifesaving—decisions.

They adopted Gaggle to work with its G Suite and 1:1, which provides both in-classroom and take-home devices to all students in second through twelfth grade.

A Robust System That Monitors G Suite

The Results:

The new platform replaced an old system whereby flagged email was sent to the district’s three-person Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSA) team.

Now, the district uses Gaggle—a robust system that monitors Google email and Google drive accounts, provides activity dashboards, and intervenes when students are in trouble.

CASE STUDY - Desert Sands Unified School District

“We’ve had two instances where both the district administrators and the students’ families agree that two student lives have been saved. That’s huge.”

Dr. Kelly May-Vollmar, Ed.D.

Chief Innovation and Information Officer

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South Kingstown
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This Rhode Island district needed a way for students to be able to voice their concerns about bullying, drugs, or unhealthy relationships. Since implementing Gaggle’s SpeakUp for Safety solution, the district has identified and intervened in a number of potentially dangerous situations involving its students.

Cajon Valley
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After rolling out a 1:1 Chromebook program across grades K-8, this California district needed to ensure that students would be protected online. Gaggle has helped the district save a student life every year since its implementation and enabled educators to intervene in cases of bullying and self-harm.

Oklahoma City
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Oklahoma City Public Schools adopted Gaggle to ensure student safety not just through brick and mortar locations, but also online. Major student situations have been intercepted and resolved, but students have also used the system to alert administrators of other threats.

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