Dear families,
It was great to see so many of you at our virtual PTO meeting on Tuesday. Please continue to reach out with any questions or ideas for community-building; we would love to hear them!
Each year the Lincoln-Eliot team works on putting together “Holiday Helper” gifts for families in need. If you or someone you know needs a little extra help this year, please reach out to Principal Morrissey to sign up. We have many fewer families signed up than usual, and we know it’s been a tough year for a lot of people, so please don’t hesitate.
Holiday Helpers Flyer 2020 – Translations
Technology:
We have heard from some families asking about ways to block certain sites or manage what their children can do on the internet, particularly during remote schooling hours.
Internet Filtering
- All devices have internet filtering turned on when connected within an NPS building
- When outside of an NPS building:
- iPads have limited internet filtering already in place
- We are working with a vendor to set up filtering on Chromebooks
No one filtering method is perfect. Student access to the internet should be monitored and clear expectations set.
Since these are school-managed devices, families cannot install or set up their own monitoring software on the devices directly — such software is incompatible with centralized management. If you wish to have greater control over internet access, we encourage you to reach out to your internet service provider to explore options on your home router for filtering and monitoring device access.
Student and Family Technology Resources Page
To help families navigate the use of technology during distance learning, we have developed this Student and Technology Resources Page. Here you will find important information on your device, as well as information on the software we are using to facilitate distancing learning. You will also find a page that provides status updates on systems and any technology glitches or issues we may be experiencing.
Technical Troubleshooting
For technical assistance (device is not working properly) please email ftsupport@newton.k12.ma.us.
Some Home Internet Filtering Options
Xfinity (Comcast)
Xfinity has parental controls built into their latest routers, and parents can call or visit their website for guidance on how to set it up.
https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/set-up-parental-controls-with-comcast-networking
Verizon
Verizon offers a service called Bark to allow parents to limit time on the internet and to filter content.
https://www.bark.us/guides/cable/verizon
RCN
RCN suggests several options for home network security and filtering.
https://www.rcn.com/boston/high-speed-internet/internet-security
Koala Safe
This is a home network router with internet content filtering.
https://koalasafe.com/compare.html
Net Angel
This is a home network router with internet content filtering.
https://www.netangel.com/
We hope that’s all helpful, and we appreciate your support and patience in navigating the challenges of this year!
Have a great week!
Principal Morrissey & the PTO