Page last updated: September 4, 2009

BISD - engaging and encouraging staff and students everyday in a SAFE, CARING, and RESPONSIBLE environment.

The Internet has become an integral part of our 21st Century lives. Using the World Wide Web to learn, communicate, collaborate, create has become parallel to using a pencil or pen to put our thoughts onto paper. The Internet, with all of its power for learning and creativity, has the potential to deliver unsafe content. Our students' power to use it for learning is only realized when they master the skills they need to make the appropriate decisions for productive use.

That is why Birdville ISD is committed
to not only providing a safe Internet resource for our students, but also educating children on how to use the Internet safely and effectively. If we do this, our students are more likely to use digital responsibility and practice SAFE internet usage when online outside of school.

In Birdville ISD, our philosophy is that the Internet is an indispensible tool information, research, and learning. Without digital learning tools our students will not be properly prepared for the world where they will create their future. Learning digital responsibility is imperative for today's students. This will in turn lead to appropriate decision-making when using the Internet.

Birdville ISD is committed to providing a safe and secure environment every day for students. We are also committed to compliance of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), passed by the federal government in December 2000.

How do we do this?

Adult Supervision

Teachers and paraprofessionals are always in close proximity of BISD students using computers for learning. Teachers are responsible for the websites they direct students to visit and students are responsible for using their digital skills they have learned when online. All Internet and digital resources will be used in an educationally age appropriate manner.

Filtering and Blocking

BISD utilizes filtering software, Lightspeed , on all networked computers in the district. This software is designed to filter out and block Internet sites that have inappropriate content. Jonathan Abrams, District Network Administrator, monitors reports from this software to ensure that BISD users are not exposed to harmful content. Lightspeed software and the education of students for digital responsibility create the safest online environment BISD users.

21st Century Reality

No Internet filtering software is 100% effective and it is not possible to monitor students' internet use every minute of every school day, especially in a large lab setting. However, Birdville ISD is making a proactive effort to protect our students and also to educate them so that they will be responsible Internet users.

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