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Gaggle

Gaggle Safety Management System

Orange County Public Schools has partnered with Gaggle to help support student safety and well-being when students are using their OCPS Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft accounts. OCPS will use the Gaggle Safety Management solution for Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft OneDrive to proactively help ensure students are safely and correctly using school-provided digital tools.

Since 1999, Gaggle has been the leader in helping K-12 districts manage student safety on school-provided technology. Using an effective combination of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and trained safety experts, the solution proactively assists districts 24/7/365 in the prevention of student suicide, bullying, inappropriate behaviors, school violence, and other harmful situations. Most importantly, Gaggle continues to help hundreds of districts across the country avoid tragedies and save lives.

Gaggle uses a powerful combination of technology and human intelligence to review students’ use of their OCPS-issued student accounts and provide real-time analysis of potentially concerning behavior or content. Gaggle alerts school officials if students show signs of self-harm, depression, thoughts of suicide, substance abuse, cyberbullying, credible threats of violence against others, or other harmful situations. With Gaggle, OCPS is better equipped to proactively identify students who are struggling, provide support where needed, and foster a safer school environment.

If you have any questions not addressed in the FAQ's below, you can email [email protected].

FAQ's

What is the Gaggle Safety Management System?

Gaggle is a safety management tool that helps support student safety and well-being using Google Workspace for Education. It also helps ensure that students are safely and correctly using school-provided digital tools.

How does Gaggle work?

Gaggle uses a combination of artificial intelligence and trained safety experts to review students’ use of online tools within Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft OneDrive to provide real-time analysis of potentially concerning behavior or content. Gaggle’s technology scans students’ OCPS-issued accounts for harmful content and alerts school officials if students show signs of self-harm, depression, thoughts of suicide, substance abuse, cyberbullying, credible threats of violence against others, or other harmful situations.

Why is the OCPS using this system?

In an effort to strengthen and support the systematic and integrated approach of our strategic plan’s focus area, the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. With Gaggle, OCPS is better equipped to proactively identify students who are struggling, provide support where needed, and foster a safer school environment.

Why is such monitoring necessary?

When it comes to school safety, students, teachers, administrators, and parents must work together as part of a comprehensive district-wide security plan.

OCPS is committed to educating and supporting students’ wellness, and healthy ways to cope with intense emotions and handle the ups and downs of everyday life. In addition to the proactive and professional services delivered by teaching staff and counselors, resources such as Gaggle are necessary to identify students in acute distress and in need of emergency intervention to address suicidal ideation or thoughts to harm others. Identifying students in the midst of a crisis can make all the difference in saving lives and supporting students with the emergency resources needed.

What is monitored by Gaggle?

Any cloud-based OCPS student-issued account for Google For Education and Microsoft, including school email, chat, drive files and images and documents created, edited, sent, or received by the student using their District-issued account.

What is not monitored by Gaggle?

Devices are not monitored by Gaggle. Student private email accounts are not monitored, either. Teacher and staff OCPS accounts are not monitored.

Does Gaggle monitor only student accounts?

Yes. Gaggle only monitors student OCPS-issued accounts. Gaggle DOES NOT monitor teacher or staff accounts.

My student occasionally works on school work via a home computer. Will my home computer be monitored?

OCPS will NEVER monitor your home computer or cell phone. However, anytime a student is logged into their OCPS account, the district is responsible for what occurs in that digital environment, regardless of the location it is being accessed. Therefore all content from a student's OCPS account will be reviewed to ensure students are practicing good digital citizenship.

Does Gaggle censor words, student work, and searches?

No. Gaggle utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify potentially concerning language in order to determine if the language is being used to target another student in an inappropriate, harassing, or bullying manner.

What is done with the data collected?

Data collected by Gaggle focuses on OCPS student-issued email, chat, files, and documents and does not collect sensitive information. No data is shared with third parties and any personal identifiable information collected is available only to the designated school district personnel to help intervene and provide student assistance and ensure student safety. You can view Gaggle’s Data PrivacyPolicy here: https://www.gaggle.net/student-data-privacy-notice.

Does Gaggle Safety Management work with social networks like Facebook or Snapchat?

Gaggle Safety Management works exclusively with communication and collaboration tools that schools provide to their students. However, students often use their school-provided email accounts to sign up for social networks. When this happens, email alerts or notifications from that specific social network account will become part of Gaggle Safety Management. Students should not be using their OCPS issued accounts to register for social media.

How is a web filter different from Gaggle?

A web filter blocks students from accessing inappropriate and/or harmful websites. Gaggle Safety Management is a tool that helps support student safety and well-being by integrating with OCPS student-issued Google Workspace for Education and Microsoft environments, to help ensure that students are safely and correctly using school-provided digital tools.

Does Gaggle monitor student devices or student accounts?

Gaggle will never monitor a student's device. Gaggle will only monitor a student's OCPS issued Google for Education and Microsoft accounts.

Is there an opt-out?

No, OCPS owns the student accounts.