Information Technology

The District 128 Information Technology department researches, evaluates, budgets for, and implements technologies to support the District's DARING mission.

Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA)

The Student Online Personal Protection Act (105 ILCS 85/), or SOPPA, is a State law that is intended to protect the privacy and security of students’ online data at school. When SOPPA was originally enacted, it regulated how educational technology vendors handle student data. In 2019, the law was significantly amended by Public Act 101-516 to also regulate how schools and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) manage student data, in addition to vendors. The amendment is effective July 1, 2021.

While we have always made and will continue to make every effort to protect the privacy of our students, SOPPA requires us to implement additional safeguards, including a more rigorous vetting process of digital solutions that capture students’ personal information.

master list of online approved resources for CHSD 128
List of breaches as required by SOPPA

Additional Resources

Illinois State Board of Education
The ISBE's Student Information System is exempt from SOPPA and does not require a privacy agreement. Further, when ISBE shares student data with standardized testing vendors for assessments such as the Standardized Achievement Test, the Illinois Assessment of Readiness, or the Illinois Science Assessment, a privacy agreement with the district is not required.

Reference, Research, and Edutainment Websites
A privacy agreement is only required in the event a school shares student data with a vendor for K-12 education purposes. Therefore, if a teacher directs students to reference sites like Dictionary.com or Wikipedia, or to "edutainment" sites like those with math or spelling games, then no data is shared and an agreement is not required.

Student-Created Accounts and General Internet Usage
If a student creates an account on a website of their own accord, such as a social media account or a streaming media account, then this is also not covered under SOPPA and no agreement is required. Similarly, student web surfing for research or during free time is not covered by SOPPA. However, use of these accounts and general Internet access are still subject to content filtering at school and on school devices per the federal Children's Internet Protection Act.

Internet Safety

Online Safety Tips for Teens

Using the Internet is a great way to find information on current events, your favorite hobby, and topics you’re researching for school. The Internet also provides a new way to meet people with interests similar to yours. However, when meeting a new “friend” online it is important to remember that people are not always as they seem. As a teen, you most likely feel self sufficient and capable of identifying danger. However, teens often become victims of Internet abuse—even more so than kids. That does not mean that teens are targeted more often than kids, but that they are sometimes more susceptible to becoming victims. This susceptibility most likely stems from lapses in judgment and common sense that you should always apply while online.

The following are online tips for teens:

Uncomfortable Situations

While surfing the Web, reading the news, or chatting, there is a good chance that you could run into material that might make you feel uncomfortable. When surfing the Web or reading the news, the simple solution is to stop and leave that particular site or newsgroup.

In a chat room, if someone sends you a message that makes you feel uncomfortable, you are under no obligation to continue chatting with that person. If repeated messages are sent, then you can always leave the chat area and report that person to the service administrator and your parents. If you don’t feel comfortable informing the administrator, ask your parents for help.

Physical Danger

The largest risk that you can take online is posting information about whoyou are and/or where you can be located. Be careful of what you write while online and to whom you write. When you are chatting, you cannot see who is reading your messages; you know only what they tell you, which may be false. Think of chatting as saying something out loud in a crowded room.

Financial Danger

The Internet is continuously growing with Internet-only businesses; some are legitimate businesses, but others are not. Giving out any financial information over the Internet can expose you to many types of risk. Be sure to discuss all Internet purchases with a parent.

Harassment

In chat rooms, people often intentionally say uncomfortable things specifically to harass people. If you get one of these messages, do not take it personally and do not reply. Replies just encourage the person who is sending the messages. While some messages may just be annoying, others may be criminal. If you receive messages or images that are obscene, lewd, filthy, or indecent with the purpose of annoying, offending, abusing, threatening, or harassing you, report it to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), to your police department or sheriff’s office, and to your parents.

Accountability for Your Behavior

While online, you should avoid doing things that might hurt people or get yourself into trouble. Do not annoy, harass, offend, abuse, or threaten others while online.

Don’t Meet Internet Friends

People online can be whoever they want to be, and they are under no obligation to tell the truth about who they are. If you want to meet with someone, discuss it with your parents first and never meet anyone alone.

Stay Informed

Find out what your friends from school are doing online and ask about their experiences. Sometimes information about the Internet travels faster by word of mouth than on the Net itself.

Tips for parents for keeping their teens safe online

Keep the computer in a room—other than the child’s—with frequent foot traffic, so all household members can monitor times of use and material viewed.
Set up agreements and guidelines about the use of the computer.
Understand the functions of the software programs your child uses. If you do not understand these functions, ask your child to teach you.
Be aware of what Internet sites your child is visiting. Investigate blocking or screening services provided by various Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and software programs.
Learn about everyone your child meets online and discuss these relationships with your child.
Spend time online with your child and discuss their online experiences just as you would ask them about their day.
Set a good example for your children with your own Internet use:
Do not respond to any threatening or offensive messages and encourage your child to do the same.
Never give out any personal information and encourage your child to do the same.

Additional Internet Safety Resources and Links from U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Remind

If you are new to the district and have not received a welcome email about your Remind account
or have other questions about your D128 Remind account, please contact your student's LST.

What is Remind?

District 128 has contracted with Remind for a district-level account to provide a safe and transparent means for all educators, activity sponsors and coaches to communicate with students via their cell phones. If you're not already familiar with Remind, it is a messaging tool that helps teachers engage students and parents every day as well as school administrators who wish to connect with their community school-wide.

Remind is free to use, and you'll be able to get and send messages on any device—even a simple text message from your phone!

As part of our use of this platform, official accounts are created for all the educators, parents, and students at Libertyville High School and Vernon Hills High School. For new accounts, you will receive an email or text message from Remind. Simply follow the steps in the message to finish setting up your account. Please note that a new account is only created when you first join District 128. This account will be the same for the rest of your time with the district. You do NOT receive a new account each year!

Parents are not required to use Remind and will continue to have the option to communicate with staff via PowerSchool and email.

Some of the safety features of the D128 District Remind account include:
Users can safely text message while safeguarding personal cell numbers
Messages will be stored in a district message archive
Messages can easily be translated for student or parents who do not speak English
A voice conversation option via your cell phone

And more!

It is the District's expectation that staff will use a District 128 Remind account in lieu of any other texting resource to communicate with students via their cell phones. Staff members who already use Remind have been asked to merge their existing accounts with their District account.

We're excited to make connecting with our families safe and more engaging!

If you do have questions about accessing your D128 Remind account, please contact your student's LST.

Any policy questions can be directed to Temple Murphy at temple.murphy@d128.org.