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Safe and Purposeful Technology Use at LCSD1

A teacher assists a young student using a tablet in a classroom setting.

Technology Guided by Teachers

LCSD1 teachers use district-managed technology as one of many instructional tools—guiding students, supporting collaboration, and keeping learning focused on clear educational goals.

Technology in LCSD1: Purposeful, Protected, and Instructionally Focused

Technology is an important part of education and of the world our students are preparing to enter. It can expand access to information, support creativity and collaboration, improve accessibility, and help students develop skills they will need beyond graduation.

Technology is also only one of many tools used for learning. It does not replace effective teaching, strong relationships, books, writing, discussion, hands-on activities, movement, the arts, or face-to-face interaction.

LCSD1 recognizes the legitimate questions families have about screen time, inappropriate online content, student privacy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the number of digital tools available to students. School technology in LCSD1 is not unrestricted. District devices, accounts, applications, online services, and networks are managed through technical safeguards, staff supervision, instructional expectations, formal approval processes, family resources, and Board policy.

  • LCSD1 uses technology to support learning—not simply to increase the amount of time students spend using a screen.

    Technology use should have a clear educational or operational purpose. Teachers select the tools and methods that best support the learning objective, the subject being taught, and the needs of their students. At different times, the best instructional tool may be an iPad, a printed text, a notebook, laboratory equipment, an instrument, an art supply, a group discussion, or a hands-on activity.

    Our goal is not technology for technology’s sake. Our goal is to provide students with appropriate access to modern learning resources while maintaining high expectations, meaningful human interaction, and a safe and orderly learning environment.

  • District-issued iPads remain the property of LCSD1 and are managed by the Department of Technology.

    Management systems allow LCSD1 to configure devices, distribute approved applications, apply security settings, maintain inventory, and provide support. Lost or stolen devices can be tracked when possible and remotely disabled. Devices can also be remotely erased when necessary.

    Students do not have unrestricted access to install any application they choose. District-approved applications are made available through the managed application catalog. Students also cannot use personal Apple IDs to install previously purchased personal content on district iPads.

    Teachers have access to classroom-management tools that can help direct student attention and manage device use during instruction. LCSD1 maintains technical control of the device while teachers maintain instructional control of how and when it is used in class.

    Related resources

  • Only district-approved software, websites, applications, and online services may be used for LCSD1 instruction or district work.

    Before introducing a new digital tool, staff must first check the district’s approved application list. When a tool has not already been approved, the staff member submits an application approval request.

    Depending on the proposed use, the review may include:

    • Educational purpose and alignment with curriculum
    • Age and grade-level appropriateness
    • Student and staff data privacy
    • Vendor security practices
    • Terms of service and privacy policies
    • Compatibility with district devices and systems
    • Accessibility and technical support
    • Whether student accounts or automated rostering will be used
    • Whether the application duplicates a tool already supported by the district

    The Department of Technology reviews privacy, security, integration, and technical requirements. Student-facing tools may also be reviewed by the Division of Instruction for instructional appropriateness.

    An application may be approved, approved with specific conditions, require a Data Privacy Agreement, receive limited approval requiring written parent or guardian permission, or be denied.

    Staff resources

     

  • A tool being educational does not automatically mean it is appropriate for student use. LCSD1 evaluates how digital services collect, use, store, disclose, and delete student and staff information.

    When appropriate, LCSD1 requires a Data Privacy Agreement, or DPA, with the vendor. A DPA establishes enforceable expectations for data ownership, permitted uses, security safeguards, third-party access, breach notification, and the return or deletion of district data.

    A DPA is generally required when student information will be automatically rostered into a service or when single sign-on will transmit student identity information. LCSD1 may also require a DPA when a tool involves sensitive information or presents a higher privacy risk.

    Staff are directed not to create student accounts, roster students, or connect an application to district single sign-on until the required approval is complete.

    When a tool does not fully meet district requirements, LCSD1 may deny its use or provide narrowly limited approval requiring written parent or guardian permission and an alternate activity for students who do not participate.

    Staff resources

  • LCSD1 uses the Lightspeed content filter to manage internet access on district devices and networks. Filtering supports compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act and helps block content that is harmful, inappropriate, distracting, or unrelated to legitimate educational use.

    Filtering protections are applied to district-managed student iPads, including when those devices are used away from the school network.

    The district continually reviews filtering categories, responds to reports, and adjusts access when websites are incorrectly allowed or blocked. Staff can submit requests when an educational resource needs to be reviewed.

    No internet filter can identify and block every inappropriate page or piece of content. Websites and online services change constantly, and students may sometimes deliberately attempt to bypass safeguards. For that reason, LCSD1 uses a layered approach that includes:

    • Technical filtering
    • Managed devices and applications
    • Teacher supervision
    • Classroom expectations
    • Digital-citizenship instruction
    • Student accountability
    • Family involvement
    • Reporting and investigation of concerns

    Filtering is an important safeguard, but it does not replace adult supervision, responsible decision-making, or conversations with students about appropriate online behavior.

    Related resources

  • Student and staff accounts are created and managed through district systems. Access is based on enrollment, employment, job responsibilities, grade level, course assignments, and other legitimate educational or operational needs.

    Centralized account management helps LCSD1:

    • Provide users with the systems needed for their role
    • Limit access to information and services
    • Apply consistent security requirements
    • Remove or modify access when a student or employee changes roles or leaves the district
    • Maintain an auditable account lifecycle
    • Support password recovery and identity verification
    • Reduce the number of separate usernames and passwords through approved single sign-on

    Multi-factor authentication is used where required to add protection beyond a password. Students and staff are expected to keep passwords, device passcodes, and authentication information private.

  • LCSD1’s responsibility extends beyond filtering websites. The district maintains a range of security and privacy practices designed to protect devices, accounts, networks, systems, and data.

    These protections include multiple layers of safeguards that work together to reduce risk, limit unauthorized access, and support the safe use of technology. Systems are monitored and maintained to help identify potential issues, respond to concerns, and keep services running reliably. Data is handled with care, with attention to how it is stored, accessed, and eventually removed when no longer needed.

    LCSD1 also provides training and tools to help staff recognize and respond to suspicious activity, such as phishing attempts or unusual account behavior. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and users are expected to protect their login information, follow district guidance, and report anything that seems unusual or concerning.

  • Providing every student access to an iPad does not mean students use the device throughout every class or for every assignment.

    Each teacher determines when technology supports the instructional objective and when another method is more effective. Teachers may direct students to close or put away devices, use a specific application, complete an offline activity, work collaboratively, read printed materials, write by hand, participate in discussion, conduct an experiment, create a physical product, or engage in movement and performance.

    Teachers also use classroom-management tools such as Apple Classroom and Mosyle Classroom to help guide and monitor device use during instruction. These tools allow teachers to view student screens, open or lock students into specific applications or websites, share content directly to student devices, mute or restrict certain functions, and lock screens when attention is needed. These controls help keep students focused on the learning task and allow teachers to quickly redirect or support students as needed.

    Applications used for instruction must be district-approved, and instructional materials should be relevant, aligned with curriculum, and appropriate for the age, ability, emotional development, and social development of the students who will use them.

  • Technical controls alone cannot teach judgment. Students must also learn how to participate safely, ethically, and responsibly in digital environments.

    LCSD1 supports digital citizenship through instruction aligned with Wyoming Computer Science Standards, which include expectations for responsible technology use, online safety, and ethical participation in digital environments.

    Instruction may include:

    • Understanding appropriate and responsible use of technology
    • Recognizing safe and unsafe online behaviors
    • Protecting personal information and maintaining privacy
    • Demonstrating respectful communication in digital spaces
    • Identifying reliable and unreliable information sources
    • Understanding the impact of digital actions on oneself and others

    Students are expected to use district technology for legitimate educational purposes and in accordance with classroom expectations, school rules, the Student Device Handbook, and Board policy.

  • LCSD1 provides families with access to Mosyle@Home for district-issued student iPads. Mosyle@Home gives parents and guardians additional options for managing the device outside school hours.

    Available controls include:

    • Blocking selected applications or categories of applications
    • Establishing a device bedtime or schedule
    • Temporarily locking the device during family time, meals, homework, or other activities
    • Managing internet access and filtering preferences at home

    School-day settings remain managed by LCSD1. Mosyle@Home gives families an additional layer of control when the student is away from school.

    These controls are most effective when combined with clear family expectations and regular conversations about healthy technology habits, appropriate online behavior, privacy, and digital citizenship.

    Related resources

  • Effective use of technology depends on more than providing hardware and software. Staff need training, guidance, support, and time to learn how district-supported systems can be used effectively.

    The LCSD1 Department of Technology provides coaching and training related to:

    • Integrating district-supported technology into instruction and work processes
    • Using district-supported applications and platforms
    • Managing classroom devices
    • Protecting student information
    • Following application approval and data-privacy requirements
    • Recognizing cybersecurity threats
    • Using emerging technologies responsibly

    Staff also have access to the Technology User Knowledge Base and the LCSD1 Service Desk for documentation, troubleshooting, and assistance.

  • LCSD1 recognizes that artificial intelligence will affect education, employment, and daily life. Students need opportunities to understand these tools, but their use must be thoughtful, transparent, and age-appropriate.

    LCSD1’s guiding principle is that AI may enhance teaching and learning, but it does not replace professional judgment.

    District guidance requires that:

    • Only district-approved AI tools be used with students
    • Student and staff personally identifiable information not be entered into unauthorized AI tools
    • Teachers review AI-generated information for accuracy, bias, and appropriateness
    • Students use AI as a learning support rather than as a substitute for their own work
    • Academic-integrity expectations remain in effect
    • AI use be disclosed or cited when appropriate
    • Teachers follow the student AI application approval process
    • Families receive appropriate communication when classroom AI tools are introduced
    • Student-facing AI services complete the required instructional, technical, security, and privacy reviews

    AI guidance is maintained as a living resource and will be updated as technology, law, research, and instructional practices evolve.

    Related resources — LCSD1 sign-in may be required

  • LCSD1 does not define successful technology integration by the number of minutes students spend on a device.

    The appropriate amount of screen use varies by age, subject, activity, student need, and instructional objective. A brief digital activity may sometimes provide immediate feedback or access to a resource that would otherwise be unavailable. In other circumstances, extended device use may not be the best instructional choice.

    Teachers are expected to balance technology-supported activities with other forms of learning, including:

    • Reading printed materials
    • Writing and drawing by hand
    • Discussion and collaboration
    • Laboratories and hands-on investigation
    • Art, music, and performance
    • Physical activity
    • Problem-solving with physical materials
    • Direct interaction with teachers and classmates

    Not every textbook is digital, and students are not expected to use an iPad in every class throughout the entire period. The goal is appropriate and purposeful use—not more screen time.

    Families can reinforce this balance by establishing routines for device use outside school, setting device-free times, using Mosyle@Home controls when helpful, and discussing responsible technology use with their children.

  • Families can expect LCSD1 to:

    • Manage district-issued devices and applications
    • Filter internet access on district systems and student iPads
    • Maintain formal review processes for new applications and digital services
    • Evaluate student-data privacy and vendor security
    • Require Data Privacy Agreements when appropriate
    • Limit access to systems and information based on legitimate educational or operational need
    • Provide guidance and support to teachers
    • Teach and reinforce responsible technology use
    • Communicate expectations through handbooks, policies, and school procedures
    • Provide ways to report inappropriate content, technical problems, or security concerns
    • Review and update practices as technology changes

    No technical system can remove every risk. LCSD1’s commitment is to use multiple layers of protection, respond to concerns, and continually improve how technology is selected, managed, and used.

  • Students are expected to:

    • Use technology for legitimate educational purposes
    • Follow teacher directions about when and how a device may be used
    • Use only district-approved applications and services
    • Protect passwords, passcodes, and personal information
    • Communicate respectfully
    • Respect copyright and intellectual property
    • Care for district-issued equipment
    • Avoid attempts to bypass filtering, security, or device-management controls
    • Report inappropriate content, suspicious activity, or lost devices
    • Follow the Student Device Handbook, school rules, and Board policy

    Misuse may result in loss of technology access, school disciplinary action, financial responsibility for damage or loss, or other consequences permitted by district policy.

    Related resources

  • Families are important partners in helping students develop healthy and responsible technology habits.

    Parents and guardians can support this work by:

    • Establishing clear expectations for device use at home
    • Creating device-free times for meals, family activities, and sleep
    • Keeping devices in shared spaces when appropriate
    • Using Mosyle ScreenGuide controls when helpful
    • Talking regularly with children about online behavior and digital citizenship
    • Reminding students not to share passwords, passcodes, or personal information
    • Encouraging students to ask questions when they encounter confusing or inappropriate content
    • Reviewing the Student Device Handbook
    • Reporting lost, damaged, or malfunctioning devices promptly
    • Contacting the teacher or school when questions involve classroom assignments or instructional use
    • Contacting the Service Desk when questions involve devices, accounts, applications, filtering, privacy, or security

    Technology expectations work best when school and home reinforce the same principles: purpose, balance, safety, respect, and responsibility.

  • Families and students are encouraged to report concerns involving:

    • Inappropriate or incorrectly filtered online content
    • Lost, stolen, or damaged district devices
    • Suspicious emails, messages, or account activity
    • Possible exposure of student or staff information
    • Misuse of an application or AI tool
    • Technical problems that interfere with learning

    Classroom and instructional concerns should generally begin with the student’s teacher or school administrator. Technical, account, device, filtering, application, privacy, and security concerns may be directed to the LCSD1 Service Desk.

    LCSD1 Service Desk