Apps & Websites

With the distribution and access of iPads comes an exciting world of instructional opportunities and strategies to engage our students in the 21st-century learning skills of communication, collaboration, critical-thinking, and creativity. The purpose of this letter is to explain the process and to familiarize you with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). COPPA requires that web-based sites and application providers obtain verifiable parental consent for children under the age of 13 to use these web-based tools. The Manheim Township School District is committed to the safety of our students, especially when it comes to students using online resources. To this end, we will be teaching students about appropriate online behavior including cyberbullying and the disclosure of personal information.

We also recognize that there are excellent online resources that benefit the students by providing unique learning and educational experiences. Notably, interactive web resources provide some of the most compelling and engaging educational tools for students. While allowing access to these interactive online educational resources, we also want to balance the protection of your child’s online privacy and personal information. Teachers, curriculum departments, and an app vetting committee review the apps and sites requested and review the privacy statements. We want to ensure that the sites and applications are going to be used for educational purposes and enhance the curriculum through student engagement. The district has a list of approved apps and online resources that are essential to our educational programming. These services may provide teachers with student data or results for educational purposes and planning.