The Grand Erie District School Board is committed to delivering digital learning opportunities to all students to support global competencies.
All Grand Erie students and staff have a Microsoft 365 (M365) account. Students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 will not be able to use their Grand Erie account to register for a third-party website, application or software unless it has been approved for education use by Grand Erie.
Microsoft 365 is a suite of tools designed to empower educators and students as they learn and innovate together. All Grand Erie students and staff have a Microsoft 365 account and email. Grand Erie has a contractual agreement with Microsoft for Education, which is significantly different from a standard personal Microsoft account. The agreement provides Grand Erie with content ownership, application controls and support and protection from advertisements.
Learn more about Microsoft 365
Grand Erie's Microsoft 365 plan allows students to access cloud and desktop versions of key productivity apps and services for free! These apps include:
All Grand Erie students have a Brightspace account. Brightspace is an online learning management system provided to all Ontario school boards by the Ministry of Education. It includes an online classroom and a portfolio tool to help students document and share their learning with teachers.
The myBlueprint Education Planner is a comprehensive digital platform that supports students in Grades 7 to 12 as they explore who they are, what are their opportunities and plan for life beyond secondary school. Students engage in their Individual Pathway Plan (IPP) through structured surveys, track their graduation progress in the High School Planner, explore post-secondary pathways and careers, and create digital portfolios.
The platform integrates a visually intuitive high school course planner that aligns with Ontario graduation requirements, enabling students to see how current choices connect to post-secondary options across Canada, including universities, colleges, apprenticeships, and the workforce.
Beyond planning, the Education Planner emphasizes skill development and documentation of learning. Students can track experiences, achievements, and competencies while building résumés, cover letters, and digital portfolios that showcase their growth using documents, images, and videos.
Canva for Education is a secure, school‑approved online design tool that students and teachers use to create learning materials such as presentations, posters, infographics, and short videos. It helps students share their learning in creative and visual ways while developing communication and digital skills.
Canva for Education is provided at no cost to schools and includes built‑in classroom features that support collaboration and feedback between teachers and students. Student work is private by default and only shared with others when a teacher or student chooses to do so. Canva for Education follows student data protection requirements and does not display advertising to student users.
In addition to the provided tools above, schools may select apps, websites or tools to use with students. In these instances, schools are responsible for the protection of student privacy and adherence to provider terms of service.
Some digital learning tools require Grand Erie to share limited personal information, such as the student’s name and email address, for the purpose to create an account for use of the tool or service. Any content created in and/or stored in a district-provided digital learning tool remains the property of Grand Erie. Personal information (name and email address) is used and shared by Grand Erie for the above-noted purposes under the authority of the Education Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). Parents/caregivers will be made aware of any third-party software used in their child’s classroom that gathers student data, including the nature of what data is collected.
In accordance with the provincial requirements detailed in PPM 128, Grand Erie has revised its expectations with respect to the student use of personal mobile devices. These expectations aim to promote a positive and supportive learning environment as free as possible of distractions while maximizing academic engagement and student mental health and well-being.
A personal mobile device refers to any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate or to access the Internet, including, but not limited to, a cell phone, tablet, laptop or smartwatch.
Students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 are required to keep cell phones and other personal mobile devices out of sight and on “silent” or powered off for the full duration of the instructional day, except under the following circumstances:
Students in Grades 7 through 12 inclusive are required to keep cell phones and other personal mobile devices out of sight and on “silent” or powered off during instructional time except under the following circumstances:
Students are responsible for their personal mobile devices, how they use them and the consequences of not following the board’s Acceptable Use of Information Technology Procedure IT 001, which includes details on personal mobile device use.
When principals address a student who fails to comply with an educator’s direction to place a device out of sight, the principal will exercise their discretion and consider a range of responses to address the student’s behaviour, in alignment with the board’s Progressive Discipline/Promoting Positive Behaviour Procedure. Parents/caregivers are encouraged to contact their child’s school with specific information on cell phones.
Grand Erie supports the use of WiFi in its schools and administrative offices to provide connectivity to resources and improve communication.
WiFi coverage is provided in all Grand Erie buildings, including portables.
Safety of WiFi Eqiupment (Health Canada)
It is recommended to periodically review your digital devices and remove unnecessary files, pictures and applications. This will help protect against loss of information in the event the device is lost, stolen or damaged, as well as improve device’s performance.
It is everyone's responsibility to safeguard their own data and to be aware of their online presence.
Be aware of the latest trends and tricks that harm your data profile. Threat actors try to compromise your private information.
Get Cybersafe. Learn how you and your information can be compromised, and how to protect yourself (e.g., ransomware, phishing, malware, viruses).
Understand that the information you are handling may be personal (yours and/or others) and needs to be treated with care.
Before you share, THINK - Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inclusive? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind?
Understand the terms and conditions of applications. When you click “agree,” do you know what you are agreeing to?
Grand Erie’s Privacy and Records Information Management Policy
Suggestions to keep your password safe:
Grand Erie Network Username and Password
At Grand Erie, every student and staff member has been provided a network username and password. If you suspect your password has been compromised, take immediate steps to notify someone.
Student - let a teacher know if you think your password has been compromised.
Students are expected to use the Internet appropriately and are taught digital citizenship and the importance of practicing ethical and legal digital behaviour.
Grand Erie blocks access to adult-content websites (e.g. pornographic websites) for all staff and students when on the Grand Erie network. Grand Erie cannot filter or log Internet access on personal devices when users access a cellular network.
Students are expected to:
Students follow the Acceptable Use of Information Technology Policy and the Acceptable Use of Information Technology Procedure, which outline the appropriate use of the Internet and define appropriate behaviours.
Social media has become an increasingly important and popular means of communication. Used responsibly, social media can be an informative, fun and engaging way to keep up with current events and stay connected with others. Users can explore new hobbies, learn digital skills and even find help with schoolwork. Social media can also provide outlets for budding creativity in art, music, photography or writing.
The negative impacts of social media use among children and teens are, however, well documented, and as a parent/caregiver, it’s good to be aware of these. Here’s a simple summary:
By staying involved and setting boundaries, parents/caregivers can help their children enjoy social media more safely. Here are some useful resources for parents/caregivers and their children:
In accordance with the provincial requirements detailed in PPM 128, Grand Erie has revised its expectations with respect to the student use of social media on board devices and the board network. These expectations aim to promote a positive and supportive learning environment as free as possible of distractions, while maximizing academic engagement and student mental health and well-being.
PPM 128 requires school boards to restrict access to all social media platforms on board devices and/or school networks. Social media platforms can only be used by students at school for educational purposes, directed by an educator.
School boards can determine exception protocols for the use of social media for pedagogical or work-related purposes. Grand Erie has developed an exception protocol for secondary students to access a limited number of social media platforms for educational purposes, for a limited period, upon request by a classroom teacher and reviewed and approved by Information Technology Services.
For more information about your children and internet safety, please view the Social Media and Electronic Communications for Staff Administrative Procedure.
Online Safety Tips for Parents/Caregivers
Unlike other forms of bullying, cyberbullying involves harassing, humiliating, intimidating and/or threatening others through electronic means including but not limited to the Internet, cell phones and other wireless communication devices.
Some examples of cyberbullying might include:
If someone has posted inappropriate content about you on the Internet (e.g., a social media site or webpage), contact the site administrator and ask that the offensive material be removed. If you have an account, you might want to request a password reset. You might also consider contacting the police if the images are illegal in nature or cause harm to your child. If someone has created a social media account using your child’s Grand Erie email address, go to the site where the fake account exists and request a password reset. It is a good idea in this case to also change the password for your Grand Erie Microsoft 365 account and for any other accounts you may have used that password.
Here are some useful cyberbullying links for parents/caregivers:
Let's work together in partnership to ensure our children navigate this increasingly digital world safely and responsibly.
Any questions regarding the information contained within this Notice Statement may be directed to your school principal.
Personal Information in this document refers to information about an identifiable individual, such as a name or a unique identifying number combined with other personal details. Digital tools encompass software, applications, web services, and browser extensions used to administer and deliver educational programs efficiently.
The Grand Erie District School Board collects personal information through these tools to provide mandated educational services, including instruction, assessment, evaluation, and administrative functions like attendance and transportation. Our educators leverage digital tools to facilitate differentiated instruction, engage parents, and document student progress across various learning skills and habits. Furthermore, Grand Erie employees and contractors use these tools to ensure data management remains secure and efficient while meeting reporting requirements for parents and the Ministry of Education.
Under the authority of the Education Act, Grand Erie collects and uses personal information to support students and their families. The following table outlines the specific ways these technologies are utilized:
| Use Category | Purpose and Examples |
| 1. Board Administration & Legal Requirement |
|
2. Instruction, Assessment, and Evaluation |
|
| 3. Educational Support Tools |
|
| 4. Experiential Learning |
|
The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) governs how school boards collect and manage personal information.
Authority to Collect: The Education Act and the Ministry of Education provide the legal mandate for the Grand Erie to collect personal information about students and their parents/caregivers.
Notice of Collection: This notice serves to inform you of the collection of personal information necessary for educational services. This information is also available on our board website.
Use of Information: Personal information is only used for the original purpose of collection, for a consistent purpose, or with explicit consent for a different use.
Disclosure of Information: Grand Erie only discloses personal information when necessary to provide educational services. Digital tool providers act as agents of the board; they must adhere to Grand Erie’s legal and policy requirements, and the board retains full ownership and control of the data.
Protection of Information: Grand Erie will employ industry-standard security measures, restricting access to only those individuals who require it for their professional duties. Service providers are strictly prohibited from selling or exploiting personal information.
Risk Mitigation: Grand Erie provides ongoing guidance to staff regarding the use of digital tools. Where possible, we utilize strategies like teacher-generated codes or pseudonyms to minimize the collection of personal data.
