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Hello everyone,

Over the past few weeks, students in the BYOiD program began bringing their personal devices to school and connecting them to the school's internet. All internet access for students and staff is filtered through the Department of Education's eduSTAR server, ensuring a safe and appropriate online environment for a school setting. eduSTAR is the program that provides ICT services to Victorian government schools.

Below, you'll find Williamstown Primary School’s Digital Statement. Please take a moment to read through it and familiarise yourself with its content.

All students in Grades 3–6 who use a school device have now received their device in preparation for their teaching and learning programs. These students also have access to school-provided headphones and keyboards, but they are welcome to bring their own if they prefer.

Next week, our Grade 3/4 students will have their first eSafety lesson of the year. We look forward to sharing what they learn in our next newsletter.

Our Grade 3 and 5 students will start preparing for NAPLAN, which officially begins on Wednesday, 12th March. All NAPLAN tests (except Grade 3 Writing) are completed online using the NAP Locked Down Browser App. Families of Grade 3 and 5 students who use a personal iPad at school are reminded to download the app in preparation for next month’s tests.

Download the app from the app store. The app requires iOs 17.3. iPads may need updating to ensure the app works best.

Over the past week, students and teachers have been setting up the digital elements of their classrooms. Students have:

✅ Connected to Wi-Fi

✅ Joined their Google Classroom

✅ Begun using Google Drive to store their online work (for older students)

Additionally, our Grade 3–6 students have been connected to Apple Classroom—a classroom management tool that helps teachers monitor student screens, track app usage, and lock iPads when needed. This tool ensures students remain on task and use their devices safely and responsibly. Apple Classroom also allows teachers to share classwork efficiently and seamlessly. Students do not need to download an app for this, as it is built into their iPads and connects via Bluetooth.

Thank you for your support in ensuring a smooth start to our digital learning this year!

Regards,

Steven Puhar

Leading Teacher - Curriculum Leader

Apps List 2025

WPS Digital Online Learning Statement

Digital Statement

Williamstown Primary School acknowledges the recent Human Rights Watch report on Edutech in privacy violations and findings.

Williamstown Primary works closely with the DET’s Digital Learning and privacy teams to ensure that all DET guidelines regarding the implementation of digital devices are followed.

Attached is the school’s digital statement outlining the online platforms and their privacy policies that the school uses on a day-to-day basis.

As part of the school’s ongoing student education, the school will further enhance key understandings around user privacy, as well as the tools available on selected devices.

This will be embedded within the current school’s eSafety program that currently sees students undertake numerous digital workshops run by both school leadership, classroom teachers and external providers such as the Alannah and Madeline Foundation’s eSmart organisation.

Parents are advised of a key iPad feature to turn tracking off. This feature will be explicitly demonstrated to students within the school-based workshops.

Go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking.

The list shows the apps that requested permission to track you. You can turn permission on or off for any app on the list.

To stop all apps from asking permission to track you, turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track (at the top of the screen).

Williamstown Primary Digital Information

Below is a link to the schools Digital Learning page. This page contains key information about the school's implementation of the digital technology curriculum as a tool within a blended learning environment.

JB HiFi Digital Purchase Portal 2024/2025

The JB HiFi purchase portal is again available for Willy PS families. The schools recommended minimum specification device is the iPad Gen 9, but the portal does also offer a range of iPad models and accessories. Although students have access to bluetooth keyboards we also recommend the Smart Keyboard or a 3rd party keyboard incorporated within the cover. This accessory will add value to the users experience.

Please also note the change in School Code.

Although the portal is set up through JB HI-FI on behalf of the school, we encourage families to explore all purchase options.

Further GoogleSuite for Education Information

Please find attached documents released by DET.

The first document gives a deeper understanding of the DET licences G Suite for Education, how it is set up and how it differs from the public Google platform.

The second document provides families with supporting resources on how to protect individuals privacy online.

The Department of Education information pack for parents is available from the following link:

Team Kids