DATE:
September 1, 2023
TO:
All School Administrators
FROM:
Michael Anderson, Associate Superintendent
Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services
McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness
SUBJECT:
BARK Content Monitoring
Now that school is back in session, here is a review of our districtwide content monitoring system which runs through a software system called BARK. BARK monitors all student Google accounts across all JSD schools and levels. This is different from iboss and Lanschool and does not detect student internet searches. Here is a summary of the notification protocols and procedures for this school year.
- BARK uses an AI to scan student Gmail messages, Google chats, Google documents, and Google slides, regardless of the device or IP address that is used. As long as the student is logged into and using their Jordan District Google account, the content can be monitored.
- Notifications and alerts are categorized as non-severe, severe, and imminent.
- The alerts are monitored primarily by Angie Rasmussen, JSD Student Safety and Wellness Some alerts will require additional investigation at that level to determine the context and to weed out false positives.
- Notifications to schools will include administration, counseling, and other mental health teams. This allows for several adults to receive notifications in case they are somewhat time sensitive.
- Notifications will come in an email from Angie unless it is urgent, then a phone call or text message will be communicated.
- Notifications that are not considered emergencies or urgent will not be sent after 3pm on a school day to ensure that intervention is reasonable and timely for school personnel.
- Content alerts are not monitored over the weekend or on days students don’t attend, but emergency alerts will still be sent when immediate intervention is needed.
- We will continue to receive after hours imminent alerts and will continue to work with administrators when immediate intervention is required.
- Should you have any questions please reach out to Angie Rasmussen at angie.rasmussen@jordandistrict.org.
Additional information that may be useful:
The Bark Community Partnership Program is LIVE . This program helps serve your PTA's in supporting your parent and family communities in an effort to better protect our children online (and in the real world). The program is optional and is free. It is easy to sign up. If you or your PTA are interested in this additional resource for parents about all things kids and technology, click here Sign-up Here
