ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY FOR CLASS DOJO
Introduction
Class Dojo is an online platform which offers many useful features including positive behaviour management, parent/teacher communication and class/school newsfeeds. To ensure we are able to safely utilise what it has to offer, it is important that all users are aware of the following rules and expectations.
The following policy refers to the use of Class Dojo as a home-school communication and remote learning tool.
Aims:
- To ensure key information relating to school life or classes is shared quickly and efficiently;
- To maintain the community relationship between Saints and Scholars IPS and families so that school continues to be an active presence in their lives.
Pupils and Class Dojo
- Pupils will be awarded Dojo points when they show positive behaviours such as: sharing, helpfulness, good listening, being ready to learn, achievement, collaboration and behaviours linked to our school values. They may also be awarded points for additional work they complete at home.
- Dojo points will only be taken away for negative behaviour as a last resort. The primary aim of teachers will be to use Class Dojo to reinforce positive behaviour.
- Each class teacher will decide how Dojo points will be collated and rewarded, appropriate to age. How the class teacher uses the Dojo points will be communicated clearly with the children and parents at the beginning of each school year.
- Children do not have access to messaging services through their student accounts.
- Children must not access their parent’s account or use it to send messages to their teachers.
- Pupils should not ask for Dojo Points; staff will be on the lookout for pupils who demonstrate the desired positive behaviours.
Teachers and Class Dojo:
- Teachers will be encouraged to award Dojo points to pupils when they demonstrate positive behaviours or attitudes to learning.
- Dojo points will only be taken away for negative behaviour as a last resort. The primary aim of teachers will be to use Class Dojo to reinforce positive behaviour.
- Staff should be aware of the working hours (Monday-Friday 8.30am to 4pm) surrounding Class Dojo and that parents may message outside of these times.
- Teachers are encouraged not to respond to messages outside of the working hours above and should activate ‘quiet hours’ on their account. It is crucial that our staff are able to maintain a good work-life balance.
- Teachers should not respond to or send messages at the weekends or during school holidays.
- Should teachers receive any messages which they find inappropriate, they should report them to the Principal immediately so that appropriate action can be taken.
- Should a staff member decide that Class Dojo is not a suitable way to respond to a question or concern, they may instead decide to telephone a parent or organise a formal meeting.
- Should safeguarding or wellbeing concerns be raised through the use of the platform, teachers are responsible for ensuring that they are passed on to a member of the Safeguarding Team (Designated or Deputy Designated Teacher) in line with our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.
Parents / Carers and Class Dojo
- Parents will receive an introductory letter to demonstrate the benefits of Class Dojo and how it works within the school
- Parents can use a generated invite code in order to link with their child’s class teacher, either through the use of the smart phone app or the Class Dojo website.
- Only parents or legal guardians will be given access codes to Class Dojo. It is expected that up to two parents will be linked to a child’s account. Additional adults will only be accepted in special circumstances at the discretion of the Principal.
- By using our school Dojo site, you agree to the terms set out in this usage agreement.
- Parents can view the total number of points their child receives along with the reasons why they have been given.
- Within the app or website, parent accounts also have access to both a whole-school and class newsfeed where you will find important information posted by staff.
Parent accounts also have the facility to send messages to members of staff, however the follow stipulations apply:
- Parents may message class teachers at any time, however there is no expectation for teachers to reply outside the hours of 8.30am-4.00pm. Teachers will not respond to messages during school holidays or at weekends. This is essential to safeguard the wellbeing and work-life balance of our staff.
- The following matters should always be sent to Mrs Cleary via Class Dojo: absence, sickness, school dinner enquiries and wraparound care enquiries.
- Parents should not use this messaging tool to enquire about the progress of their child on any level. They can use it to arrange a meeting with class teachers to discuss any questions they may have.
- Parents who do not use the messaging system correctly will be given a warning. Should the service continue to be misused, they will be removed from the platform.
- Parents should look at the newsfeed regularly to keep up to date with messages, school events and information.
- Parents must make sure that children cannot access their parent account and are not able to send messages under their name.
Teachers will aim to reply as soon as possible to messages sent during school hours (9.00am-3.00pm) however, please be aware that any message sent during school hours may not be received immediately due to teaching commitments. If you require an urgent response, please contact Mrs Cleary at the school office directly.
Appendix 1: Online Safety and Acceptable Use of Class Dojo
Online communication is a fact of modern life and we are using Class Dojo to support a strong link between home and school that enhances children’s school experience. As stated in the school’s acceptable use policies, we expect everybody to behave in a positive manner, engaging respectfully with the school and each other on Class Dojo, in the same way as they would face to face.
This positive behaviour can be summarised as being kind and polite and not making any posts which are, or could be, construed as rude, insulting, aggressive, bullying or otherwise inappropriate.
Class Dojo has been set up using parents’ email addresses so that parents can use the app together with their child. This is a shared experience where they are modelling to and supporting their child in learning how to use online communication well.
Additional Class Dojo Acceptable Use Terms
1. You will not post unauthorized commercial communications (such as spam, promotional emails, or advertisements) on or through the Service.
2. You will not upload viruses or other malicious code, files or programs.
3. You will not collect, solicit or otherwise obtain login information or access an account belonging to someone else.
4. You will not bully, intimidate, or harass any User or use the Service in any manner that is threatening, abusive, violent, or harmful to any person or entity, or invasive of another’s privacy.
5. You will not impersonate a Class Dojo for a School employee, or any other person, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
6. You will not copy, modify, or distribute any text, graphics, or other material or content available through the Service without our prior written permission, or if such content is a User Content, the prior written consent of such User.
If parents have a concern about school or pupil use of Class Dojo, please contact: ascottmulholland193@c2ken.net
Breaches of this policy and of school AUPs (Acceptable Use Policies) will be dealt with in line with the school behaviour policy (for pupils) or code of conduct (for staff).
Further to this, where an incident relates to an inappropriate Class Dojo post by a member of the school community, we will contact the parent or staff member and delete the post / request that the post be deleted as appropriate and will expect this to be actioned promptly.