STOPIT (Smart Topics On Personal Interactive Technology) is a mandatory course offered by Bayard Public Schools to students who have violated the Responsible Use Policy or the Mobile Device Agreement. With 24/7 access for students, the district felt a need to hold students accountable for their online and electronic behaviors.
The Responsible Use Agreement, the Acceptable Use Policy and the Mobile Device Agreement are signed annually by both parents and students before the student is allowed to use school technology resources. The STOPIT program has been designed and implemented by the school to provide additional instruction for users who have demonstrated the need for further training in the area of responsible student use of online and mobile resources.
What happens if the student violates the RUP/AUP/MDA?
If a student violates the district's Responsible Use Agreement, the Acceptable Use Policy or the Mobile Device Agreement, the student will lose their technology privileges for a period of time to be determined by the high school or elementary principal. Before the device will be returned to the student, a STOPIT agreement must be signed by both the parent and student and returned to the principal. In signing the STOPIT agreement, the student agrees to complete the appropriately assigned STOPIT course. This course may be completed as homework or during academic intervention as determined by the principal.
What are the benefits of this course?
By participating in the course, the student will participate in activities and lessons about Digital Citizenship and responsible use of online and mobile resources. Digital Citizenship lessons help students learn how to be smart and effective participants in a digital world. That means helping them understand their rights and responsibilities, recognize the benefits and risks, and realize the personal and ethical implications of their actions.
What happens if the student does not complete the assigned STOPIT course? If a student fails to attend the scheduled STOPIT course, they will lose take-home privileges for their device (and possibly class privileges) until such time as they complete the assigned STOPIT course. Habitual violations may result in the complete loss of school technology privileges altogether, for a time-period to be determined by the building principal.