Peel Connects will link communities, but student safety comes first

Peel Connects is the Peel District School Board's Community Access Program, the key component of the Government of Canada's Connecting Canadians initiative. The federal government's goal is to make Canada the most connected nation in the world. Beginning in April 2001, community members will have free access to the internet at 28 locations across the Peel board.

The purpose of Peel Connects is to provide all members of Peel school communities with free public access to the internet. The program will also teach the skills you need to use the internet effectively.

It is also important to ensure the safety of all students in schools that will be open to the community. All users will follow this safety process:

• Clearly identify yourself as a Peel Connects user by attaching your photo identification card in a visible way before entering the school.
• Go directly to the main office to sign in for a one hour session - please do not go to the Peel Connects area without making a school staff member in the main office aware of your presence.
• Some schools will require you to wear a "visitor" badge as well as your Peel Connects card. Please do not remove either form of identification while you are in the school.
• After you have signed in for an hour, go straight to the area in which the Peel Connects computers are located. Signs will be posted to show the way. In most cases, the computers will be in the library. If you require directions, ask at the office. Do not approach a student for help, because this disrupts their daily routine.
• All Peel Connects sites will have a school staff member in the room or very close to the room. If you need to use the washroom, please let the staff member know that you are leaving the room before you do so. There are designated washrooms for community members. If a door is not clearly identified by a Peel Connects sign, do not enter the room. Please return to the Peel Connects area immediately after you have finished.
• If no one is waiting, you can sign in for another hour. Once you have finished, let the staff member know you are leaving, and then go directly to the office to return your visitor's badge and to sign out.
• Please remember that the principal has the right to ask you to leave the school if you are not following the process, or if your presence is disruptive to students and staff.
• An internet filter on all computers in schools throughout the Peel board will ensure that inappropriate material is not accessed by anyone.

Please remember that contact with students is not permitted. All adults in the school--principal, administrative staff, teachers, librarians, custodians--are responsible for monitoring your presence.

School staff are not responsible for training users during their visits. Peel Connects is the responsibility of the Community Access Program co-ordinator for the Peel board. For more information about Peel Connects, call the co-ordinator at 905-890-1010, ext. 2340.

The Community Access Program is a federal initiative funded by Industry Canada. Following a successful pilot program in urban communities, Industry Canada wants to establish public internet access sites in up to 10,000 rural, remote and urban communities across Canada by the end of 2001.

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