Understanding GoGuardian Blocking

GoGuardian is our Internet safety monitoring program, which is utilized Springs-wide. It has the ability to automatically block websites if the website is classified under a category that has been blocked, such as Controlled Substances, Malicious Sites, or Academic Dishonesty. Sometimes, the website is miscategorized, or it is categorized correctly but should be allowed due to it being a part of a curriculum unit (some personal finance sites fall under this category.)

Here are some common notifications a student might get when they try to access something that is blocked, and what you can do to help.

This image will pop up if a website is blocked by a Teacher Scene. Teacher Scenes are put in place temporarily by a teacher during class time; this is usually used to restrict students to only a few selected websites to ensure students stay on-task or it blocks specific websites the teacher has noticed their students access at inappropriate or excessive times. If you have a student that encounters this screen, here is what you can do:

• If the student is getting blocked by a Teacher Scene the teacher created, the same teacher can update the scene in order to allow the website, if they wish for it to be allowed.
• If the teacher does not have a Scene active and/or the teacher did not create the Scene the student is being blocked by, please submit an IT Ticket under the category GoGuardian, giving the student's name and grade. This most often happens with transfer students who have not been removed from their previous teacher's Scenes yet.

This image will pop up if a website is being blocked due to a GoGuardian Policy. Policies are set per program, and dictate what websites and categories are allowed/disallowed. If you have a student who is encountering this screen, and you believe the website should be reviewed and possibly allowed, please email your supervisor with the student's name, grade, and the website in question, along with any context. Your supervisor will be able to review the website, why it is being blocked, and choose to allow or continue to disallow the website. Because policies are per program, what may be appropriate for one program/grade may not be appropriate for another program/grade. A supervisor may be able to grant temporary access for any sites that cannot be permanently set to allowed.

This image pops up if your student is being blocked by Google and Springs policy. This is not due to GoGuardian. Due to privacy laws, all Google applications and any website that allows for sign-in via Google must be manually reviewed by IT at the request of a director, principal, vice principal, or TOSA. If you encounter a student receiving this block, please email your supervisor to request a review by IT, including student name, grade, and purpose of the app or website in question. Your supervisor will let you know the outcome of this review