The Merionite
September 17, 2010
Volume 82, Issue 1
The official student newspaper of Lower Merion High School since 1929
District enacts new policies regarding Oneto-One laptops Maya Afilalo
Class of 2012
In light of the highly publicized webcam lawsuit, LMSD has implemented new policies regarding student laptops. The new regulations forbid the district from monitoring students in any way, including using webcams or screenshots. “The District is closer to our goal of being the national model when it comes to the intersection of technology, privacy and security,” said President of the LMSD Board of Directors David Ebby in a statement on the district website. Theft tracking software will only be activated with the express permission of both the student and parents. Students and parents will give permission to activate the software by filing an official police report and signing other documents to confirm the laptop has indeed been lost or stolen. Even when the software is activated, the district will be unable to activate webcams or take screenshots. “Theft tracking is not our greatest concern at this time. We are more focused on moving the 1:1 initiative forward and providing students with a technology rich learning environment that will prepare them for college and careers in a global economy,” said
Photo by Madeline Berger/Staff
Students will not receive laptops until September 21. The new policies regarding laptops were voted on and enacted by the School Board on August 17. Director of Information Systems George Frazier. It is still unclear whether the new policies will make it more or less difficult to recover stolen or lost laptops. “I am not sure if any new policy will make it easier or more difficult in helping administrators with an investigation of lost or stolen property. That can only evaluated after an incident occurs and every incident is usually different,” said Principal Sean Hughes. Some students are indifferent to the new policies. “I don’t feel any better or safer using my laptop than before because I wasn’t that freaked out in the first place,” said junior Rachel Barg. The new policies allow students to request blocked websites to be unblocked for educational purposes. “Students wishing to access a website for bona fide research can ask their teachers in writing for a website to be unblocked,” Frazier explained. Students will also have to back up their files more often than previously, because they will need to remove all files from the computer before technicians attempt to fix any problems. “The new policies change the way we conduct some maintenance procedures, but they do not add to the work load of the technicians,” Frazier said. Student privacy is the primary concern of the new policies. “One of the main objectives of the new policies is the assurance of students’ privacy,” Frazier said.
Photo by Madeline Berger/Staff
The shirts hanging on the Aces Atrium stairs represent the old LM traditions that survive in the new school.
New building brings new rules Maya Afilalo
Class of 2012
This fall, students were greeted back to school with not only a new building, but new rules as well. Starting this year, students will not be allowed to eat anywhere in the school outside the cafeteria, and there will be certain areas available for students with campus privilege. “I want to make sure that the students bring with them the traditions that make us proud to be part of LM,” said Principal Sean Hughes. “I also want to make sure that we really emphasize that character counts and I expect every student to act and behave in an appropriate manner and be respectful at all times.” Students with campus privilege will have access to numerous parts of the school, such as the courtyard, library, help center, the cafeteria during certain times of the day, and the Aces Atrium,
the area outside the auditorium. However, the availability of these areas during frees is subject to change. Signs and posters cannot be taped to any walls in the school for at least a year. “It can’t be like the old building where [students] were taping [signs] to water fountains or on top of doors,” said 12th Grade Assistant Principal Scott Kilpatrick. The administration is working to put up tack boards throughout the school to address this issue. The rule forbidding eating outside the cafeteria is permanent, primarily to prevent mice and other rodents from moving to the new building after the old building is torn down. “[The rule] keeps the vermin out of the building. That’s the big reason [for it],” Kilpatrick explained. The construction crew and materials in the front of the building will be cleared out by the end of October. The site in the back will remain for another
year while the old building is being demolished. Also in a year, the bus circle will be moved from its current location on the side of the building to an area next to the cafeteria. It will occupy the space currently taken by the “moat” outside the building. There is still some equipment that needs to be moved into the new building, particularly for the Art department and Players. The auditorium is not yet complete, which is why Players equipment has not been moved. “We don’t want to bring anything over [yet] because then it might get damaged,” Kilpatrick said. Otherwise, the school is complete with the exception of a few small items that are to be finished within the next few months. Contractors will continue to work on the building when students are not inside. “We are ready to go!” Hughes said.
Photo by Madeline Berger/Staff
The library is one of the areas in the new building available to students with campus privileges.