Board reviews Block C ContentKeeper, teacher dashboard; members raise privacy and workload questions

District staff presented a two-component contract for web filtering and teacher monitoring: the Block C ContentKeeper (enhanced filtering and on-site capabilities) and a teacher dashboard that shows student Chromebook activity and allows teachers to freeze screens, close tabs, and trigger a "heads up" blackout. "It's as simple as the teacher simply logging in — all the students auto appear on their screen," a district presenter said when demonstrating the dashboard.

Administrators said the combined Block C system would add capability for classroom management and an investigatory history for incidents such as cyberbullying; the total package was described as about $117,000 compared with the district's current ContentKeeper annualized cost of about $34,000 ($102,000 over three years), producing roughly a $15,000 increase. Staff said the 2024 budget allocation for this was approximately $120,000 and that it would be funded from existing line items.

Board members pressed on whether use would be mandatory or optional. One director asked if a mandate would be set through board policy; administration replied the tool would be optional "until I think it was board policy, board approved," and otherwise available for teachers to use. Concerns included practical teacher workload inspecting 30 student screens, data retention and whether the system's AI flags would create new staff burdens. The presenter said the product includes training and help videos and that teachers who trialed it found it intuitive.

Members also requested details about how admin controls and global filtering would be set (district admin console vs. individual teachers) and asked for follow-up memos with teacher feedback from pilots. No vote was taken; staff said they would provide additional documentation and teacher feedback before a formal motion.