Berlin-Boylston subcommittee weighs Securly monitoring, parent email access and cell-phone policy

The Berlin-Boylston Regional School Committee’s Student Success & Technology Subcommittee on June 24 reviewed options for student internet monitoring software and debated how to restore or manage parent email access for younger students while exploring a new cell-phone policy.

Joseph Sposato, who presented the technology update, said the subcommittee compared vendors including Hapara, GoGuardian, Securly, Blocksei and Bark and found Securly best matched their needs because it combines classroom-monitoring tools with parental home options and user-based controls. He said the committee would size licenses for grades 3–12 and that the district’s existing Blocksei contract expires in October 2025. "Securly (Same service + parental home options + classroom monitor teacher tools)," Sposato said when summarizing the vendor comparison.

The nut of the discussion centered on how safety filters affect parent communication. Sposato reported that "outside district emails were blocked from 8th grade and down this spring due to safety concern," which has restricted parents’ ability to receive or exchange school-related messages about after-school activities and student projects. The subcommittee discussed using an "approved list" of parent email addresses maintained in PowerSchool as one technical remedy but noted that approach depends on up-to-date contact records and can be complicated by custody arrangements.

Members discussed rollout timing for a new monitoring system and parent access. Sposato proposed administrative setup over the summer, with staff professional development on Sept. 26 and a soft opening at the start of the school year; he also proposed offering asynchronous training materials for parents and a synchronous session with him after staff PD.

The subcommittee also reviewed state-level developments on cell-phone policy, citing two bills under consideration in the Massachusetts Legislature (H.720 and S.381) and discussed drawing on resources from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office to educate parents and the community. Jessica Deglialberti said outreach to other schools yielded little response so far.

The meeting closed with a set of follow-up items: Elizabeth ("Beth") Mancini and Jessica Deglialberti will draft a parent survey for full-committee approval (target dates Aug. 12 or Aug. 26 were discussed); staff will contact the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office about materials (presentations or videos) for a community forum; the parent-email/approved-list and Securly features will be on the full committee agenda for a later meeting; and the Technology Agreement will be reviewed by administrators and possibly retitled "Responsible Use Agreement."

No formal votes were recorded during the subcommittee meeting. The subcommittee listed the next meeting as "TBD" and reminded members that agenda items may be discussed out of order.