Digital Safety

Internet Safety at Metro Nashville Public Schools

At Metro Nashville Public Schools, student safety extends beyond the classroom and into the digital world. We use multiple layers of protection to help ensure that our students have a safe, secure, and age-appropriate online learning environment.

How We Keep Students Safe Online

Bark for Schools – Email & Digital Safety

Bark monitors student emails and accounts for signs of bullying, threats of violence, self-harm, and other safety concerns. If concerning activity is detected, designated staff are alerted so they can provide support and take action when needed.

District-issued student email accounts are limited based on grade levels, with no email for students in grades Pre-K-2, e-mail access limited to communications with teachers and administrators for grades 3-8, and access to classmates and approved external contacts for grades 9-12.

Securly Web Filtering – Internet Browsing Protection

As a district, MNPS complies with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), which requires schools to block or filter internet access to harmful content and to teach students about safe and responsible online behavior. Securly is our districtwide web filter. It blocks inappropriate or harmful websites, ensures students stay focused on educational content, and allows Technology Services to monitor browsing activity. This protection applies to students using district devices at school or at home.

Safe and Reliable Working Environment

MNPS devices use various tools to provide a consistent and safe experience. Students are only able to use approved applications on MNPS devices, activity is logged, and documents are automatically backed up to the cloud. Operating systems and applications are regularly updated.

Browser Filtering

Browsers also have built-in filtering and safety functions. We apply “safe search” settings to every student machine, for both Chrome and Edge. Students cannot turn this setting off, which ensures a consistent layer of protection.

Native Internet Service Provider (ISP) Filtering

Our network providers include built-in filtering and threat protection at the internet level. This adds another layer of defense against unsafe or malicious content before it ever reaches student devices.

Microsoft Filtering – Teams and Collaboration Tools

Microsoft’s built-in safety controls filter inappropriate content within Microsoft Teams and other collaboration tools. This helps keep chat, file sharing, and video meetings safe for student use.

Social Media Restrictions and Digital Citizenship

Social media networks and applications (e.g. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), are blocked for student access on MNPS devices and wi-fi networks. Metro Schools also offers Digital Citizenship instruction which teaches students to stay safe online, communicate responsibly, spot reliable information, and balance media use—helping them make positive choices for future success.

A Multi-Layered Approach

Each of these protections works together to provide overlapping layers of security. By combining monitoring tools, web filters, network-level controls, and application safeguards, MNPS reduces risks and helps students engage in digital learning safely. While we take every effort to provide a secure online environment, no system can completely eliminate all risks. Parents and guardians may choose to opt their student out of internet or device access at any time by completing the Technology Permission Form at permissions.mnps.org or submitting the form to their student’s school.