computerdisc-l: e-mail advice

[Cassandra Shidler <cas@olemiss.edu>]

I am need your advice....

Currently, we use gaggle.net for student e-mail services.  This is the
second year we have used it.   Although our service with gaggle.net now
is relatively good, there are too many days that the gaggle.net server
is "down" in California.  In addition to this, I do not like the
addition of advertisement banners, and my school is not able/willing to
purchase the non-advertisement version of gaggle.net.  (However, I do
understand - gaggle.net has to have some type of financial support to
maintain their service.)  But I was curious to see if anyone has started
trying anything new, or looking for a new similar type of service with
better performance and/or less advertisement banners.  

Also, how many schools actually allow students daily or occasional
e-mail access?   From what I have heard, some schools do not have any
internet/e-mail access at all. Please e-mail me directly
(cas@olemiss.edu) to help me make decisions for our school and our
students.  I would like to know:

1)	Does your lab have Internet access available to students?  If so, do
you have any monitoring software you use or recommend?  I have heard
some people talk about Net Nanny?  What do you think?
2	Does you use any type of e-mail service that you make available to
your students?  If so, what and are you satisfied with the service and
its performance.  If not, is there a particular reason you who willing
to share with me?

I tell our students that they are fortunate to have the opportunity for
e-mail access at all, because some schools are unable to access the
Internet at all.  Currently, we don't "surf" the Web, we only access
gaggle.net to check e-mail 2-4 times a week at the end of class. 
Sometimes, I send e-mail messages for classroom assignments, but usually
I just use this as another opportunity for students to communicate with
me.

I apologize for the length of this e-mail, but I am would really
appreciate ANY and ALL opinions on this matter.

Sincerely,
Cassandra Shidler-Stevens  Computer Discovery Teacher
Oxford School District - Oxford Middle School
501 Martin Luther King Drive, Oxford, Mississippi 38655
e-mail - cas@olemiss.edu
Work:	662-234-2288
Home:	662-236-3625
Fax:	663-234-0235