Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
Editor’s Note:All photographs captured by Cat Boyce. Shawn Kornegay contributed to this piece.
Neag School alumna Megan Baker ’12 6th Year, a graduate of the UConn Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP), has served since 2015 as principal of Tourtellotte Memorial High School, a public high school in the Thompson (Conn.) school district with 251 students in Grades 9 to 12. Prior to that, Baker was curriculum director for pre-K to Grade 12 and part-time assistant principal at Tourtellotte. Baker is also a member of the Neag School Alumni Board.
In this special photo essay, photographer Cat Boyce shadowed Baker earlier this spring in order to offer a glimpse into a typical day in the life of Baker and her role in principalship.
6:20 a.m. — Principal Baker starts off her day, an hour before the school day officially begins. She spends the time reviewing emails, preparing for the day, and gathering with her team.
7 a.m. — Baker gathers with Donna O’Connell, the school’s administrative assistant, and Ian Polun, the school’s assistant principal, before the students arrive in the morning.
7:10 a.m. — On this particular day, Baker is being shadowed by Matt Agnello ’12 (ED), ’13 MA (far left), who is enrolled in an administrator preparation program and currently serves as an agriculture teacher at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs, Conn. Baker introduces Agnello to Alex Rooney (center), a senior at Tourtellotte and a future Neag School student, before the school day starts.
7:15 a.m. — Baker greets one of the students with a high-five. She individually greets each student as they arrive, asking about their day.
7:45 a.m. — Agnello greets computer science teacher and UConn alumnus Tony Perreault ’85 (CLAS), before the morning lecture.
8 a.m. — Baker checks in with students in the class as part of her weekly teacher observations.
8:15 a.m. — Baker meets up with art teacher Bianca Prouty before observing her class and other classes during the day.
9 a.m. — Students in a modern music ensemble class practice for a community performance, led by UConn alumna Kate (Ouillette) Anderson ’01 (SFA) (right).
10:45 a.m. — Teacher Wendy Fusco (left), nominated student Connor Monahan (center) for a “Tiger Shout Out” for saving a life while lifeguarding at a local YMCA. Baker helps in recognizing Monahan.
10:50 a.m. — Monahan’s “Tiger Shout Out,” which appears on a schoolwide display board.
11 a.m. — Baker and student leader Matt Grauer discuss findings from a student leadership survey during the weekly leadership meeting in the school’s library.
11:30 a.m. — Baker shows Agnello a boat-building project, the first of its kind for the school.
1 p.m. — Baker checks in at the office and confirms her afternoon schedule.
1:10 p.m. — Baker meets with the Child Study Team to discuss each student and their individual attendance situation. (From left: Lisa Canney, school counselor; Ian Polun, assistant principal; Baker; Agnello; Shannon Grauer, school nurse; and Julie Maliff, school counselor)
2:15 p.m. — Robert Terrell, a junior at Tourtellotte, presents findings for a proposed drink policy to Baker and library specialist Cindy Ouillette ’97 (CLAS), ’98 MA, also a UConn alum. Per Baker’s recommendation, Terrell surveyed local administrators to help develop the proposed policy.
2:30 p.m. — Baker joins Alex Rooney and Rebecca Torres in making the end-of-day announcements over the school’s intercom system.
3 p.m. — At the end of the day, Baker says goodbye to each student as they leave on the school bus.
3:15 p.m. — Baker returns to her office to check email and discuss the day with Agnello.