Acceptable Use Policy

STUDENT USE OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION RESOURCES (Policy 4526)

With the rapidly evolving technologies throughout the modern workplace, the Board recognizes that individuals will shift the ways they gather and share ideas, transmit and receive information, and communicate with others. Emerging technologies will alter instruction and student learning. The Board supports access by students to rich information resources along with the development by staff of appropriate skills to analyze and evaluate such resources. In a free and democratic society, access to information is a fundamental right of citizenship.

The Board of Education will provide access to various computerized information resources through the district’s computer system (“DCS”) or Information Technology Network (“Network”) consisting of software, hardware, computer networks and electronic communications systems, including computers, networks, Intranet access, Internet access, e-mail accounts, telephones, voice mail, and any other means of electronic communication technology known or hereafter developed. It may include the opportunity for some students to have independent access to the DCS from their home or other remote locations. All use of the DCS, including independent use off school premises, shall be subject to this policy and accompanying regulations.

Further, all such use must be in support of education and/or research and consistent with the goals and purposes of the school district.

One purpose of this policy is to provide notice to students and parents/guardians that, unlike most traditional instructional or library media materials, the DCS will allow student access to external computer networks not controlled by the school district where it is impossible for the district to screen or review all of the available materials. Some of the available materials may be deemed unsuitable by parents/guardians for student use or access. This policy is intended to establish general guidelines for acceptable student use. However, despite the existence of such district policy and accompanying guidelines and regulations, it will not be possible to completely prevent access to computerized information that is inappropriate for students. Furthermore, students may have the ability to access such information from their home or other locations off school premises.

Parents/guardians of students must be willing to set and convey standards for appropriate and acceptable use to their children when using the DCS or any other electronic media or communications.

Electronic information sources and networked services significantly alter the information landscape for schools by opening classrooms to a broader array of resources. In the past, instructional and library media materials could usually be screened, prior to use, by committees of educators and community members intent on subjecting all such materials to reasonable selection criteria. Board Policy requires that all such materials be consistent with district-adopted guides, supporting and enriching the curriculum while taking into account the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students. As the Internet links fileservers around the world, electronic information resources, which have not been screened by educators for use by students of various ages, are readily available. As staff members and students are connected to the global community, their use of new tools and systems brings new responsibilities as well as opportunities.

The Superintendent of Schools shall be responsible for designating a computer network coordinator to oversee the use of district computer resources. The computer coordinator will prepare in-service programs for the training and development of district staff in computer skills, and for the incorporation of computer use in appropriate subject areas.

The Superintendent, working in conjunction with the designated purchasing agent for the district, the computer network coordinator and the instructional materials planning committee, will be responsible for the purchase and distribution of computer software and hardware throughout district schools. They shall prepare and submit for the Board’s approval a comprehensive multi-year technology plan which shall be revised as necessary to reflect changing technology and/or district needs.

Standards of Acceptable Use

Generally, the same standards of acceptable student conduct which apply to any school activity shall apply to use of the DCS.

This policy does not attempt to articulate all required and/or acceptable uses of the DCS; nor is it the intention of this policy to define all inappropriate usage. Administrative regulations will further define general guidelines of appropriate student conduct and use as well as proscribed behavior.

District students shall also adhere to the laws, policies and rules governing computers including, but not limited to, copyright laws, rights of software publishers, license agreements, and student rights of privacy created by federal and state law.

Students who engage in unacceptable use may lose access to the DCS in accordance with applicable due process procedures, and may be subject to further discipline under the district’s school conduct and discipline policy and the district Code of Conduct.

The district reserves the right to pursue legal action against a student who willfully, maliciously or unlawfully damages or destroys property of the district. Further, the district may bring suit in civil court against the parents/guardians of any student who willfully, maliciously or unlawfully damages or destroys district property pursuant to General Obligations Law Section 3-112.

Student data files and other electronic storage areas will be treated like school lockers. This means that such areas shall be considered to be school district property subject to control and inspection. The Computer Coordinator may access all such files and communications without prior notice to ensure system integrity and that users are complying with the requirements of this policy and accompanying regulations. Students should NOT expect that information stored on the DCS will be private.

Notification/Authorization

The district’s Acceptable Use Policy and Regulations will be disseminated to parents and students in order to provide notice of the school’s requirements, expectations, and students’ obligations when accessing the DCS.