Acceptable Use Policy

Student Guidelines For Electronic Information Systems

Code of Conduct for students of the Wellthee School District while using the districts instructional technology and electronic communications systems.

Guidelines: Instructional technology within the WSD is provided to enhance the educational opportunities for our students. As such, use of district systems is limited to educational purposes only. Internet acess is a privilege, which may be taken away if misused; therefor, all students are expected to abide by WSD acceptable use policies, procedures, and code of conduct while using computers and the internet.

Conduct for students while using instructional technology and the Internet.

1. Students are allowed to use the district's system only for educational purposes, such as doing school work, conducting research, creating classroom projects, and appropriately communicating to others.

B. Students must have parental permission in order to use the Internet. -- This consent is to be provided through the “parent permission form” available in the school office. The original permission form will be retained by the school office and remain valid as long as the student is in that school. Revisions to policy may require new signatures, and parents may choose to deny permission at any time.

C. Students with parental permission may access the internet only when under the dirsect supervision of school district staff.

D. Students are responsible at all times for the legal, ethical, and appropriate use of the computer as well as understanding prohibited uses.

1. Examples of illegal use include, but are not limited to: violating copyright laws or other contracts; gaining illegal access or entry into other computers; viewing material that is restricted to adult viewing only; gambling; transmitting untrue statements that would damage a person or his/her reputation; distribution of licensed software; invasion or violation of personal privacy; vandalism of computer resources; or any malicious attempt to harm or destroy hardware, software, or data of another person.
2. Examples of unethical use include, but are not limited to: plagiarism; cheating; lying to others; misrepresenting one’s self or adopting false identities; harassing, intimidating, or threatening others; promoting discrimination, using the system for personal monetary gain; and using another individual’s system account without their knowledge and consent.
3. Examples of inappropriate use include, but are not limited to: use that interferes with the availability of facilities for academic use, such as playing games or using the system for personal recreation or entertainment; the knowing transmission or creation of computer viruses; any activity which promotes the use of tobacco, alcohol or controlled substances; gambling; illegal use of weapons; execution of hate crimes; illicit sexual activity; and transmitting, publishing, or displaying on the district’s system any knowingly inaccurate, inflammatory, and/or objectionable material.
4. Examples of prohibited use include subscribing to chat groups, mailing lists, bulletin boards, P2P (peer to peer), or other information services. In addition, students are prohibited from downloading software onto school systems and installing personal software or hardware on district networks.
5. Buying or selling non-school related items using the district’s system is strictly prohibited.

D. Students identifying an illegal, unethical, or inappropriate activity on the district’s system must notify the supervising adult.

E. Student users may use email at school for educational purposes only or if approved by supervising staff. Students must follow these rules while using email on district computers.

1. Students must always honor appropriate email behavior and “netiquette” standards. When using the district network to access email, a student may not:
2. share personal information about one’s self or others with strangers. b. arrange meetings online with strangers. c. access email during class time unless so directed by the instructor. d. leave account access information stored on any school computer. e. store personal email on school computers. f. forward messages without the knowledge and permission of the original author. g. forward inappropriate messages. h. broadcast uninvited messages (“spamming”) or send chain letters.
3. falsify, conceal, or misrepresent one’s email identity (“spoofing”). j. harass others. k. encrypt communications so as to avoid security review.
4. Students must notify any school official immediately if they receive messages or materials that may:
5. contain threatening, harassing, obscene, profane, or otherwise inappropriate language. b. make the student feel uncomfortable or unsafe. c. ask the student to participate in illegal or sexual activities. d. come from a source that the student does not know or was received without invitation.

Information Content

1. Student users are advised that use of the districts system may provide access to objectionable material. Such materials are prohibited in the school environment. -- Examples of objectionable materials include pornography, hate literature, violent or distasteful depictions, etc. B. Student users are advised that use of the district’s system may provide access to inaccurate material. Such materials need to be recognized and assessed to determine educational value; educationally worthless materials will not be allowed. --Examples of inaccurate materials include biased or non-factual statements, lies, exaggerations, statements of personal opinion, etc. C. The opinions and information expressed by system users are those of the individuals and not the school district. The District will not be responsible for any damage suffered from the use of or inability to use the district's computer system. The District will not be responsible for financial obligations arising from unauthorized use of the system. Parents/guardians can be held financially responsible for any harm to the system as a result of a studen't intentional misuse.

Web Publishing

1. Web content or features produced by students must receive prior approval by the web editor prior to being published on the school website. Students are responsible for obtaining this approval. B. All web authors must be familiar with the appropriate procedures for web content and publishing.. This applies to students who perform web authoring or maintenance duties.

Consequences of violating the Acceptable Use Policy Consequences for students who violate the Acceptable Use Policy may include loss of privileges, temporary or permanent ban from the district computer system, suspension, and expulsion from school.

Student Internet Use Agreement

I, ________________ have read the district Acceptable Use Policy and discussed it with my parent/guardian. I understand the privileges and responsibilities of internet use at school. I agree to abide by the rules set forth in this policy.

I am the parent/guardian of ________________. I have read and discussed the district Acceptable Use Policy with my child. I understand my child's privileges and responsibilities regarding internet use at school. I understand that it is possible for my child to access information/materials on the internet that are inappropriate even though the district attempts to block this material. I will not hold the district responsible if my child viotates this policy. I understand that I can be held liable for damages caused by my child's intential misuse of the system.

I give permission for my child to use the internet at school.

Student name: _________________________________

Student signature: ______________________________

Parent/Guardian name: ___________________________

Parent guardian signature: ________________________

Date: ___________

• Safety First: Don't post personal information

• • Don't meet with someone you met on the Internet without approval

• • Tell officials about inappropriate messages

• Legality: Do not hack

• • Do not disrupt the school's computers

• • Do not use computer for illegal acts, like drug sales

• Appropriate language: Do not use obscene, profane ... language

• • Do not post falsehoods or rumors

• Maintenance: Use computer appropriately

• • Tell officils immedicately of computer problems

• Inappropriate material: The school maintains aa apropriate content filter

• • Do not use the computer to access or distribute profane or obscene materials

• Copyrights: Do not plagarize

• • Understand copyright laws

• Signed by student, parent, teacher

• • Set ALLOWTOPICCHANGE = DenvyS, KarenMisasihumphreys^?, KurtDonaldson^?, KaraArndt^?, JoeOsorio^?

-- DenvyS - 03 Oct 2008
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