NSMS Technology Acceptable Use Policy
Board Policy
The North Sanpete School District encourages and promotes the use of electronic technologies in educational endeavors. There is a substantial, ongoing financial investment to provide and maintain current and future technologies which make the school district employees and students more efficient and effective. The purpose of this policy is to set forth appropriate use guidelines and procedures that will protect the rights of students.
Guidelines
Access to district technologies imposes certain responsibilities and obligations of the user and is granted subject to school and district policies as well as local, state, and federal laws. These responsibilities and obligations, along with due process for breech of these obligations, are reaffirmed in this policy.
Appropriate use of district technologies should always reflect academic honesty, high ethical standards, and moral responsibility. Appropriate use demonstrates respect for intellectual property, ownership of data, system security mechanisms, and individual's rights to privacy, freedom from intimidation, harassment, and unwarranted annoyance.
Wide access to information available through a variety of technologies reflects the values of the world and may make material accessible that may not be considered of educational value in the context of a school setting. The district recognizes one of the most common ways of accessing this abundance of information is the Internet. The district has taken four specific precautions to restrict access to controversial materials on the Internet by:
a. Implementing software that attempts to "filter" inappropriate information.
b. Providing a logging system that shows which sites have been accessed by individual students through their account user identification.
c. Providing supervision of students when they are accessing information on the Internet.
d. Requiring all students who will use the Internet to sign the North Sanpete School District Student Acceptable Use Agreement before being granted access.
Appropriate use of technology includes, but is not limited to, the definitions listed below:
a. Access to the Internet and/or Network Services: Students must have their parents authorization for Internet and/or e-mail access, and sign the Student Technology Acceptable Use Form. This accoount will remain active unless disciplinary action is required, until the last day of the school year for which the student signs the Student Acceptable Use Agreement or until the student leaves the district, whichever occurs first. Academic activities take priority over non-academic activities for technology use.
b. Personal Safety and Privacy: Students will not give out personal information about themselves (home address, home phone number, work address, work phone number, etc), or the personal contact information of any other individual. Students are not to chat with anyone on-line except for academic purposes where specifically approved by a teacher and personally supervised by that same teacher. Students will promptly inform their teacher about any message or material that is inappropriate. Students are not to repost a message that was sent to them privately without the permission of the person who sent the message. The district technology specialist and/or network administrator may look at, without the student's prior consent, any data or files that exist on any computer or on the network. Messages or network activity relating to or in support of ilegal activities may be reported to district and/or law enforcement personnel and could result in the loss of privileges and/or prosecution under criminal law.
c. Illegal or Destructive Activities: Students will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any computer or network system. This includes attempting to log in through another person's account, password, or files without their permission. Students will not make attempts to destroy, disrupt, or harm any data that is not their own. Students are not to download or install software without the authorization of the technology specialist. Students will not use district equipment to engage in any activity that violates local, state, or federal law, or other school policy.
d. System Security: District security is maintained by a user identification and password. Individuals are not to provide their password to another person. If a student suspects that his/her accesss is being used by someone else, they are to report this to their teacher or principal.
e. Inappropriate Conduct: Students will not use obscene, profane, lewd, rude, inflammatory, threatening, or disrespectful language, including but not limited to e-mail. Students are not to initiate access to or transmit material that is profane, obscene, lewd, pornographic, advocates illegal acts, advocates violence, or promotes discrimination towards others (hate literature). Exceptions can be made for such access to conduct research, if it is approved by both the teacher and the parent, and the student is personally supervised by that same teacher. Students will not engage in personal attacks or post false or defamatory information about a person or organization. Students will not originate information that could cause damage, danger, or disruption. Students will not harass other users.
f. Respecting the Use of Resources: Students will check their e-mail frequently. Students will use caution. Students will unsubscribe from mailing lists before any vacation, break, or other extended absence from school.
g. Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement: Students will not use district technologies to take the ideas, writings or works of others and present them as if they were their own. Students will respect the rights of copyright owners.
Network Policy Enforcement:
Students who violate the acceptable use guidelines of the district policy are subject to the following consequences: 1st offense- A letter will be sent to the parent or guardian with possible suspension of Internet and e-mail access, to be determined by school administrator. 2nd offense - A letter will be sent to the parent/guardian and a parent conference with possible suspension from school and a 90-day minimum suspension of Internet and e-mail access, to be determined by school administrator. 3rd offense- A letter will be sent to parent, permanent suspension of Internet and e-mail access, and suspension from school as determined by school administrator. A referral to appropriate law enforcement agencies may be made at any state of this process if local, state, or federal laws have been violated. Additional consequences may be imposed if the individual wilfully attempts to access questionable sites.