For Community High School District 218

A. ACCESS TO THE INTERNET

The School Board’s goal is to include the Internet in the District’s instructional program in order to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. The Superintendent or designee shall develop an implementation plan for this policy.

The School District is not responsible for any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable when using the network, or for any information that is retrieved via the Internet. Furthermore, the District will not be responsible for any unauthorized charges or fees resulting from access to the Internet.

"Internet" includes all information accessed by Internet sites, email, online services, and bulletin board systems.

B. CURRICULUM

The use of the Internet shall be consistent wit the curriculum adopted by the District as well as the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and development levels of the students. The Internet shall comply with the selection criteria for instructional materials and library-media center materials. Employees, may, consistent with the Superintendent’s implementation plan, use the Internet throughout the curriculum.

The Internet is part of the curriculum and is not a public forum for general use.

C. ACCEPTABLE USE

All use of the District’s connection to the Internet must be in support of education and/or research, and be in furtherance of the School Board’s stated goal. Use is a privilege, not a right. General rules for behavior and communications apply when using the Internet. The District’s Authorization for Internet Access contains the appropriate uses, ethics, and protocol for the Internet. Electronic communications and downloaded material may be monitored or read by school officials.

D. AUTHORIZATION FOR INTERNET ACCESS

The failure of any student or employee to follow the terms of this policy may result in the loss of privileges, disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legal action.

E. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Acceptable Use - Access to the District’s Internet must be for the purpose of education or research and be consistent with the educational objectives of the District.

2. Privileges - The use of the District’s Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of those privileges.

3. Privacy/Monitoring of Use - All computer and Internet information, data and files remain the property of the School District. No user has any expectation of privacy in any such materials. Computer and Internet access is provided for educational purposes. This is a privilege, not a right. The District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review, store and download all information or data sent or received relative to all computer and Internet usage at any time without notice.

4. Unacceptable Use - Students and employees are responsible for their actions and activities involving the network. Some examples of unacceptable use are:

A. Using the network for any illegal activity, including violation of copyright or other contracts, or transmitting any material in violation of any U.S. or State regulation;

B. Downloading of software, regardless of whether it is copyrighted or devirused;

C. Downloading copyrighted material for other than personal use;

D. Using the network for private financial or commercial gain;

E. Wastefully using resources, such as file space;

F. Gaining unauthorized access to resources or entities;

G. Invading the privacy of individuals;

H. Using another user’s account or password;

I. Posting material authored or created by another without his/her consent;

J. Posting anonymous messages;

K. Using the network for commercial or private advertising;

L. Accessing, submitting, posting, publishing, or displaying any defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, harassing, or illegal material; and

M. Using the network while access privileges are suspended or revoked.

5. Network Etiquette - Students and employees are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

A. Be polite. Do not become abusive in your messages to others.

B. Use appropriate language. Do not swear, or use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language.

C. Do not reveal the personal addresses or phone numbers of yourself, other students or colleagues.

D. Recognize that electronic mail (email) is NOT private. People who operate the system have access to ALL mail. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities.

E. Do not use the network in any way that would disrupt its use by other users.

F. Consider all communications and information accessible via the network to be private property.

Filtering software or other electronic protections systems may be overridden by school personnel, as necessary, for purposes of bona fide research or other educational projects being conducted by students age 17 and older.

The term "harmful to minors" is defined by the Communications Act of 1934 (47 USC Section 254 [h][7], as meaning any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:

- taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

- depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals;

- taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

7. No Warranties - The District makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, for the service it is providing. The District will not be responsible for any damages a student or employee may suffer. this includes loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, missed-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its negligence by students of employees’ errors or omissions. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at students’ and employees’ own risk. The District specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through its services.

8. Indemnification - The user agrees to indemnify the District for any losses, costs or damages, including reasonable attorney fees, incurred by the District relating to, or arising out of, any breach of this Authorization.

9. Security - Network security is a high priority. If a student or employee identifies a security problem on the Internet, you must notify the consultant/supervising administrator or Building Principal. Do not demonstrate the problem to other users. Keep your account and password confidential. Do not use another individual’s account without written permission from that individual. Attempts to log on to the Internet as a system administrator will result in cancellation of user privileges. Any user identified as a security risk may be denied access to the network.

10. Vandalism - Vandalism will result in cancellation of privileges and other disciplinary action. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, the Internet, or any other network. This includes, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses.

11. Telephone Charges - The District assumes no responsibility for any unauthorized charges or fees, including telephone charges, long-distance charges, per-minute surcharges, and/or equipment or line costs.

Internet/Computer Resources and User Agreement

Students in _________ grade or above will be eligible to use the Internet.

Students, parent(s), and employees need only sign this Agreement once while enrolled or employed by the School District.

____________________________________________________________________________

I understand and will abide by the above Agreement. I further understand that should I commit any violation, my access privileges may be revoked, and school disciplinary action and/or appropriate legal action may be taken. In consideration for using the District’s Internet connection and having access to public networks, I hereby release the School District and its Board members, employees, and agents from any claims and damages arising from my use, or inability to use, the Internet.

DATE: ____________________

USER SIGNATURE: ______________________________

Required for students

I have read this Agreement, as well as the Internet Computer Resources and Use Guidelines. I understand that access is designed for educational purposes and that the District has taken precautions to eliminate controversial material. However, I also recognize it is impossible for the District to restrict access to all controversial and inappropriate materials. I will hold harmless the District, its employees, agents, or Board members, for any harm caused by materials of software obtained via the network. I accept fill responsibility for supervision if and when my child’s use is not in a school setting. I have discussed the terms of the Agreement with my child. I hereby request that my child be allowed access to the District’s Internet.