BARDSTOWN CITY SCHOOLS INTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION                                                                                  

Access to Electronic Media

(Acceptable Use Policy)

Incompliance with 1998 Senate Bill 230, An Act Relating to School Technology
and 701 Kentucky Administrative Regulation 5:120, and the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), the  BARDSTOWN CITY SCHOOLS’ Board  supports  the  right  of  students,  employees,  and  community  members  to  have reasonable  access  to  various  information  formats  and  believes  it  is  incumbent  upon  students, employees, and community members  to utilize  this privilege  in an appropriate and  responsible manner.

1998 Kentucky Senate Bill 230 states:

“Each local school district shall establish a policy regarding student Internet access that shall include, but not be limited to, parental consent for student Internet use, teacher supervision of student computer use, and auditing procedures to determine whether education technology is being used for the purpose of accessing sexually explicit or other objectionable material.”

Senate Bill 230 requires that Acceptable Use Policies cover:

• Parental consent for student Internet use;
• Teacher supervision of student computer use; and,
• Auditing procedures to determine whether education technology is being used for the purpose of accessing sexually explicit or other objectionable material.

At a minimum, acceptable use policies should address the use of these resources: the internet, electronic mail, social networking, and local technology resources (Hardware, Software, and the Network)

This  policy  outlines  both  the  privileges  and  the  responsibilities  associated with  the  use  of  the Bardstown City  Schools’  network  and  its  resources.  It  addresses  ethical  and  educational  uses  of electronic  media,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  the  Internet,  email,  and  other  technological resources. It also addresses issues of privacy versus administrative review of electronic files and communications.  The policy prohibits use of networks for illegal activities, the intentional spreading of embedded messages, or the use of other programs with the potential of damaging or destroying programs or data.

For  additional  information  see  school  board  policies  for  students,  and  certified  and  classified employees, regarding use of school property, disrupting the educational process, and conduct.

EDUCATIONAL SUITABILITY

School  officials  shall  apply  the  same  criterion  of  educational  suitability  used  to  review  other educational  resources  when  questions  arise  concerning  access  to  specific  databases  or  other electronic media.

NETWORK RELIABILITY

Bardstown City  Schools  will  not  be  responsible  for  any  damages  not  limited  to  loss  of  data resulting  from  delays,  non-deliveries, missed  deliveries,  or  service  interruptions  caused  by  its own negligence or user errors or omissions.

SAFETY

Accounts  are  to  be  used  in  support  of  education  and  research  that  is  consistent  with  the educational objectives of  the Bardstown City  Schools’. This may include reasonable personal use.  Examples of acceptable use include but are not limited to protecting yourself and others by not revealing personal information that could lead a stranger to you or another person.  (i.e. name, address,  telephone,  workplace,  etc.)  Users should notify a Principal or School Technology Coordinator (STC) of any policy violations or security breaches. This can be done anonymously.

UNACCEPTABLE USE

New communication and information technologies are shifting the ways that information may be accessed, communicated, and transferred. For the same reasons that schools need policies to guide the way students and staff access and use other media, schools need Board policy to guide access to information in electronic media (voice, video, social networking,  and data) and to networks, such as the Internet and the emerging “information highway.” Generally, these policies provide reasonable protection against:

• Contact with objectionable material
• Contact with questionable material
• Contact with questionable persons
• Violation of copyright laws (print and digital media)
• Abuse of intellectual property (Plagiarism)
• Objectionable behavior
• Objectionable material
• Destructive behavior
• Misuse of public resources
• Violation of privacy
• Violation of access rights

Bardstown City Schools (BCS) offer staff and students access to the server network, software, electronic email and the internet. We call this service BCS-net. Along with global access comes availability of materials that may not be considered appropriate in the classroom. However, on a global network it is impossible to control all the materials. Ultimately, staff and students are responsible for compliance with the established standards when using media and informational resources. BCS reserves the right to monitor all activity on the network, including internet, email, and instant messaging.

BCS-Net Rules and Responsibilities

Staff and Students are responsible for good behavior on school computer networks just as they are in a classroom. Communications on the network are often public in nature. General school rules for behavior and communications apply.

 

BCS-Net is provided for staff and students to communicate and conduct instructional research with others in relation to school activities in compliance with 1998, SB230, an Act relating to technology use, KAR 701.5:120, and the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) signed into law on December 21, 2000. Access to network services is given to staff and students who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner. Access is a privilege, not a right. Therefore, based upon the acceptable use guidelines outlined in this document, the SBDM Councils and/or principals will deem what are appropriate: email uses, internet resources, and use of school/district resources. Their decisions are final. The principal will instruct the systems engineer to deny, revoke, or suspend specific student user accounts, and reconfigure proxy-server and filtering settings. Further disciplinary actions will fall within the discretion of the principals and SBDM Councils. Guidelines  for  unacceptable  use  shall  prohibit  utilization  of  networks  for  prohibited  or  illegal activities, the intentional spreading of embedded messages, or the use of other programs with the potential of damaging or destroying programs or data. Unacceptable use of technology includes, but is not limited to, the following;

 ·         Accessing any computer or network for which you are unauthorized;

·         Sharing your password or access other’s network accounts. The user is responsible for the security of his/her own password;

·         Transmitting unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information regarding minors across the network (pictures, names or personal information to “strangers” on the network);

·         Creating or sharing computer viruses;

·         Attempting unauthorized access, including so-called “Hacking” and other unlawful activities onto network or computer system configurations or bypass security programs to change settings or access.  Violations of this rule will be considered vandalism and subject to police report;

·         Destroying school or another person’s data. The District/School is not responsible for loss or damage to a file due to unauthorized access or usage;

·         Monopolizing the network resources by running large programs and applications over the network during the day and/or sending massive amounts of email to other users, or using system resources for games;

·         Using the network in such a way that would disrupt the use of the network by other users;

·         Vandalizing network resources; Vandalism is defined as any attempt to harm or destroy equipment, data, operating systems or applications, our network, or any other networks;

·         Playing games with no educational purpose over the network;

·         Taking from or placing on the network, any copyrighted material including copyrighted movies and music without authorization from the District network administrator; violating copyright policies on software sharing or authorship of electronic information;

·         Distributing  pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit, threatening, harassing materials or  collecting  pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit, threatening, harassing materials via telephone, video, email, internet or other means;

·         Demonstrating  or  discussing  policy  violations  or  security  breaches with  someone  other than a school network administrator;

·         Annoying other users with things such as talk requests and chain letters;

·         Conducting any illegal activity via the network; Known illegal activity will be reported to the authorities;

·         Using for commercial activities by for-profit organizations, product promotions, political lobbying, or illegal activities.

·         Sending harassing or abusive email messages to others;

·         Using vulgar or inappropriate language;

·         Using technology resources for personal gain, commercial, political, or profit-making enterprise except as specifically agreed to with the District. (felony and is subject to prosecution);

·         Using voice or electronic mail resources for communications that are not related to instruction or sanctioned school activities.

·         Agreeing that staff and and/or your child’s rights to use the Outlook Live e-mail service, and other Live@edu services as the Kentucky Department of Education may provide over time and to which the District/Schools may subscribe, are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in district/school AUP Policy as provided and that the data stored in such Live@edu services, including the Outlook Live e-mail service, are managed by the district pursuant to policy 08.1 and accompanying procedures;

·         Understanding that the Windows Live ID provided to staff and/or your child also can be used to access other electronic services that provide features such as online storage and instant messaging. Use of those Microsoft services is subject to Microsoft’s standard consumer terms of use (the Windows Live Service Agreement), and data stored in those systems are managed pursuant to the Windows Live Service Agreement and the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement;

·         Acknowledging Federal law requires that any child age 18 and under have parental consent to access online services, such as the Microsoft Live@edu offering. Of the variety of methods required of any online service provider, Microsoft has chosen – at Kentucky’s request – to rely on the respective districts to obtain such consent via the local AUP and accompanying procedures.

 

Staff and students are strongly encouraged to use appropriate security and backup procedures to insure the authenticity of their personal files.

 

ACCESS PRIVILEGES TO ELECTRONIC MATERIALS

Access  to  electronic  information  resources may  range  from  read-only  access  to  instructional software to full search capability of the Internet and to email. For these reasons the Bardstown City Schools maintain  the  right  to  limit  access  to  software  and/or  documents  found  either  on  our network or the Internet via technical or human barriers.

 

NETWORK PRIVILEGES

 

Employees                                                     Students                                                                                       

Infinite Campus or similarly necessary information systems, when appropriate	Infinite Campus Student Portal
User folder	User files folder
Filtered Compliant Internet access	Supervised internet access
Email account	Supervised class email (K-3) Student Email account  (4-12)

 CONTRACTS

 STUDENT

 After reading the Bardstown City Schools Appropriate Use Policy, please complete the Appropriate User Policy (AUP) consent section on the District Multiple Consent Form to indicate that you agree with the terms and conditions outlined. The AUP section of the District Multiple Consent form,  signed  and dated by  the  student and parent/guardian,  shall  be  required  prior  to  the  school  granting  that student  access  to  the  network,  Internet,  and/or  email.  The  signature  of  a  parent/guardian is required for students under the age of eighteen (18) and will indicate the degree  of  access  granted  to  the  student.  The  District Multiple Consent Form  shall  be  kept  on  file  by  the Principal  or  School  Technology  Coordinator  (STC)  as  a  legal,  binding  document  and shall continue to be in effect throughout the student’s attendance in the building in which their  grade  level  is  housed  (i.e.  K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12), unless modified by the parent/guardian. These signatures indicate  understanding  and  agreement  with  the specified  acceptable  uses,  rules  of  on-line  behavior,  access  privileges  and  penalties  for policy/procedural violations.

 EMPLOYEE

 

A  contract,  signed  by  the  employee,  shall  be  required  prior  to  the  school  granting  that employee access  to  the network,  Internet, and/or email. This document shall be kept on file by the Principal or School Technology Coordinator (STC) as a legal, binding Document. The signature indicates understanding and agreement with the specified acceptable uses, rules of on-line behavior, access privileges and penalties for policy/procedural violations.

 LOGINS AND PASSWORDS

 

Upon signing a contract, a private login and password will be assigned to each user. The user is responsible for any activity performed under that login and password and therefore, passwords must be kept private. There will  be  no  access  to  the  network,  email,  or  the  Internet without  the  use  of  a  login  and password and those will only exist for those persons with a signed contract.

 

RIGHT TO PRIVACY

 

The Bardstown City Schools reserve the right to ask a Network Administrator to access any user folder and/or email account of any user at any time. Users are advised not to place confidential documents in their user folder and never to use email for confidential communication. EMAIL is not private. All  Internet  sites  visited will  be  logged  and  reviewed  for  suitability  of  Internet  use  to  assure compliance with  the AUP and with  state  law.  Internet access has been granted for educational and research purposes only.

 

DISREGARD OF RULES

 

Individuals who refuse to sign required acceptable use documents or who violate District rules governing the use of District technology shall be subject to loss or restriction of the privilege of using equipment, software, information access systems, or other technological resources.

 

RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGES

 

Individuals shall reimburse the Board for repair or replacement of District property lost, stolen, damaged, or vandalized while under their care.

 

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

 

Any user who violates the terms and conditions of this Acceptable Use policy will experience immediate degradation of services to “read only access”. Loss of privileges may continue for a period of up to one (1) calendar year, and/or other disciplinary actions may be enforced as per the discipline policy. The DTC, STC, or Network Director, may convert an account to “read only access” at any time as required. The DTC, STC, or Network Director, in cooperation with the building administrator, must  notify  the  user,  and  user’s  parents  in  case  of  a  minor,  in  writing  within  two  weeks informing them of the reason for suspension or termination of an account.

 

Users (student, employees) whose accounts are denied, suspended or revoked do have the following rights:

 

1.  To request (in writing) from the Principal or appropriate staff supervisor a written statement justifying the disciplinary actions.

2.  To  submit  a written  appeal  to  the Superintendent  and  a  committee  he/she  shall designate. Pending the decision of this committee, a user can make a final appeal to the Board of Education. The decision of the Board of Education is final.

 

REFERENCES:

KRS 156.675; Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS)

47.U.S.C.§ 254; 701 KAR 5:120

 

RELATED POLICIES:

03.1321; 03.262

 

The Bardstown City Schools reserve the right to ask a Network Administrator to access any user folder and/or email account of any user at any time. Users are advised not to place confidential documents in their user folder and never to use email for confidential communication. EMAIL is not private. All  Internet  sites  visited will  be  logged  and  reviewed  for  suitability  of  Internet  use  to  assure compliance with  the AUP and with  state  law.  Internet access has been granted for educational and research purposes only.

 

DISREGARD OF RULES

 

Individuals who refuse to sign required acceptable use documents or who violate District rules governing the use of District technology shall be subject to loss or restriction of the privilege of using equipment, software, information access systems, or other technological resources.

 

RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGES

 

Individuals shall reimburse the Board for repair or replacement of District property lost, stolen, damaged, or vandalized while under their care.

 

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

 

Any user who violates the terms and conditions of this Acceptable Use policy will experience immediate degradation of services to “read only access”. Loss of privileges may continue for a period of up to one (1) calendar year, and/or other disciplinary actions may be enforced as per the discipline policy. The DTC, STC, or Network Director, may convert an account to “read only access” at any time as required. The DTC, STC, or Network Director, in cooperation with the building administrator, must  notify  the  user,  and  user’s  parents  in  case  of  a  minor,  in  writing  within  two  weeks informing them of the reason for suspension or termination of an account.

 

Users (student, employees) whose accounts are denied, suspended or revoked do have the following rights:

 

1.  To request (in writing) from the Principal or appropriate staff supervisor a written statement justifying the disciplinary actions.

2.  To  submit  a written  appeal  to  the Superintendent  and  a  committee  he/she  shall designate. Pending the decision of this committee, a user can make a final appeal to the Board of Education. The decision of the Board of Education is final.

 

REFERENCES:

KRS 156.675; Kentucky Education Technology System (KETS)

47.U.S.C.§ 254; 701 KAR 5:120

 

RELATED POLICIES:

03.1321; 03.262

  

BCS-NET STAFF USER AGREEMENT FORM

 

I have read and agree to the Bardstown City Schools’ Appropriate Use Policy, and I understand that I may be held responsible for violations. I understand that some materials on the Internet may be objectionable; therefore, I agree to accept responsibility for standards for selecting, sharing and or exploring information and media. Please complete this form to indicate that you agree with the terms and conditions outlined. Your staff signature is mandatory before access may be granted to BCS-Net. As a staff member of the Bardstown City Schools and a user of the network resources, I have read and hereby agree to comply with the BCS-Net Appropriate Use Policy and Responsibilities.

 

Staff Name (Please Print):______________________________________________

 

Staff’s School:___________________________________________________________

 

Staff Signature:______________________________________Date:_____________

RIGHT TO PRIVACY