FOWLER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ELECTRONIC INFORMATION ACCESS AND USE POLICY
Fowler Public Schools encourage and strongly promotes the use of electronic information technologies in educational endeavors. The district provides students and staff access to information resources available in a variety of electronic formats, and for the development of information management skills. Together these allow learners to access current and relevant resources, provide the opportunity to communicate in a technologically rich environment and assist them to become responsible, self-directed, life-long learners.
District Responsibility
Fowler Public Schools is responsible for the management of the structure, hardware and software that the district uses to allow access to information technologies for educational purposes. These include:
a) Assigning and removing of member accounts on the network
b) Maintenance and repair of equipment that comprise the network
c) Selection of software that the network will support
d) Electronic Information Access and Use Policy
e) Defining the rights/responsibilities of members
f) Providing resources that support the mission of the school district
g) Providing training opportunities on the use of application of information technology, including training and information on new technologies, software and media as they are acquired and put into use in the district.
h) Implementing and enforcing the conduct standards for educational technology as stated in the Electronic Information Access and Use Policy.
The district does not take responsibility for resources located or actions taken by the members that do not support the purposes of the school district. The district makes no stated or implied guarantee regarding the privacy of electronic mail.
The district makes not warranties of any kind, whether express or implied for the uses of its educational technology, including but not limited to the loss of data resulting from delays, non-delivery, or any service interruption.
The district is not responsible for any damages caused to a user's hardware or software incurred from downloading computer viruses or other contaminants.
Fowler Public Schools Network Members
All account holders on the Fowler Public Schools Network will be granted access to all services the network offers. The following people may hold accounts on the Fowler Public School District Network:
1) STUDENTS: Students who are currently enrolled in the district may be granted a network account upon agreement to the terms stated in this policy.
2) FACULTY AND STAFF: Staff members currently employed the district may be granted a network account upon agreement to the terms stated in this policy.
3) OTHERS: Anyone may request a special account on the Fowler Public School District network. These requests will be granted on a case-by-case basis, depending on need and resource availability.
PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
FOWLER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS NETWORK MEMBERS
Privileges
In accordance with the terms set forth in this policy, members have the privilege:
· to use all authorized hardware and software for which they have received training to facilitate learning and enhance educational information exchange.
· to access information from outside resources which facilitate learning and enhance educational information exchange.
· To access district networks and the Internet to retrieve information to facilitate learning and enhances educational information exchange.
Members have the conditional right to sign up for listservs and news groups on the Internet which facilitate learning and enhance educational information exchange.
Responsibilities
Members are responsible for:
· utilizing technology in the school only for facilitating learning and enhancing educational information exchange consistent with the purpose of the school.
· attending appropriate training sessions in the use and care of hardware, software, and networks and refraining from using any technology for which they have not received training.
· adhering to the rules established for the use of hardware, software, labs, and networks in the school or through remote access outside of the school.
· maintaining the privacy of passwords and are prohibited from publishing or discussing passwords.
· having all disks or videos scanned for virus, dirt, or other contamination which might endanger the integrity of district hardware, software or networks before they are used in district system.
· all material received via the Internet under their account. They accept responsibility for keeping all pornographic material, inappropriate files, or files dangerous to the integrity of the school's network, equipment, or software from entering the school via the Internet or from being reproduced in visual, digital or written format.
· making all subscriptions to listservs or news groups known to the system administrator and seeking prior written approval before requesting such subscriptions on the Internet.
· maintaining the integrity of the electronic mail (e-mail) system, reporting any violations of privacy and making only those e-mail contact which facilitate learning and enhance educational information exchange.
· adhering to copyright guidelines in the use of hardware and software and in the transmission or copying of text or files on the Internet or from other resources.
ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY FOR INTERNET ACCOUNTS
All users are encouraged to make use of the school's facilities in pursuit of their academic goals, but are asked to remember that an Internet account is a privilege, not a right, offered each academic year to students, teachers and Administrative Staff.
Usage Guidelines
The Internet account holder is held responsible for his/her actions and activity within his/her account. Unacceptable uses of the network
resources will be reported to the Network Administrator and Building Principal and will result in restriction or suspensions of these privileges. Repeat violators will be subjected to further disciplinary actions such as suspension. Some examples of unacceptable use are:
1. Using the network for any illegal activity, including violation of copyright or other contracts;
2. Using the network for financial or commercial gain;
3. Degrading or disrupting equipment, software or system performance; equipment includes but is not limited to computers, graphic calculators, scanners, cameras, printers, VCRs, TVs
4. Vandalizing the data of another user;
5. Wastefully using finite resources; such as the printer, scanner, etc.
6. Gaining unauthorized access to resources or entities;
7. Invading the privacy of individuals;
8. Using an account owned by another user;
9. Use of any e-mail system by a F.P.S. network member to another F.P.S. network member's District e-mail account.
10. Posting personal communications without the original author’s consent;
11. Posting anonymous messages:
12. Accessing and/or participating in Chat groups
13. Downloading, promoting links to, storing and/or printing files or messages, including music lyrics, that are profane, pornographic, obscene, or use language that offends or tends to degrade others or encourage criminal activity;
14. Transmitting, executing, promoting links to, or strong malicious, threatening, or abusive programs or material;
15. Downloading, executing, or storing programs from the Internet on network drives or network directories. This includes files that end with an extension of exe, bat, zip, or com. (unless permission is given by instructor)
16. Violating the content guidelines as outlined below.
17. Violating the Student Electronic Information Access and Use Policy, which current users have already signed. Disciplinary measures will include, but will not necessarily be limited to, the following: Students may have their rights to use the District’s computer system revoked for 2 to 9 weeks for minor offenses. Students may forfeit their rights to use the District’s computer system for the balance of the school year for serious offenses or repeated minor offenses. In addition, students may also be suspended from school or placed in in-school suspension or given community service for violations of the computer code. This also applies to violations of the INTERNET usage policy.
18. If a student inadvertently accesses an inappropriate site, (See 12 above) the student must immediately report this to the responsible teacher.
Content Guidelines
Students, as part of a valid classroom assignment, may be allowed to produce for electronic publications on the Internet. Teachers and the Network Administrator may monitor these materials to ensure compliance with content standards. The following restrictions apply:
1. No personal information about a student will be allowed. This includes home telephone numbers and addresses as well as information regarding the specific location of any student at any given time.
2. All student works must be signed with the student’s full name.
3. Copyright laws need to be adhered to whenever possible or appropriate.
4. No test, movie or sound that contains pornography, profanity, obscenity, or language that offends or tends to degrade others will be allowed.
FOWLER PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONSENT and WAIVER FORM
· Teachers, administrators, parents, guardians, and students share the responsibility of appropriate use of the Internet.
· By signing the signature page, the student and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) agree to abide by the restrictions outlined in this Consent and Waiver policy. The student and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s) should discuss these rights and responsibilities.
· To that end, Fowler Public Schools supports and respects each family’s right to decide whether or not to sign below for Internet access for their student.
· Users should be aware that Fowler Public Schools does not have control of the information on the Internet, nor can it provide foolproof barriers to account holders accessing the full range of information available. Other sites accessible via the Internet may contain material that is illegal, obscene, profane, pornographic, defamatory, inaccurate, or potentially offensive to some people.
· Email forwarded to Fowler Public Schools network servers or workstations become the property of Fowler Public Schools and may be monitored to ensure that content falls within the Usage and Content Guidelines.
· I agree to abide by the above agreement.
· I have read the above agreement with my student and understand my student can lose his/her privileges if she/he breaks this agreement.
PARENT/STUDENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF STUDENT HANDBOOK AND CONSENT AND WAIVER POLICY FOR ACCEPTABLE TECHNOLOGY USE
We, ___________________________________ and ____________________________
(Parent/Guardian) (Student)
Have received, read and understand the Fowler High School Student Handbook and Consent and Waiver Policy for Acceptable Technology Use. We understand the rights and responsibilities pertaining to student expectations and agree to support and abide by the rules, guidelines, procedures, and policies of the Fowler School District. We also understand that this handbook and acceptable use policy supersedes all prior handbooks, policies and other written materials on the same subjects.
(Parent signature)
(Student Signature)
(Date)
_________________________ __________________________
(Current grade level) (Student user ID if known)
Creative Center