Student Appropriate Technology Use Policy

Violation of any part of this policy will be subject to consequences as determined by school, network, and district administration.  This may include failure in citizenship, revocation of privileges, failure and/or removal from computer courses, suspension, expulsion, or other actions deemed appropriate by Cache County School District. Legal action may be taken under Utah Criminal Code Title 76 Chapter 10.

It is expected that all students sign as having read the district AUP.

Any student who utilizes the computer lab(s) or any digital equipment at the school must be aware of certain policies for use of the equipment and/or facilities. Procedures are in place for the protection of students and equipment. Students will be held accountable for any violation of the following policies (as would be the case for any classroom disciplinary matter). A student and his/her parents will be responsible for damages and will be liable for costs incurred for service or repair.

Students are only allowed to utilize the computers and network to retrieve information and run specific software applications as directed by their teacher. Students are not permitted to explore the configuration of the computer, operating system or network, run programs not on the menu, or attempt to do anything they are not specifically authorized to do.

Students are responsible for ensuring that any diskettes, CDs, memory sticks, USB flash drives, or other forms of storage media that they bring in from outside the school are virus free and do not contain any unauthorized or inappropriate files. 

Safety Issues: 

1. Any on-line communication should always be at the direction and with the supervision of a teacher.
2. Never provide last name, address, telephone number, or school name online.
3. Never respond to, and always report to the teacher or parent, any messages that make you feel uncomfortable or that are from an unknown origin.
4. Never send a photo of yourself or anyone else.
5. Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone you met on-line.
6. Never open attachments or files from unknown senders.
7. Always report to a teacher any inappropriate sites that you observe being accessed by another user or that you browse to accidentally.

Prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to the following:

1. Accessing, sending, creating or posting materials or communications that are:
1. Damaging to another person's reputation,
2. Abusive,
3. Obscene,
4. Sexually oriented,
5. Threatening or demeaning to another person,
6. Contrary to the school's policy on harassment, Harassing, or Bullying
7. Illegal
2. Using the network for financial gain or advertising. 
3. Posting or plagiarizing work created by another person without his/her consent.
4. Posting anonymous or forging electronic mail messages.
5. Attempting to read, alter, delete, or copy the electronic mail messages of other system users.
6. Giving out personal information such as phone numbers, addresses, driver's license or social security numbers, bankcard or checking account information.
7. Using the school's computer hardware or network for any illegal activity such as copying or downloading copyrighted software, music or images, or violation of copyright laws. 
8. Downloading, installing, or using games, music files, public domain, shareware or any other unauthorized program on any school's computer or computer system.
9. Purposely bringing on premises or infecting any school computer or network with a Virus, Trojan, or program designed to damage, alter, destroy or provide access to unauthorized data or information.
10. Gaining access or attempting to access unauthorized or restricted network resources or the data and documents of another person. 
11. Using or attempting to use the password or account of another person or utilizing a computer while logged on under another user's account.
12. Using the school's computers or network while access privileges have been suspended.
13. Using the school's computer hardware, network, or Internet link in a manner that is inconsistent with a teacher's directions and generally accepted network etiquette.
14. Altering or attempting to alter the configuration of a computer, network electronics, the operating system, or any of the software. 
15. Attempting to vandalize, disconnect or disassemble any network or computer component.
16. Utilizing the computers and network to retrieve information or run software applications not assigned by their teacher or inconsistent with school policy.
17. Providing another student with user account information or passwords.
18. Connecting to or installing any computer hardware, components, or software which is not school system property to or in the district's technology resources without prior approval of the district technology supervisory personnel.
19. Bringing on premises any disk or storage device that contains a software application or utility that could be used to alter the configuration of the operating system or network equipment, scan or probe the network, or provide access to unauthorized areas or data.
20. Downloading or accessing via e-mail or file sharing, any software or programs not specifically authorized by Technology personnel.
21. Bypassing or attempting to circumvent network security, virus protection, network filtering, or policies.
22. Possessing or accessing information on school property related to "Hacking", or altering, or bypassing network security or policies.
23. Participating on message boards without teacher direction.
24. Students may use the school computer system only for legitimate educational purposes, which include class work and independent research that is similar to the subjects studied in school. Students shall not access entertainment sites, such as social networking sites or gaming sites, except for legitimate educational purposes under the supervision of a teacher or other professional.
25. All student use of the District network and Internet system or personal cell phones or other digital devices used by students while on campus is subject to the provisions of the individual school policies. Students may not share or post personal information about or images of any other student, staff member or employee without permission from that student, staff member or employee. If a student is found to have abused a personal cell phone or digital device in a manner that is not in accord with this Appropriate Use Policy, in addition to other disciplinary actions, the administrator may ban the students' use of any and all personal cell phone or digital devices.
26. Students should follow the guidelines for searching that utilize safe search engines and technology.
27. Off Campus Internet Expression -- Students may be disciplined for expression on/off campus networks or websites only if the expression is deemed to cause a substantial disruption in school, or collide or interfere with the rights of other students, staff or employees.
28. Students maintaining or posting material to a Web site or blog that threatens a likelihood of substantial disruption in school, including harming or interfering with the rights of other students to participate fully in school or extracurricular activities is a violation of the Appropriate Use Policy and can subject the student to appropriate penalties and disciplinary action.

Board Approved Internet Safety Policy

Introduction

It is the policy of Cache County School District to: (a) prevent user access over its computer network to, or transmission of, inappropriate material via Internet, electronic mail, or other forms of direct electronic communications; (b) prevent unauthorized access and other unlawful online activity; (c) prevent unauthorized online disclosure, use, or dissemination of personal identification information of minors; and (d) comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act [Pub. L. No. 106-554 and Utah State Uniform School Code]

Definitions - Key terms are as defined in the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA).

* Access to Inappropriate Material - To the extent practical, technology protection measures (or Internet filters shall be used to block or filter Internet, or other forms of electronic communications, access to inappropriate information. Specifically, as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act, blocking shall be applied to visual depictions of material deemed obscene or child pornography, or to any material deemed harmful to minors.

* Subject to staff supervision, technology protection measures may be disabled or, in the case of minors, minimized only for bona fide research or other lawful purposes. To the extent practical, steps shall be taken to promote the safety and security of users of the Cache County School District online computer network when using electronic mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, and other forms of direct electronic communications.

* Specifically, as required by the Children's Internet Protection Act, prevention of inappropriate network usage includes: (a) unauthorized access, including so-called "hacking" and other unlawful activities; and (b) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors.

Inappropriate Network Usage Supervision and Monitoring

* The employees in Cache County School District have a responsibility and obligation to take all reasonable measures to protect children and provide a safe online environment.

*Internet safety training is to be provided to minors that address:

•Appropriate online behavior

•Cyberbullying awareness and response

•Social networking sites

•Chat rooms

* It shall be the responsibility of all members of the Cache County School District staff to supervise and monitor usage of the online computer network and access to the Internet in accordance with this policy and the Children's Internet protection Act.

* Procedures for the disabling or otherwise modifying any technology protection measures shall be the responsibility of the Director of Technology or designated representatives.

CIPA DEFINITION OF TERMS:

TECHNOLOGY PROTECTION MEASURE. The term "technology protection measure" means a specific
technology that blocks or filters Internet access to visual depictions that are:

1. OBSCENE, as that term is defined in section 1460 of title 18, United States Code;

2. CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, as that term is defined in section 2256 of title 18, United States Code; or

3. Harmful to minors.

HARMFUL TO MINORS. - The term "harmful to minors" means any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that:

1. Taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;

2. 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; and

3. Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.

SEXUAL ACT; SEXUAL CONTACT. - The terms "sexual act" and "sexual contact" have the meanings given such terms in section 2246 of title 18, United States Code.

Appropriate Use Policy for Computers and Network Resources

It is the belief of the Cache County School District Board of Education that the use of technology for the purpose of information acquisition, retrieval, manipulation, distribution and storage is an important part of preparing children to live in the 21st century. The Board further believes that a "technology rich" classroom can significantly enhance both the teaching and learning process. This technology includes digital hardware, software, local and wide area networks and access to the Internet. Due to the complex nature of these systems and the magnitude of information available via the Internet, the Cache County School District Board of Education believes guidelines regarding acceptable and appropriate use are warranted in order to serve the educational needs of students.

It shall be the policy of the Cache County School District's Board of Education that the school system shall have in continuous operation, with respect to any computers belonging to the school having access to the Internet: 

1. A qualifying "technology protection measure," as that term is defined in Section 1703(b)(1) of the Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000; and

2. Procedures or guidelines developed by the superintendent, administrators and/or other appropriate personnel which provide for monitoring the online activities of users and the use of the chosen technology protection measure to protect against access through such devices to visual depictions that are (i) obscene, (ii) child pornography, or (iii) harmful to minors, as those terms are defined in Section 1703(b)(1) and (2) of the Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000. Such procedures or guidelines shall be designed to:

a. Provide for monitoring the online activities of users to prevent, to the extent practicable, access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and the World Wide Web;

b. Promote the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications;

c. Prevent unauthorized access, including so-called "hacking," and other unauthorized activities by minors online;

d. Prevent the unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal identification information regarding minors; and

e. Restrict minors' access to materials "harmful to minors," as that term is defined in Section 1703(b)(2) of the Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000.

The district's technology resources are provided for educational purposes that promote and are consistent with the instructional goals of the Cache County School District Educational System. Use of computers and network resources outside the scope of this educational purpose is strictly prohibited. Students and employees accessing network services or any school computer shall comply with the district's appropriate use guidelines.

The district reserves the right to monitor, access, and disclose the contents of any user's files, activities, or communications.

It must also be understood that the Internet is a global, fluid community, which remains largely unregulated. While it is an extremely valuable tool for educational research, there are sections that are not commensurate with community, school, or family standards. It is the belief of the Board that the Internet's advantages far outweigh its disadvantages. The Cache County School District Board of Education will, through its administrative staff, provide an Internet screening system which blocks access to a large percentage of inappropriate sites. It should not be assumed, however, that users are completely prevented from accessing inappropriate materials or from sending or receiving objectionable communications.

Additionally, access to the Internet and computer resources is a privilege, not a right. Therefore, users violating the Cache County School District Board of Education's appropriate and Internet Safety policy shall be subject to revocation of these privileges and potential disciplinary action.

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