USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Students and staff recognize that access to information is the foundation of education. The Mill Valley School District network is designed to provide and protect stable access to this vital resource for all the members of our school community which includes: students, teachers, parents, and volunteers. Users of this network have an obligation to treat the network with respect and good judgment.

1. The use of all technology, including the MVSD network, is a privilege, not a right. Students are intended to use the Internet for purposes consistent with school curriculum. If a user chooses to violate this policy technology privileges may be revoked and future access denied.

2. MVSD students must adhere to the following terms and conditions for using the MVSD network Internet:

* Although the Internet provides valuable information and resources, it is not the same as the print resources in a school library. School library resources are carefully selected to meet the needs of the curriculum and are organized to be easy to find. The Internet is unregulated and unorganized.

* Along with the valuable curriculum-related materials and websites, inappropriate and/or inaccurate materials are just as easy to find. Inappropriate web sites include those that are violent, explicit, defamatory or threatening. Students and parents need to be aware that unregulated access to the Internet may not be appropriate or safe for their child.

* The wealth of information available on the Internet requires students to exercise caution and good judgment about sharing of personal information. Students need to be aware that there is no privacy on the Internet or on the district’s computer network. Mill Valley School District retains the right to access and read the contents of student accounts at any time including e-mail students send or receive on school computers.

3. Mill Valley School District students are required to demonstrate respect for resources:

* Information is property. Users must acknowledge the property’s owner. Intellectual property includes: student projects, teacher projects, photos, lyrics, files, music, video, and any other media or information. It is expected that users will follow copyright laws when using intellectual property. “Users will never publish information they know to be untrue or potentially harmful.”

* “Users will never undertake any action that has the potential to damage any part of MVSD’s technology infrastructure.” These actions include, but are not limited to, altering the school’s computer system, launching or distributing viruses or other damaging software, physically damaging or altering hardware or software.

* As a part of this network all users understand the importance of reporting any misuse of it to school staff. It is difficult and costly to replace equipment and repair network problems. It is imperative that ALL users treat the equipment with respect.

4. Consequences of Breaking the Technology Student Use Policy
* Students who intentionally damage equipment, alter or destroy other user’s intellectual property, or use the Internet inappropriately are subject to disciplinary actions by the administration – including the revocation of student use privileges. The administration may also contact the Mill Valley Police Department for serious infractions.