ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
These procedures are written to support the Electronic Resources policy of the Board and to promote positive and effective digital citizenship among students and staff. Digital citizenship represents more than technology literacy. Successful, technologically-fluent digital citizens live safely and civilly in an increasingly digital world. They recognize that information posed on the Internet is public and permanent, and can have a long-term impact on an individual's life and career. Expectations for student and staff behavior online are no different than face-to-face interactions.
Network
The District network includes wired and wireless computers and peripheral equipment, files and storage, e-mail, and Internet content (web sites, web mail, wikis, etc.) The District reserves the right to prioritize the use of, and access to, the network.
All use of the network must support education and research, and be consistent with the mission of the District.
Acceptable network use by District students and staff includes but is not limited to:
- Creation of files, projects, videos, web pages, and pod casts using network resources in support of education research;
- Participation in teacher monitored blogs; wikis; and bulletin boards; and the creation of content for pod casts, e-mail, and web pages that support educational research;
- With parental permission, the online publication of original educational material, curriculum-related materials, and student work. Sources outside the classroom or school must be cited appropriately;
- Staff use of the network for incidental personal use in accordance with all District policies and guidelines.
Unacceptable network use by District students and staff includes, but is not limited to:
- Use of third party web services providers, such as blogs; wikis; web pages, etc, without permission or approval from the District Technology Director;
- Personal gain, commercial solicitation, and/or compensation of any kind;
- Liability or cost(s) incurred by the District;
- Downloading and installation of games or other applications (including shareware or freeware) without permission or approval from the District Technology Director;
- Support or opposition for ballot measures, candidates, and/or any other political activity;
- Hacking, cracking, vandalizing, the introduction of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, time bombs and/or changes to hardware, software, and monitoring tools;
- Unauthorized access to other District computers, networks, and/or information systems;
- Cyber bullying, hate mail, defamation, harassment of any kind, discriminatory jokes and/or remarks;
- Information posted, sent, or stored online that could endanger others (i.e., bomb construction, drug manufacturing, etc.);
- Accessing, uploading, downloading, storage and/or distribution of obscene, pornographic, or sexually explicit materials; and
- Attaching unauthorized equipment to the District network. Any such equipment will be confiscated.
The District will not be responsible for any damages suffered by any user, including but not limited to, loss of data resulting from delays, non-deliveries, mis-deliveries, or service interruptions caused by its own negligence or any other errors or omissions. The District will not be responsible for unauthorized financial obligations resulting from the use of, or access to, the District's computer network or the Internet.
Internet Safety
Personal Information and Inappropriate Content:
- Students and staff should not reveal personal information, including a home address and phone number, on websites, blogs, pod casts, videos, wikis, e-mail, or as content on any other electronic medium;
- Students and staff should not reveal personal information about another individual on any electronic medium;
- No student pictures or names can be published on any class, school, or District website unless the appropriate permission has been verified according to District policy;
- If students encounter dangerous or inappropriate information or messages, they should notify the appropriate school authority.
Filtering and Monitoring
Filtering software is used to block or filter access to visual depictions that are obscene and all child pornography in accordance with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Other objectionable material and content that may consume excessive bandwidth could be filtered. The determination of what constitutes “other objectionable” material is a local decision.
- Filtering software is not 100% effective. While filters make it more difficult for objectionable material to be received or accessed, filters are not a solution in themselves. Every user must take responsibility for his or her use of the network and Internet and avoid objectionable sites;
- Any attempts to defeat or bypass the District's Internet filter or conceal Internet activity are prohibited: proxies, https, special ports, modifications to District browser settings and any other techniques designed to evade filtering or enable the publication of inappropriate content;
- E-mail inconsistent with the educational and research mission of the District will be considered SPAM and blocked from entering District e-mail boxes;
- The District will provide appropriate adult supervision of Internet use. The first line of defense in controlling access by minors to inappropriate material on the Internet is deliberate and consistent monitoring of student access to District computers;
- Staff members who supervise students, control electronic equipment, or have occasion to observe student use of said equipment online must make a reasonable effort to monitor the use of this equipment to assure that student use conforms to the mission and goals of the District; and
- Staff must make a reasonable effort to become familiar with the Internet and to monitor, instruct, and assist effectively.
- All users of the District network shall first read and sign a User Access Consent form to acknowledge understanding of the privileges and responsibilities of such use.
Copyright
Downloading, copying, duplicating and distributing software, music, sound files, movies, images, or other copyrighted materials without the specific written permission of the copyright owner is generally prohibited. However, the duplication and distribution of materials for educational purposes are permitted when such duplication and distribution fall within the Fair Use Doctrine of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, USC) and content is cited appropriately.
All student work is copyrighted. Permission to publish any student work requires permission from the parent or guardian.
Network Security and Privacy
Network Security
Passwords are the first level of security for a user account. System logins and accounts are to be used only by the authorized owner of the account for authorized District purposes. Student and staff are responsible for all activity on their account and must not share their account password.
The following procedures are designed to safeguard network user accounts:
- Change passwords according to District policy;
- Do not use another user's account;
- Do not insert user account passwords into e-mail or other communications;
- If you write down your user account password, keep it in a secure location;
- Do not store passwords in a file without encryption;
- Do not use the “remember password” feature of Internet browsers; and
- Lock the screen or log off if leaving the computer.
Student Data is Confidential
District staff must maintain the confidentiality of student data in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
No Expectation of Privacy
The District provides the network system, e-mail, and Internet access as a tool for education and research in support of the District's mission. The District reserves the right to monitor, inspect, copy, review, and store (without prior notice) information about the content and usage of:
- The network
- User files and disk space utilization
- User applications and bandwidth utilization
- User document files, folders, and electronic communications
- E-mail
- Internet access
- Any and all information transmitted or received in connection with network and e-mail use
No student or staff user should have any expectation of privacy when using the District's network. The District reserves the right to disclose any electronic messages to law enforcement officials or third parties as appropriate. All documents are subject to the public records disclosure laws of the State of Washington.
Archive and Backup
Backup is made of all District e-mail correspondence for purposes of public disclosure and disaster recovery. Barring power outage or intermittent technical issues, staff and student files are backed up on District servers at regular intervals. Refer to the District retention policy for specific records retention requirements.
Disciplinary Action
All users of the District's electronic resources are required to comply with the District's policy and procedures and agree to abide by the provisions set forth in the District User's Agreement. Violation of any of the conditions of use explained in the District User's Agreement, Electronic Resources policy, or in these procedures could be cause for disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion from school and suspension or revocation of network and computer access privileges.