Board of Education Technology
The
mission of the Chester Township Public Schools, in part is to provide a
flexible learning environment tailored to meet the needs of students. Toward that end, the students and staff need
the ability to use and access various types of technologies, including the
Internet, as integral parts of their educational process. The Internet provides interaction between:
(a) the students and millions of information sources, (b) the public and the
school district, and, (c) between and among educators and the community.
To
support its commitment to providing avenues of access to the universe of
information available, the district’s system of electronic communication shall
include access to the Internet for students and staff.
The
Internet constitutes an unregulated collection of resources that changes
constantly, so it is not possible to totally predict or control the resources
that users may locate. The Board cannot
guarantee
the
accuracy of the information or the appropriateness of materials that a user may
encounter. Furthermore, the Board shall
not be responsible for any damage users may suffer, including but not limited
to, loss of data or interruptions of service.
Nor shall the Board be responsible for financial obligations arising
through the unauthorized use of the system.
The computer system is the
property of the district, and all computer software and hardware belong
to it. Therefore, the district retains the right to
monitor all access to and use of the Internet.
The Board designates the
Superintendent as the coordinator of the district system. He/she shall recommend to the Board of
Education qualified staff persons to ensure provision of individual and class
accounts necessary for access to the Internet, designation of quotas for disk
usage on the system, establishment of a document retention schedule, establishment
of a virus protection process and coordination of other activities as required
to maintain the system.
Each
principal shall coordinate the district system in his/her building by approving
all activities for that building; ensuring that teachers receive proper
training in the use of the system; ensuring that students
are
adequately supervised when using the system; maintaining executed user
agreements; and interpreting this acceptable use policy at the building level.
This acceptable use policy shall
govern all use of the system. Sanctions for student misuse of the system shall
be included in the disciplinary code for students, as set out in regulations
for policy 5131 conduct/discipline.
Employee misuse may result in appropriate discipline in accord with the
collective bargaining agreement and applicable laws and regulations.
The Board shall ensure the acquisition and installation of
blocking/filtering software to deny access to certain areas of the Internet.
All
students and employees of the Board shall have access to the Web through the
district’s computers.
District employees shall be provided with an individual account and
dial-up access to the system. They shall follow the guidelines of this
acceptable policy.
Student
use of the Internet shall be supervised by qualified staff.
The Board authorizes the
Superintendent to establish and maintain a district web site. The purpose of the web site will be to inform
the community of district programs, policies and practices.
Individual schools and classes may also establish web sites that include
information on the activities of that school or class. The building principal shall oversee these
web sites.
The Superintendent shall publish
and disseminate guidelines on acceptable material for these web sites.
The Superintendent shall ensure that parents/guardians are notified
about the district network and the rules governing its use. Parents/guardians
who do not wish their child(ren) to have access to the Internet must notify the
principal in writing.
Any student in grades K-8 and/or community members seeking
to use the technological resources of the district must sign a “Technology Use
Agreement” to ensure he/she will not attempt to acquire data for
non-educational purposes. In addition,
all students must have the form signed by their parent or guardian, and adults
using the facilities must sign and submit the form. Failure to submit a properly executed
Technology
Use Agreement will preclude the student, and staff, and/or
community member use of computers and/or related technologies available in the
schools.
In the event there is an allegation that a student has
violated the Acceptable Use Policy, the student will be provided with a written
notice of the alleged vi0olation and an opportunity to present an explanation
before a neutral administrator. All
users who have violated this policy shall be subject to disciplinary and legal
action where warranted. This includes
warnings, suspension of user privileges, criminal prosecution, and monetary
restitution for damages caused.
Students shall not post personal contact information about themselves or
others. Nor shall students engage in any
kind of personal contact with individuals they meet online. Attempts at contact from such individuals
shall be reported immediately to the staff person monitoring that child’s
access to the Internet. Personal contact
information includes but is not limited to names, home, school and/or work addresses,
telephone numbers, or personal photographs.
Users shall not attempt
to gain unauthorized access to the district system or to any other computer
system through the district system, nor shall they go beyond their authorized
access. This includes attempting to log in
through another individual’s account or accessing another’s files.
Users shall not
deliberately attempt to disrupt the district’s computer system performance or
destroy data by spreading computer viruses, worms, “Trojan Horses,” trap door
program codes or any similar product that can damage computer systems,
firewalls, servers or network systems.
Users shall not use the district system to engage in illegal
activities.
Users shall not access
material that is profane or obscene, that advocates illegal acts, or that
advocates violence or hate. Inadvertent
access to such material should be reported immediately to the supervising staff
person.
Users shall not plagiarize
material that is available on the Internet.
Plagiarism is presenting another’s ideas/words as one’s own.
Users shall not infringe on
copyrighted material and shall follow all dictates of copyright law and the
applicable policies of this district.
Prohibited language applies to public messages, private
messages, and material posted on web pages.
Users shall not send or intentionally receive messages that
contain obscene, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, or threatening
language and/or images.
Users shall not use the
system to spread messages that can reasonably be interpreted as harassing,
discriminatory or defamatory.
Users
are responsible for their accounts and should take all reasonable precautions
to prevent unauthorized access to them.
In no case should a user provide his/her password to another individual.
Users shall immediately notify the
supervising staff person or data processing department if they detect
a possible security problem. Users shall not access the system solely for
the purpose of searching for security problems.
Users shall not install
or download software or other applications without permission of the
supervising staff person.
Users shall access the
system only for educational, professional or career development activities. This applies to discussion group mail lists.
Users shall check e-mail frequently and delete messages
promptly.
Users shall respect the privacy of messages that they
receive and refrain from reposting messages without approval of the sender.
Users shall not publish private information about another
individual.
The
superintendent shall prepare regulations to implement this policy.
RETURN THIS PORTION TO THE SCHOOL
Date: __________
Parent/Guardian Consent Form:
I have read and understood the
Acceptable Use Policy for Chester Township Schools. I also have read and discussed with my child
the implications of the student use agreement and the penalties involved for
violating the agreement and have witnessed my child signing the document. I also understand the district technology is
for educational purposes only and that the school district has taken reasonable
steps to safeguard the access for users.
However, I understand that it is not possible to stop all inappropriate
activities and I will not hold the district responsible for any materials
obtained through the use of the networks.
I give permission for my child to
use all the technological resources of the Chester Township Schools.
Parent/Guardian Name:
________________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature:
_____________________________________________________________
I have read and understood, and will abide by the
Acceptable Use Policy of the Chester Township Board of Education. I also understand that a violation of the
policy may result in the revocation of technological privileges, possible failure
from the course involved, and disciplinary action by the school or appropriate
legal action if laws are violated. I
also understand my parents/guardians will be financially responsible for any
damages I cause by the misuse of technology.
As a community of learners, I understand that I have a responsibility to
report inappropriate activity to the supervising staff member
Student User’s Name:
________________________________________________________________
Students User’s Signature:
_____________________________________________________________
School:
____________________________________________________________Date: ____________
RETURN THIS PORTION TO THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
AND/OR
COURSE INSTRUCTOR
Date: ______________
I have read, understood, and will
abide by the Acceptable Use Policy of the Chester Township Board of
Education. I also understand that a
violation of the policy may result in the revocation of technological
privileges and disciplinary action by school officials or appropriate legal
action if laws are violated.
Adult User’s Name:
__________________________________________________________________
Adult User’s
Signature:_______________________________________________Date: ___________
School:___________________________________________________________________________
Date Revised: June 2,
2005
Date Adopted: August 25, 1998
Legal References: N.J.S.A. 2A:38A-1 et seq. Computer System
N.J.S.A. 2C:20-25 Computer Related
Theft
N.J.S.A. 18A:7A-11 Annual
report of local school district; contents;
annual
report of commissioner; report on
improvement
of basic skills
N.J.A.C. 6A:24-1.1 et
seq. Urban
Education Reform in the Abbott Districts
See particularly:
N.J.A.C. 6A:24-1.4, 2.2, 4.1, 6.1
N.J.A.C. 6A:30-1.1 et
seq. Evaluation
of the Performance of
17 U.S.C.
101 United
States Copyright Law
47 U.S.C.
254(h) Children’s
Internet Protection Act
N.J. v.
T.L.O. 469
O’Connor v.
Ortega 480
Manual for
the Evaluation of Local School Districts
(August 2000)
Cross References: 1111 District
publications
3514 Equipment
3543 Office services
4118.2/4218.2 Freedom of speech (staff)
5114 Suspension and expulsion
5124 Reporting to
parents/guardians
5131 Conduct/discipline
5131.5 Vandalism/violence
5142 Pupil safety
5145.2 Freedom of speech/expression
(students)
6144 Controversial issues
6145.3 Publications
6161 Equipment, books and
materials