Board Approved June 29, 2010
The district's technology exists for the purpose of maximizing the educational opportunities and achievement of district students. The professional enrichment of the staff and Board and increased engagement of the students' families and other patrons of the district are assisted by technology, but are secondary to the ultimate goal of student achievement.
Use of technology resources in a disruptive, manifestly inappropriate or illegal manner impairs the district's mission, squanders resources and shall not be tolerated. Therefore, a consistently high level of personal responsibility is expected of all users granted access to the district's technology resources. Development of students' personal responsibility is itself an expected benefit of the district technology program.
User Identification and Network Security
The district technology resources may be used by authorized students, employees, school Board members and other persons such as consultants, legal counsel and independent contractors. Use of the district's technology resources is a privilege, not a right. No student, employee or other potential user will be given an ID, password or other access to district technology if he or she is considered a security risk by the superintendent or designee. Users must adhere to district policies, regulations, procedures and other district guidelines. All users shall immediately report any security problems or misuse of the district's technology resources to an administrator or teacher.
User Agreement and Privacy
Unless authorized by the superintendent or designee, all users must have an appropriately signed User Agreement on file with the district before they are allowed access to district technology resources. All users must agree to follow the district's policies, regulations and procedures. In addition, all users must recognize that they do not have a legal expectation of privacy in any electronic communications or other activities involving the district's technology. A user ID with e-mail access, if granted, is provided to users of this district’s network and technology resources only on condition that the user consents in his or her User Agreement to interception of or access to all communications accessed, sent, received or stored using district technology. A User Agreement may consist of acceptance of the contents of the official student handbook.
Content Filtering and Monitoring
The district will monitor the online activities of minors and operate a technology protection measure ("filtering/blocking device") on the network and/or all computers with Internet access, as required by law. The filtering/blocking device will be used to protect against access to visual depictions that are obscene, harmful to minors and child pornography, as required by law. Because the district's technology is a shared resource, the filtering/blocking device will apply to all computers with Internet access in the district. Filtering/Blocking devices are not foolproof, and the district cannot guarantee that users will never be able to access offensive materials using district equipment. Evasion or disabling, or attempting to evade or disable, a filtering/blocking device installed by the district is prohibited.
The superintendent, designee or the district's technology administrator may disable the district's filtering/blocking device to enable an adult user access for bona fide research or for other lawful purposes. In making decisions to disable the district's filtering/blocking device, the administrator shall consider whether the use will serve a legitimate educational purpose or otherwise benefit the district. The content of each school's server will be supervised by the district technology coordinator and building principal. Student projects posted on school district servers must be approved by the district technology coordinator or building principal.
Student Users
No student will be given access to the district's technology resources until the district receives a User Agreement signed by the student and the student's parent(s), guardian(s) or person(s) standing in the place of a parent. Students who are 18 or who are otherwise able to enter into an enforceable contract may sign the User Agreement without additional signatures. Students who do not have a User Agreement on file with the district may be granted permission to use district technology by the superintendent or designee. A User Agreement may consist of acceptance of the contents of the official student handbook.
Privacy
A user does not have a legal expectation of privacy in the user's electronic communications or other activities involving the district's technology resources. All district technology resources are considered district property. The district may maintain or improve technology resources at any time. The district may remove, change or exchange hardware or other technology between buildings, classrooms, employees, students or any other user at any time without prior notice. Authorized district personnel may load or delete new programs or information, install new equipment, upgrade any system or enter any system to correct problems at any time.
The district may examine all information stored on district technology resources at any time. The district may monitor employee and student technology usage. Electronic communications, all data stored on the district's technology resources and downloaded material, including files deleted from a user's account, may be intercepted, accessed or searched by district administrators or designees at any time.
Violations of Technology Usage Policies and Procedures
Use of the district's technology resources is a privilege, not a right. A user's privileges may be suspended pending an investigation concerning use of the district's technology resources. Any violation of district policies, regulations or procedures regarding technology usage may result in temporary, long-term or permanent suspension of user privileges. The administration may use disciplinary measures to enforce district policies, regulations and procedures. Employees may be disciplined or terminated, and students suspended or expelled, for violating the district's policies, regulations and procedures. Any attempted violation of district policies, regulations or procedures, regardless of the success or failure of the attempt, may result in the same discipline or suspension of privileges as that of an actual violation.
Damages
All damages incurred by the district due to the misuse of the district's technology resources, including the loss of property and staff time, will be charged to the user. District administrators have the authority to sign any criminal complaint regarding damage to district technology.
General Rules and Responsibilities
The following rules and responsibilities will be followed by all users of the district technology resources:
1. Applying for a user ID under false pretenses is prohibited. Using another person's user ID and/or password is prohibited. Sharing one's user ID and/or password with any other person is prohibited. A user will be responsible for actions taken by any person using the ID or password assigned to the user.
2. Deleting, examining, copying or modifying files and/or data belonging to other users without their prior consent is prohibited.
3. Mass consumption of technology resources that inhibits use by others is prohibited.
4. Unless authorized by the district, non-educational Internet usage is prohibited.
5. Use of district technology for soliciting, advertising, fundraising, commercial purposes or for financial gain is prohibited, unless authorized by the district.
6. Accessing fee services without permission from an administrator is prohibited. A user who accesses such services without permission is solely responsible for all charges incurred.
7. Users are required to obey all laws, including criminal, copyright, privacy, defamation and obscenity laws. The school district will render all reasonable assistance to local, state or federal officials for the investigation and prosecution of persons using district technology in violation of any law.
8. Accessing, viewing or disseminating information using district resources, including e-mail or Internet access, that is pornographic, obscene, child pornography, harmful to minors, obscene to minors, libelous, pervasively indecent or vulgar, or advertising any product or service not permitted to minors is prohibited.
9. Accessing, viewing or disseminating information using school or district resources, including e-mail or Internet access, that constitutes insulting or fighting words, the very expression of which injures or harasses other people (e.g., threats of violence, defamation of character or of a person's race, religion or ethnic origin); presents a clear and present likelihood that, because of their content or their manner of distribution, they will cause a material and substantial disruption of the proper and orderly operation and discipline of the school or school activities; or will cause the commission of unlawful acts or the violation of lawful school regulations is prohibited.
10. Any use that has the purpose or effect of discriminating or harassing any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, pregnancy or use of leave protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act or the violation of any person's rights under applicable laws is prohibited.
11. Any unauthorized, deliberate or negligent action that damages or disrupts technology, alters its normal performance or causes it to malfunction is prohibited, regardless of the location or the duration of the disruption.
12. Users may only install and use properly licensed software, audio or video media purchased by the district or approved for use by the district. All users will adhere to the limitations of the district's technology licenses. Copying for home use is prohibited unless permitted by the district's license and approved by the district.
13. All users will use the district's property as it was intended. Technology or technology hardware will not be lifted, moved or relocated without permission from an administrator. All users will be held accountable for any damage they cause to district technology resources.
Technology Security and Unauthorized Access
1. Use of district technology resources in attempting to gain or gaining unauthorized access to any technology system or the files of another is prohibited.
2. Use of district technology to connect to other systems, in evasion of the physical limitations of the remote system, is prohibited.
3. The unauthorized copying of system files is prohibited.
4. Intentional or negligent attempts, whether successful or unsuccessful, to interfere with the ability of others to utilize any district technology are prohibited.
5. Any attempts to secure a higher level of privilege on the technology resources without .authorization are prohibited.
6. The introduction of computer "viruses," "hacking" tools or other disruptive/destructive programs into a school or district computer, network or any external networks is prohibited.
Online Safety--Disclosure, Use and Dissemination of Personal Information
Student safety is of primary importance to the Lebanon R-3 School District; all staff members have a responsibility to educate students about appropriate online behavior, including interactions with other individuals on social networking sites/chat rooms, and cyber bullying awareness and response.
1. All students will be instructed on the dangers of sharing personal information about themselves or others over the Internet.
2. Student users are prohibited from sharing personal information about themselves or others over the Internet, unless authorized by the district.
3. Student users shall not agree to meet with someone they have met online without parental approval.
4. A student user shall promptly disclose to his or her teacher or another school employee any message the user receives that is inappropriate or makes the user feel uncomfortable.
5. Users shall receive or transmit communications using only district-approved and district-managed communication systems. For example, users may not use web-based e-mail, messaging, videoconferencing or chat services, except in special cases where arrangements have been made in advance and approved by the district.
6. No curricular or non-curricular publication distributed using district technology will include the address, phone number or e-mail address of any student without permission.
Electronic Mail
A user is responsible for all e-mail originating from the user's ID or password.
1. Forgery or attempted forgery of e-mail messages is illegal and is prohibited.
2. Unauthorized attempts to read, delete, copy or modify e-mail of other users are prohibited.
3. Users are prohibited from sending unsolicited electronic mail to more than 5 addresses per message, per day, unless the communication is a necessary, employment-related function or an authorized publication. Users should not send or perpetuate pyramid-generating messages, like chain letters and any other "Send this important message to everyone you know!!!" gimmicks.
4. All users must adhere to the same standards for communicating online that are expected in the classroom and that are consistent with district policies, regulations and procedures.
Waiver
Any user who believes he or she has a legitimate reason for using the district's technology in a manner that may violate any of the district's adopted policies, regulations and procedures may request a waiver from the building principal, superintendent or their designees. In making the decision to grant a waiver to a student, the administrator shall consider the purpose, age, maturity and level of supervision involved.
In addition to the above policy, the district Internet usage is governed by the MOREnet Service Policy.