Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and Sign-Off form for students
Students and parents are required to read the District Acceptable Use Policy annually, and indicate that they have read, understand, and agree to abide by the policy. Please do read the policy below. There is a sign
ACCESS TO NETWORKED INFORMATION RESOURCES (ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY)
The Board of Education recognizes that as telecommunications and other new technologies shift the ways that information may be accessed, communicated and transferred by members of society, those changes may also alter instruction and student learning. The Board generally supports access by students and staff to rich information resources along with the development by staff of appropriate skills to analyze and evaluate such resources. In a free and democratic society, access to information is a fundamental right of citizenship.
The Board supports the educational use of the District Network and Internet because it offers vast, diverse, and unique resources for both our students and staff. The goal in providing this service to staff and students is to promote educational excellence in schools by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication.
The Internet is an electronic highway connecting thousands of computers all over the world and millions of individual subscribers. The key concept underlying the Internet is the interconnectivity – something that will allow administrators, teachers, other staff, and more importantly, students to access an unparalleled array of communication and information resources. Students and staff have access to general Internet tools including, but not limited to electronic mail ( email), the Internet, and social media.
Definitions
Social Media: Includes all methods of interaction online in all forms of user generated and distributed content including, but not limited to, blogs and social networking sites as referenced on the Warwick Valley Central School District website.
Professional Use: Refers to the creation of social media accounts by staff or students to advance or enhance a program or function of the District.
Personal Use: Refers to the use of social media to advance oneself personally, although this may include some work-related or school-related activities such as networking or promoting a District program of service. Content reflects the personal opinion of the account holder. Digital Citizenship is defined as the norms of appropriate, responsible technology use.
In compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and Regulations of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the District will enforce an Internet safety policy that ensures the use of technology protection measures (i.e., filtering and/or blocking of access to certain material on the Internet) on all District computers with Internet access. Such technology protection measures apply to Internet access by both adults and minors with regard to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or, with respect to the use of computers by minors, considered harmful to such students.
Utilization of technology protection measures and other safety procedures for staff and students when accessing the Internet fosters the educational mission of the schools including the selection of appropriate teaching/instructional materials and activities to enhance the schools’ programs; and to help ensure the safety of personnel and students while online.
Social media may be used for educational or promotional purposes. Dignity for All Students Act, Guidance on Bullying and Cyberbullying, outlines the District’s responsibility to address cyberbullying not only with our schools, but also incidents that occur off school property that could “foreseeably disrupt” the school educational environment. This guidance includes any conduct taking place on social media and at any time of the day. Any student disciplinary actions as it relates to conduct on social media and cyberbullying will follow the District’s Code of Conduct.
Although no filtering technology can guarantee that staff and students will be prevented from accessing all inappropriate material, proper safety procedures, as deemed appropriate by the applicable administrator/program supervisor, will be provided to ensure compliance with the CIPA.
In addition to the use of technology protection measures, the monitoring of online activities and access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet may include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
a. Ensuring the presence of a teacher and/or other appropriate District personnel when students are accessing the Internet including during the normal school day, but not limited to, the supervision of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications. As determined by the applicable administrator/program supervisor, the use of email and chat rooms may be blocked as deemed necessary to ensure the safety of such students;
b. Monitoring logs of access in order to keep track of the websites visited by students as a measure to restrict access to materials harmful to minors;
c. The communications office reserves the right, with superintendent approval, to remove content posted to, or within the comment sections of, the Warwick Valley Central School District’s official social media sites that:
Off topic
Contains personal attacks
Contains spam
Contains offensive language
Contains private/confidential information and/or
Contains viewpoints that are not those of the commentator (such as when an account is hacked or used by another person)
d. The dissemination of the District’s Acceptable Use Policy and accompanying Regulations to parents and students in order to provide notice of the school’s requirements, expectations, and student’s obligations when accessing the Internet. In compliance with this Internet Safety Policy as well as the District’s Acceptable Use Policy, unauthorized access (including so-called “hacking”) and other unlawful activities by minors are prohibited by the District; and student violations of such policies may result in disciplinary action; and
e. The District will be following and enforcing the NYS Parents’ Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security.
The terms “minor,” “child pornography,” “harmful to minors,” “obscene,” “technology protection measure,” “sexual act,” and “sexual contact” will be as defined in accordance with CIPA and other applicable laws/regulations as may be appropriate and implemented pursuant to the District’s educational mission.
Adopted: 3/12/12
Revised: 11/14/16