Riverside Brookfield High School
Riverside, IL

Library and Instructional Technology

         Acceptable Use Policy  

RIVERSIDE BROOKFIELD HIGH SCHOOL
Technology Acceptable Use Policies

Student AUP	Staff AUP
Student Signature Page	Staff Signature Page

                 

Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy 

Definition

The term “technology” shall include all computer and audio visual hardware and software owned or operated by the District, District web sites, District online services, and electronic information systems. “Use” of District technology shall include use of or obtaining access to the system from any electronic device and/or computer terminal, whether or not owned or operated by the District. 

Purpose

Technology at Riverside Brookfield High School is a tool to enhance learning experiences. Through the effective use of technology, users broaden their global horizons and discover a vast scope of information and learning resources. Integrating technology into the curriculum affords students the best possible opportunities to develop the 21st Century skills required by changing business and educational communities.

 Our goal in providing technologies is to promote a comprehensive education in a well-equipped environment as indicated in the District Mission Statement. This policy is intended to support educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication.

 Authority and Responsibility

With access to technology and to people all over the world also comes the availability of material that may not be considered to be of educational value in the context of the school setting. On a dynamic global network it is impossible to control access to all materials or to predict what materials might be appropriate for specific school assignments. Riverside Brookfield High School will take the reasonable precautions necessary to restrict access to controversial materials, but users ultimately are responsible for choosing the information to be accessed.

 Expectations

District students are expected to act in a responsible, ethical and legal manner in accordance with Federal and State law, District policy, and the District Technology Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).

 Specifically, students who use technology will:

• Have no expectation of privacy.

• Be responsible at all times for the proper use of their access privileges and for avoiding impersonations, anonymity, or unauthorized sharing of security measures or other confidential information.
• Take responsibility for any activities using technology that is borrowed by them or under their account or password.
• Maintain the integrity of technological resources from potentially damaging messages, physical abuse, or viruses.
• Respect the rights of others to use equipment and therefore not use it for non-school activities during the school day.
• Protect the privacy of other users and the integrity of the system by avoiding misuses of passwords, others’ files, equipment and programs.
• Use appropriate language.

 Specifically, students who use technology will not:

• Use technology for illegal activities.
• Access, submit, post, publish, display or create any defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially/religiously offensive, harassing, illegal or other material unsuitable in the educational setting or unrelated to the District’s educational program.
• Create and/or propagate unsolicited advertising, political lobbying, chain letters, pyramid schemes, computer worms, viruses, or other acts of vandalism. Vandalism includes any attempt to harm or destroy data of another user, the Internet, the District’s Network or any other network. This includes, but is not limited to, uploading, downloading, creation or knowing transmission of computer viruses. If a user is uncertain whether his or her conduct is permissible, he or she should contact the System Administrator.
• Use the network to transmit material likely to be offensive or objectionable to recipients.
• Impersonate another user, or use anonymity or pseudonyms to obscure identification.
• Use the network for personal business or financial gain.
• Post personal contact information about oneself, a student or staff member, or otherwise invade the privacy of individuals or violating the Illinois School Student Records Act or Federal Right to Privacy Act.
• Use the account or password of another user.
• Trespass in others’ folders, work, or files, or gain unauthorized access to resources or entities.
• Quote personal communications in a public forum without the original author’s prior consent.
• Represent personal views as those of the District or those that could be interpreted as such.
• Load or use unauthorized games, programs, files, or other electronic media.
• Violate copyright laws. See http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr280.shtml for an overview of copyright law pertaining to education.
• Damage technology, hardware and/ or software.
• Attempt and/ or breach security measures or remove hardware/ software, networks, information, or communication devices from the District network.
• Use District technology while privileges have been suspended.

These guidelines are not meant to encompass all issues. Other behavior considered to be inappropriate will be judged by the school on a case-by-case basis.

Disciplinary Actions

Failure to comply with this policy and any administrative regulations and guidelines governing the use of technology will result in disciplinary action by staff, administration, and/ or the Board of Education.

Minimum disciplinary action will include a conference or reprimand. Additional actions as deemed appropriate will include staff/ parent contact; referral to an administrator; loss of access to specific technology and/ or designated area for a minimum of three school days up to 10 school days (multiple infractions or egregious misuses may result in extended or permanent loss of privileges); confiscation of inappropriate item(s); restoration/ restitution; administrative and/ or Board of Education action, including such serious consequences as suspension and expulsion.

No Expectation of Privacy

Users must recognize that there is no assurance of confidentiality with respect to access to transmissions and files by persons outside, or from persons inside, the District. Also, Riverside Brookfield High School reserves the right to log technology use, to monitor fileserver space utilization by users and to examine users’ files and materials as needed; therefore, users cannot expect absolute privacy from District personnel as to their use of technology.

Revised and approved by the Board of Education June 2010