HOWELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

TECHNOLOGY ACCESS AND ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY SUMMARY

This is a policy summary. Students and staff should read and will be accountable for following the entire policy.

1. Technology covered by this policy includes the use of District software, audio and video media, computers and hardware peripherals, networks, telecommunications, video and audio equipment.

2. The use of District technology is a privilege, which can be revoked at any time by the District. Any student found with executable files (.exe) in their home drive would have their computer privileges revoked for the remainder of the school year.

3. Each individual user is responsible for the reasonable care of technology, including hardware and software while in their possession or while they are using it.

4. Users of District technology will be responsible for its use and misuse. Appropriate use of District technology is defined as use in furtherance of the instructional goals and mission of the District. Users should consider any use, which does not fall under this definition of appropriate use as being potential misuse for which a loss of technology use and disciplinary consequences may occur.

5. Staff and students acknowledge that software, audio and video media are protected by a variety of licensing agreements and copyright laws. Any misuse of technology may subject the user, as well as the District, to a variety of legal liabilities. Staff and students need the permission of the Technology Director to install software or media.

6. Users are responsible for the security of the technology, including the ability to use that technology to access confidential information, while such technology is in their possession or under their control. Staff and students are not to either use or disclose confidential information.

7. Passwords are the property of the user and are not to be used by anyone else.

8. All technology must be returned and available for instruction whenever students are present for instruction.

9. Howell Public Schools does not guarantee that Internet filtering and other precautions we have taken to block potentially objectionable content will control user access to such materials.

10. E-mail is not considered private communication. It may be re-posted. It may be accessed by others and is subject to subpoena. School officials reserve the right to monitor any or all activity on the district's computer system and to inspect any user's e-mail files.

TECHNOLOGY ACCESS AND ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

Technology mission statement: Howell Public Schools promotes and encourages innovation and educational excellence, through the use of electronic information technologies in educational endeavors. The district provides access to information resources available in a variety of electronic formats and for the development of information management skills. Together these allow learners to access current and relevant resources, provide the opportunity to communicate in a technologically rich environment and assist them to become responsible, self-directed, life-long learners.

I. Overview

Howell Public Schools provides technology in furtherance of the educational goals and mission of the District. As part of the consideration for making technology available to staff and students, users agree to use this technology only for appropriate educational purposes. Howell Public Schools provides the use of technology, which is defined in this policy as including, but not limited to, telecommunications equipment, video and audio equipment owned or leased by Howell Public Schools, the use of software, computer hardware, peripherals and computer networks in all of our schools. The intent of the Howell Public Schools' Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that all uses of technology are consistent with its stated purpose. This policy does not attempt to articulate all required or prescribed behavior by its members. To assist in such judgement, guidelines for use have been outlined in this acceptable use policy. The use of District technology is a privilege, not a right, which can be revoked at any time by the District. Any questions that users may have concerning appropriate use should be addressed to the District Technology Director.

II. Rights and Responsibilities

A. Access to Potentially Objectionable Content

Users are advised that some systems may contain defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, or illegal material. Users, Howell Public Schools and system administrators do not condone the use of such materials. Users and parents of students accessing the system should be aware of the existence of such materials and are responsible for monitoring usage of the system.

In order to assist parents, the Board directs the superintendent or his/her designee to develop and enforce a system or method (that is designated to prevent minors from viewing obscene matter or sexually explicit matter that is harmful to minors) in Howell Public School's media centers and computer labs. In addition, on or before July 1, 2001, Howell Public Schools will implement filtering software intended to block minor's access to: (1) visual depictions that are obscene (2) child pornography (3) words or visuals that are harmful to minors or (4) information that Howell Public Schools determines to be inappropriate for minors.

Despite the precautions that Howell Public Schools may take to prevent access to potentially objectionable content, Howell Public Schools does not guarantee that it will control user access to such materials, or that users will not have access to such materials while using Howell Public School's technological resources. Through the use of filtering software, the school district will make every effort to prevent such access or exposure.

B. Warranties Not Provided

Howell Public Schools will not be responsible for any damages suffered by the user. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at the user's own risk. Howell Public Schools specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained though its services.

Howell Public Schools is not liable for any information or data that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable due to technical or other difficulties, delays, nondeliveries, misdeliveries, or service interruptions caused by its own negligence or the user's errors or omissions.

Howell Public Schools is not responsible for any damages to a user's own hardware or software caused by downloading computer viruses or other contaminants.

E-mail is not considered private communication. It may be re-posted. It may be accessed by others and is subject to subpoena. School officials reserve the right to monitor any or all activity on the district's computer system and to inspect any user's e-mail files. Users should not expect that their communications on the system are private. Confidential information should not be transmitted via e-mail. Messages relating to or in support of illegal activities may be reported to the authorities.

Members using district technology will be responsible for its use and misuse. Appropriate use of district technology is defined as a use to further the instructional goals and mission of the district. Members should consider any use outside these instructional goals and mission constitutes potential misuse, which could result in loss of technology privileges and / or in disciplinary consequences. Any questions should be referred to the District Technology Director.

Rights

Members have the right to:

Ä Use all authorized hardware and software for which they have received training to facilitate learning and enhance educational information exchange.

Ä Access information from outside resources, which facilitate learning and enhance educational information exchange.

Ä Access district networks and the Internet to retrieve and submit information to facilitate learning and enhance educational information exchange.

Ä Use, freely and without encumbrance, of network resources, intellectual freedom and the rights delineated in HPS student handbook with respect to conditions of inclusion in all educational activities supported by the Howell Public Schools.

Responsibilities

Members are responsible for:

Ä Utilizing technology in the school only for facilitating learning and enhancing educational information exchange consistent with the purposes of the school.

Ä Attending appropriate training sessions in the use and care of hardware, software and networks and refraining from using any technology for which they have not received training.

Ä Adhering to the rules established for the use of hardware, software, labs and networks in the school or through remote access outside of the school.

Ä Maintaining the privacy of passwords and are prohibited from publishing or discussing passwords.

Ä Accepting responsibility for all material received via the Internet under their account. This includes keeping or storing all pornographic material, inappropriate files or files dangerous to the integrity of the school's network, equipment or software from entering the school via the Internet or from being reproduced in visual, digital or written format.

Ä Making all subscriptions to listservs or newsgroups known to the District Technology Director or Network System Administrator and seeking prior approval before requesting such subscriptions on the Internet.

Ä Maintaining the integrity of the electronic mail (E-mail) system, reporting any violations of privacy and making only those E-mail contacts which facilitate learning and enhance educational information exchange.

Ä Adhering to copyright guidelines in the use of hardware and software and in transmitting or copying text or files on the Internet or from other resources.

Members are prohibited from:

Ä Using technology for personal or private business, for product advertisement or political lobbying, or for making any financial commitments on the Internet.

Ä Engaging in the malicious use of technology to disrupt the use of technology by others, to harass or discriminate against others and to infiltrate unauthorized computer systems.

III. Network Etiquette

Members are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not limited to:

Ä Be polite. Do not get abusive in your messages to others.

Ä Use appropriate language. Do not swear, use vulgarities or any other inappropriate language. Illegal activities are strictly forbidden.

Ä Do not reveal yours or others' (students or colleagues) personal address(es) or phone number(s).

Ä Do not use the network in such a way that you would disrupt the use of the network by other users.

Ä All communications and information accessible via the network should be assumed to be private property.

IV. Consequences of Inappropriate Network Behavior

Any member who does not comply with the Technology Acceptable Use Policy will lose network privileges for a determined period of time. Repeated or severe infractions of the policy may result in permanent termination of privileges.

The District Technology Director / Network System Administrator will determine what is inappropriate use based on the Technology Acceptable Use Policy. The District Technology Director / Network System Administrator may close an account at any time for infractions. The administration, faculty and staff of Howell Public Schools may request the District Technology Director / Network System Administrator to deny, revoke or suspend specific user accounts.

Students found to have executable (.exe) files in the home drive will have their computer privileges revoked for the remainder of the school year.

V. District Responsibility

Howell Public Schools is responsible for the management of the structure, hardware and software that the district uses to allow access to information technologies for educational purposes. These include:

1. Assigning and removing of member accounts on the networks.

2. Maintaining and repairing equipment that comprise the networks.

3. Selecting software that the network will support.

4. Providing electronic Information Access and Acceptable Use Policy.

5. Defining rights / responsibilities of members.

6. Providing resources that support the mission of the school district.

7. Providing training opportunities in the use and application of information technology, including new technologies, software and media as they are acquired and put into use in the district.

The district does not take responsibility for resources located or actions taken by the members that do not support the purposes of the school district.

Non-Classroom Technology Use for Staff

All district technology must be available for instruction whenever students are present for instruction. For purposes of illustration, a computer checked out and taken home over a school break to be used for school business must be returned and reconnected to the network prior to student's return from that break. Requests from staff to check out District technology during non-instructional times may be made through the appropriate building administrator. A form is available through the Technology Department and must be filled out for computers or other technology equipment to be taken home by staff.

I have read this policy and will abide by it:

q STAFF MEMBER q STUDENT

Signature: ___________________________________________ Position_____________________________________________ Date:________________________