Naches Valley School District Jt. #3
School Board Policy on Network Use
Electronic Information System (Networks)
The Board of Directors recognizes that the district is implementing an electronic communications system (network) that will allow unprecedented opportunities for students, staff and patrons to communicate, learn, access and publish information. The Board believes that the resources available through this network and the skills that students will develop in using it are of significant value in the learning process and student success in the future. These new opportunities also pose many new challenges including, but not limited to, access for all students, age level appropriateness of material, security, and cost of maintaining ever more elaborate systems. The district will endeavor to ensure that these concerns are appropriately addressed, but cannot insure that problems will not arise.
By creating this network, the Board intends only to provide a means for educational activities and does not intend to create a first amendment forum for free expression purposes. The district dedicates the property comprising the network, and grants access to it by users, only for the educational activities authorized under this policy and procedures and under the specific limitations contained therein.
The Board directs the Superintendent to provide training and procedures that encourage the widest possible access to electronic information systems and networks by students, staff and patrons while establishing reasonable controls for the lawful, efficient and appropriate use and management of the system.
Cross References: Board Policy
2311 Selection & Adoption of Instructional Materials
2312 Copyright Compliance
3300 Corrective Actions or Punishment
5255 Disciplinary Action and Discharge
2314P - INSTRUCTION
Electronic Information System (Networks)
Acceptable Use Guidelines
Network
1. All use of the system must be in support of education and research and consistent with the mission of the district. District reserves the right to prioritize use and access to the system.
2. Any use of the system must be in conformity to state and federal law, network provider policies and licenses and district policy. Use of the system for commercial solicitation is prohibited. Use of the system for charitable purposes must be approved in advance by the superintendent or designee.
3. The system constitutes public facilities and may not be used to support or oppose political candidates or ballot measures.
4. No use of the system shall serve to disrupt the operation of the system by others; system components including hardware or software shall not be destroyed, modified or abused in any way.
5. Malicious use of the system to develop programs that harass other users or gain unauthorized access to any computer or computing system and/or damage the components of a computer or computing system is prohibited.
6. Users are responsible for the appropriateness and content of material they transmit or publish on the system. Hate mail, harassment, discriminatory remarks, or other antisocial behaviors are expressly prohibited.
7. Use of the system to access, store or distribute obscene or pornographic material is prohibited.
8. Student subscriptions to mailing lists, use of bulletin boards, chat, commercial on-line services and other information services must be pre-approved by the building principal or designee.
9. Users are not to alter, connect or disconnect any network device to or from the network without prior approval and consent of the building TSS, District Technology Coordinator, or building Principal.
Security
9. System accounts are to be used only by the authorized owner of the account for the authorized purpose. Users may not share their account number or password with another person or leave an open file or session unattended or unsupervised without having been specifically instructed to do so by the district authority. Account owners are ultimately responsible for all activity under their account.
10. Users shall not seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to other users, or misrepresent other users on the system, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to the system. The exception to this rule would be for staff who are supervising student accounts.
11. Communications may not be encrypted so as to avoid security review.
12. Users should change passwords regularly and avoid easily guessed passwords.
Internet Safety and Personal Security
13. The District will deploy measures to filter inappropriate content from it’s network users. These measures will not reduce the need for teacher supervision, nor will they be the sole determination of appropriate or inappropriate web page content.
14. Personal information such as addresses and telephone numbers should remain confidential when communicating on the system. Students should never reveal such information without permission from their teacher or other adult.
15. Students should never make appointments to meet people in person that they have contacted on the system without district and parent permission.
16. Students should notify their teacher or other adult whenever they come across information or messages that are dangerous, inappropriate or make them feel uncomfortable.
Copyright
17. The unauthorized installation, use, storage or distribution of copyrighted software or materials on district computers is prohibited.
General Use
18. Diligent effort must be made to conserve system resources. For example, users should frequently delete E-mail and unused files.
19. No person, student or staff member, shall have access to the system without having received appropriate training,
20. A signed Individual User Release Form must be on file with the district.
21. Students under the age of 18 must have the approval of a parent or guardian prior to using the system.
22. Nothing in these regulations is intended to preclude the supervised use of the system while under the direction of a teacher or other approved user acting in conformity with district policy and procedure.
From time to time, the district will make a determination on whether specific uses of the system are consistent with the regulations stated above. Under prescribed circumstances non-student or staff use may be permitted, provided such individuals demonstrate that their use furthers the purpose and goals of the district. For security and administrative purposes the district reserves the right for authorized personnel to review system use and file content. The district reserves the right to remove a user account on the system to prevent further unauthorized activity. The district's wide-area network provider (WEdNet) reserves the right to disconnect the district to prevent further unauthorized activity.
Violation of any of the conditions of use may be cause for disciplinary action.