Introduction
Technology in the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning offers enhanced learning opportunities. Technology resources include, but are not limited to, computers, printers, software, online catalogs, network file servers, data files, and access to the Internet. Internet and computer network and non-network access is available to authorized students, teachers and other staff. The school provides technology resources for education purposes only. Some worldwide resources available on the Internet, however, are not of educational value in a school setting. A Technology Acceptable Use Policy serves to protect the interests of the school division and its technology resources users.
Authorized Users
Technology in the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning offers enhanced learning opportunities. Technology resources include, but are not limited to, computers, printers, software, online catalogs, network file servers, data files, and access to the Internet. Internet and computer network and non-network access is available to authorized students, teachers and other staff. The school provides technology resources for education purposes only. Some worldwide resources available on the Internet, however, are not of educational value in a school setting. A Technology Acceptable Use Policy serves to protect the interests of the school division and its technology resources users.
Student and Parents
Students and their parents or legal guardians shall receive and sign an acknowledgment of this Policy and return it to the school. The school shall maintain an accurate record of those who have returned the signed acknowledgment and shall respond accordingly.
Technology Privilege
Use of the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning Internet and technology infrastructure (computers, network file servers, and network wiring) is a privilege, not a right. Inappropriate use will result in an immediate termination of access and other privileges relating to use. Inappropriate use may also result in disciplinary action (up to and including suspension or expulsion for students or formal reprimand or dismissal for staff) as well as potential civil or criminal liability and prosecution. Administration, faculty, or staff may request that the media and technology coordinator deny, revoke or suspend specific user access in the event of violation of this policy.
Violations
Use of technology resources or transmission of any material in violation of any federal or state law is strictly prohibited. Also prohibited are the use or transmission of material protected by federal or state intellectual property laws; copyrighted material; licensed material; threatening, harassing or obscene material; and/or pornographic material. In addition, users are prohibited from accessing or attempting to access, using or attempting to use, the Internet or other computer network or non-network facilities for any other unauthorized purposes. This includes but is not limited to commercial activities, introduction of viruses, and manipulation or corruption of systems, files and other related resources. Any illegal activities will be reported to the appropriate agencies.
Liability
The Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning cannot guarantee the availability of technology resources. The school will not be responsible for any information that may be lost, damaged, or unavailable due to technical or other difficulties. The school cannot ensure that all electronic transmissions are secure and private. The school cannot guarantee the accuracy or quality of information obtained. The school cannot control or censor illegal, defamatory, or potentially offensive materials that may be available to the user on systems accessible through technology resources in the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning.
School Responsibilities
Technology Access and Use
The school will provide access to technology resources. Users should be aware that use of these resources may be monitored in order to provide an acceptable level of service to all users. Users should also be aware that data that resides on, or passes through, the school’s technology infrastructure (computers, network file servers, and network wiring) is subject to review. In order to maintain system integrity and to ensure users are using the system responsibly, network administrators may review files and communications without prior notice or permission of the user. Users should not expect that files stored on district resources will always be private.
Proper Use
School staff will provide instruction on proper use of technology resources, including areas of proper care of equipment, management of resources (time and materials), search strategies, user safety, copyright laws, and computer etiquette. Staff shall report any incident of harassment or any other unauthorized or inappropriate use of school technology resources to the media and technology coordinator who will report the incident to the principal.
Internet Guidelines
The school will provide access to the Internet based on the following guidelines:
1. In the primary grades (K-3), teachers will actively supervise student use of the Internet. Students will access Internet resources that the teacher has previously explored and selected. Teachers will make every effort to ensure that students are directed to sites with only age- and topic-appropriate material and resources.
2. In upper elementary grades (4-5), teachers will supervise and model appropriate use of the Internet. Students will continue to have Internet access under direct teacher supervision; however, students will, also, experience guided practice leading towards gaining skills to become an independent, responsible user of the Internet. Teachers will model skills needed to search for information within an area of study, to filter information for credibility and worth, and to recognize areas of inappropriate information sources or access. Teachers will explore an Internet site before directing students to that site. Teachers will make every effort to ensure that students are directed only to sites with age- and topic-appropriate material and resources.
3. In the middle school (6-8), teachers will provide guided practice and model appropriate use of the Internet. Teachers will supervise student initiated information search activities and provide support for students as they begin to assume responsibility for becoming independent users of the Internet. Teachers will make every effort to ensure that students explore only sites with age- and topic-appropriate material and resources.
4. In the high school (9-12), students will participate in independent Internet use with teachers assuming less of a monitoring role and more of an advisory role.
Electronic Mail
The school will provide access to electronic mail for all staff members. Students will not be issued individual e-mail accounts.
Web Pages
The school will provide resources to host class/activity Web pages. Such pages must contain only educationally relevant material and must adhere to all applicable school guidelines, policies, and regulations. Students may only post information to Web pages under the direct supervision of a staff member. Because they will be creating Web pages that depict school activities and projects, students will at times include pictures of themselves or other students within a document. In these instances, picture captions or references will identify the activity or class and will not identify students individually by name. Such pictures will illustrate the activity and will not present portraits of the individual students. At no time will a student's full name, address, or other focused identifying information be used.
User Responsibilities
Technology Use
Users will only use technology for school-related purposes. Users will use resources in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner. Provisions in the student handbook will apply to all student interaction with and use of technology resources. Users should not access, modify, or destroy other user’s data without appropriate authorization. Users should not knowingly spread a computer virus, impersonate another user, violate copyright laws, install or use unauthorized software, damage or destroy resources, or intentionally offend, harass, or intimidate others. Staff members may not abuse their access to technology resources. Abuse may consist of either excessive or unacceptable use. A use is unacceptable if it conflicts with the school’s purpose, goal, or mission or with a staff member’s authorized job duties or responsibilities.
Internet Access
Users will only access the Internet under appropriate supervision. Users will view sites that directly relate to a school-related assignment, activity, or responsibility. Users should not use school technology resources to create, distribute, download, or view obscene, illegal, or inappropriate content. Users should immediately inform a staff member if they encounter material that is obscene, illegal, inappropriate, offensive, or otherwise makes them feel uncomfortable. Users should not use technology resources to engage in any commercial activity including the purchase of goods and services; staff members may use technology resources to purchase school supplies and resources provided they follow established school division purchasing guidelines.
Electronic Mail
Full names, home phone numbers, addresses, or other personal identifying information shall not be revealed without written parental and teacher permission. Users should use electronic mail responsibly. Users should not create, distribute or forward chain letters, offensive messages, harassing messages, or messages that contain false information. Users must obtain the owner’s written permission prior to distributing copyrighted material.
The electronic mail system and all of its constituent software, hardware, and data files (the “System”) is owned and controlled by the school and is its property. In order to protect the interests of the school, its employees and students, the school reserves the right to access and disclose, without prior notice or permission from the user, the contents of any account on its System. Any message received from an unknown sender via the Internet should either be immediately deleted or forwarded to the network administrator. In no event should any user ever download any file attached to any Internet-based message unless the user is certain of that message’s authenticity and the nature of the files so transmitted.
Network Use
Users will use resources responsibly. Users will not give out passwords. Users should not disrupt network usage by others, should not monopolize technology resources, should not print excessively, and should not use excessive amounts of shared data storage space. Users should immediately notify a staff member or school administrator if they are the subjects of harassment while using technology resources or if they witness inappropriate use of technology resources.
*Note: This Acceptable Use of Technology Policy was derived from that of Charlottesville City Schools in Charlottesville, VA created by Harley Miles, and was used with permission.
