Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools Acceptable Use Policy & Guidelines
To ensure that our students become proficient in the information and technologies (IT) competencies essential for success in a 21st century learning environment, Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools provides a variety of resources in support of our instructional and administrative programs. Students and staff may also, at times, use their own personal information and communication technologies for educational purposes. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all members of the school community to use technology responsibly, ethically and respectful for the work of others.
Access to IT resources is a privilege and not a right. To ensure that IT resources remain available in working order, Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools has established an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and Guidelines which define the procedures and parameters under which these resources may be used by all staff, students and volunteers. To accommodate future needs and circumstances, the AUP, procedures and guidelines related to IT resources will be regularly reviewed, updated and distributed.
So that all users remain informed of our expectations and appropriate usage of IT resources,
GSLPS will: 1) ensure all new students and staff receive access to age-appropriate IT
resources and tools during the enrollment and hiring process, as well as on-going training in
their safe, responsible, and effective use; and 2) provide orientation annually for students and
staff on IT resources and the district AUP.
In order to initiate and maintain access to IT resources, all users must submit annually a signed Acceptable Use Agreement (detailed below), non-adherence of which may result in loss of non-course related access and/or appropriate disciplinary and/or legal action. Violations of the AUP are deemed as violations of school behavioral expectations and codes.
Internet Use and IT Access
Internet access is available in Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools for the purposes of educational communication and research and for administrative organizational purposes. Communications via IT resources are often public in nature and general school rules for behavior and communications apply. It is expected that users will at all times comply with district standards and will act in a responsible and legal manner, in accordance with district standards, as well as with state and federal laws. Professional development opportunities to enhance the internet skills of district personnel will be provided and rules related to the Internet will be included in each school's student and faculty handbooks.
The Administration will take measures to assure the safety and security of students when using e-mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications; prohibit unauthorized access, including “hacking” and other unlawful activities by minors online; prohibit unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personally identifiable information regarding students; and to restrict students’ access to online materials harmful to minors.
Users are prohibited from attaching personal devices to GSL IT resources (excluding portable memory media) or installing personal software on any IT resource without prior permission from a Technology Integrator, Library Media Specialist, Technology Assistant, or any other member of the IT Department.
Monitoring and Privacy Issues
To provide ready access for all users, age-appropriate material, an Internet environment that is safe and appropriate for the maturity level and need of student users, and to proactively maintain and secure increasingly complex IT resources and systems the district, as the owner of the IT resources, reserves the right to monitor and review the use of these IT resources and will do so as needed to ensure that
the systems are being used for district related educational purposes and to maximize utilization of the systems for such. It is important that all users and parents understand this and recognize that monitoring access, among other things:
• Maximizes the safety and security of people and resources by supporting a positive learning and work environment safe from harassment, intimidation or threats.
• Discourages breaches of confidentiality, copyright infringements and inappropriate file downloads and print requests.
• Promotes appropriate internet access, electronic communication messages (such as email, blogs, chats and discussion forums).
Therefore, all users must be aware that they should not have any expectation of personal privacy in the use of these IT resources. Personal information, however, is not publicly accessible outside of the school network. Password systems implemented by the district are designed solely to provide system security from unauthorized users, not to provide privacy to the individual system user. This provision applies to all users of the district’s IT resources, including any incidental personal use permitted in accordance with these regulations.
Publishing Guidelines
The premise that all individuals are authors and distributors of content is an underlying basis of 21st Century Learning. District and school use of IT Resources to distribute intellectual property, images, videos and information shall be related to school curriculum and instruction, school-authorized activities, and other information relating to school and district goals. It is our intent that such broadcasts and publications be educationally relevant to the goals of the school district while providing for the safety and security of all students and staff.
• All distributed content shall follow the standards for ethical behavior in regard to information and communication technologies by showing respect for the principals of intellectual freedom, intellectual property rights and the responsible use of the information and communication technologies. It is understood that all distributed content may be accessible beyond the Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools community and viewed by a global audience.
• All content shall be age appropriate to safeguard students by shielding the identification of students’ identification and locations. Content may include names of individuals; (First Name, Last Name Initial only). however identifying information, such as names of family members, e-mail addresses, addresses and phone numbers will remain private.
• All content should be free of any spelling or grammatical errors. Content shall not contain objectionable material or point to objectionable material. The determination of what constitutes objectionable material shall be made on a case by case basis, as determined by the District Director of Information and Technology and a Building Administrator. The distribution of content shall follow Copyright Law and Fair Use Guidelines.
• All content representing the school district shall follow district policies and state / federal laws pertaining to content standards, student records, copyright, and technical standards
Anyone who is aware of problems with, or misuse of these IT resources, or has a question regarding the proper use of these IT resources, should see a teacher or administrator immediately. Most importantly, the Board and the Administration urge any person who receives any harassing, threatening, intimidating or other improper message through IT Resources to immediately report it.
For more information about the use of technology in the Glencoe-Silver Lake School District, contact the Director of Information and Technologies at (320) 864-2407.
GSLPS Acceptable Use Agreement
IT users are permitted to use the district’s IT resources for legitimate educational purposes. Personal use of district IT resources is prohibited. In addition, if a particular behavior or activity is generally prohibited by law, by Board policy or by school rules or regulations, use of IT resources for the purpose of carrying out such behavior or activity is prohibited
By signing below, IT users (and, for students, their parent/guardian) agree to always adhere to the following standards and expectations for conduct:
1. Behave ethically and responsibly when using IT resources.
a. Refrain from utilizing proxy gateways, or similar technologies, to bypass the IT monitoring and filtering.
b. Handle IT resources and equipment with care. Refrain from deleting, destroying, modifying, abusing, or moving resources without permission or accessing unauthorized IT resources.
c. Do not breach or disable network security mechanisms or compromise network stability or security in any way nor download or modify computer software in violation of the district’s licensure agreement(s) and / or without authorization from the IT Department.
2. Use IT resources; transmit communications or access information only for legitimate, educationally relevant purposes and to access educationally appropriate content.
a. Refrain from sending any form of communication that breaches the district’s confidentiality requirements, or the confidentiality of students.
b. Refrain from sending any form of communication that harasses, threatens or is discriminatory.
c. Refrain from assessing any material that is obscene, harmful to minors or prohibited by law.
d. Refrain from using social network tools for personal use.
3. Respect the privacy of others and treat information created by others as the private property of the creator.
a. Maintain confidentiality of your username and password by not sharing it with others and not using another person’s username and password.
b. Maintain the integrity of files and data by not trespassing, modifying, copying or deleting files of other users without their consent.
c. Protect the confidentiality and safety of others when sharing work and images.
d. Share, post and publish only within the context of the district Publishing Guidelines (see attached).
e. Respect copyright and fair use laws; these policies and procedures apply in digital contexts as well. Plagiarism is prohibited.
GSL Public Schools Mobile Device Authorized Use & Protection Plan Policy
General Purpose and Intent of the Mobile Device Authorized Use Policy
Technological resources, including Mobile Devices, at Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools are provided for the purpose of supporting the holistic educational experience and mission of the school. Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School’s goal in providing these resources is to promote educational excellence by facilitating creative thinking, resource sharing, scholarship, research, and communication. Use of these technologies is a privilege that carries responsibilities and behavioral expectations consistent with all school rules and policies. Staff members of the Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools will use all Mobile Devices, along with all other electronic communication and computing devices, in a responsible, ethical, and legal manner at all times.
Specific Mobile Device Authorized Use Policy
1. Any viewing, sharing or transmission of Mobile Device material containing inappropriate content, offensive language, derogatory rumors/gossip, or other content not in keeping with Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School’s mission or philosophy is strictly prohibited except as expressly authorized by Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools in connection with approved curricula and course materials.
2. Any Mobile Device use, whether or not utilizing the Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School’s network, which could pose a risk of physical or mental harm to anyone is prohibited. Any Mobile Device use, whether or not utilizing the Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School network, which could pose a risk of property loss is also prohibited.
3. Any attempt to connect through Mobile Device to external internet connections while on Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School’s campus is prohibited.
4. Staff will not share their passwords, addresses, or other personal information on the Internet without the authorization of a Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School representative. Staff will not share their user names or passwords with anyone without the authorization of a Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School representative.
5. Staff have no privacy rights in the use of their Mobile Devices. All Mobile Device activity, including communications, internet history, or other uses, are subject to monitoring by Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools. Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School representatives may inspect and, if they deem necessary confiscate, any staff’s Mobile Device at any time without prior notice.
6. Certain internet materials may not be copied or reproduced without the permission of the author or other right-holder. It is the staff’s responsibility to respect and adhere to all copyright, trademark, and other intellectual rights and trade secrets laws.
7. The Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School network may not be accessed without authorization. This includes, but is not limited to, accessing the network using any account other than a staff’s own.
8. Staff are solely responsible for the care and safekeeping of their Mobile Devices. Any loss or damage to Mobile Devices (outside of reasonable wear and tear), regardless of the cause, will be the strict financial responsibility of the staff member. Staff must immediately report damage or loss, including theft, to Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools. Staff are not permitted to repair, alter, modify or replace Mobile Devices without express authorization from Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools. Under no circumstance will Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools replace or repair a staff Mobile Device without pre-payment from the staff member.
9. In consideration for receiving the Mobile Device from Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools, each staff member agrees not to sue and hereby releases, waives, discharges, holds harmless, indemnifies, and defends Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools, as well as their respective employees, personnel, staff, volunteers, agents, directors, affiliates, and representatives, from any and all liability, losses, damages, claims, actions, and causes of action of every nature for any and all known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen, bodily or personal injuries, property damage, or other loss, whether claimed by the staff member, or any third party, relating in any way to the use of the Mobile Device furnished by Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools to the staff member.
10. This Mobile Device Authorized Use Policy applies to Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School staff members at all times, whether or not the staff member is on campus, as Glencoe-Silver Lake Public School staff are school representatives at all times.
11. Before using their Mobile Devices, Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools strongly encourages staff to consider whether their electronic communications and other Mobile Device uses may be regarded as offensive, hurtful, or otherwise inappropriate by others.
12. Violations of any portion of this Mobile Device Authorized Use Policy may result in a disciplinary measure against the staff member.
Adopted: September 14, 2015
524.1 BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE POLICY / REGULATIONS FOR PERSONAL USE OF STUDENT / STAFF-OWNED DEVICES IN SCHOOL
I. PURPOSE
Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools will provide access to the GSL_BYOD Wireless Network and offer the option of bringing in a personal device as a means to enhance students’ education. A device includes, but is not limited to, any wireless network-capable device. At the present time, devices such as the iPad, iPod Touch, eReaders and Smartphones have limited editing capabilities with our GSL Apps for Education site. Since GSL Apps will be one of the primary learning tools, students and parents should be aware of the limitations this may impose. A netbook or laptop with wireless capabilities would provide a student with greater abilities to contribute content in class. The purpose of these regulations is to assure that students recognize the limitations that the school imposes on the use of digital devices. In addition to these regulations, the use of any digital device on the District Network requires students to abide by GSL School Board Policy 524 Acceptable Use Policy and the Student Code of Ethics with Web 2.0 Products.
It is impossible to anticipate and address every circumstance that may occur in the course of a school year. Students and others are subject to all school rules, regulations and policies, and the reasonable and prudent interpretation thereof by responsible school officials, regardless of whether or not they are specifically addressed in this policy.
II. GENERAL USAGE
GSL Public Schools provides the opportunity for students to bring a personal device to school to use as an educational tool. The use of these devices will be at teacher discretion.
A. Students must obtain teacher permission before using a personal device during classroom instruction.
B. Student use of a personal device must support the instructional activities currently occurring in each classroom and lab.
C. Students must turn off and put away a personal device when requested by a teacher.
D. Students should be aware that their use of the device could be a distraction for others in the classroom, especially in regard to audio. Therefore, audio should be muted, or headphones used.
E. The device should only be used for educational purposes while at school.
F. Devices should not be used during School District testing windows.
G. District-owned software cannot be installed on any personal device.
H. Owner is responsible to keep device current and up to date on all OS patches.
I. Owner is responsible to insure device has Anti-Virus. AV must be up to date.
1. If device is found to be non-compliant it will be denied access to the GSL_BYOD Wireless Network.
J. GSL’s IT Department is not responsible for fixing issues with personal devices.
K. GSL’s IT Department is not responsible for training on the use of personal devices.
III. CONSEQUENCES OF GENERAL USAGE
If students refuse to comply with the guidelines detailed above, the following consequences will apply. Student infractions will be documented as a referral for each offense.
A. 1st Offense: Device will be confiscated until the end of the school day, when the student’s parent must retrieve it from the Principal’s Office.
B. 2nd Offense: One- to three-day network suspension; Denial of access to the GSL_BYOD Wireless Network and school computers for 40 days.
C. 3rd Offense: Denial to GSL Networks for one calendar year.
IV. DEVICE SECURITY RISKS
Personal digital devices are especially vulnerable to loss and theft. Opportunistic and organized thieves will target devices in school, on school grounds, and on buses. Although the majority of thieves may be after the quick profit from selling the device, there is a growing number who steal devices specifically for the sensitive data they may contain. Such information, if revealed, could cause embarrassment, loss of reputation, or significant financial or commercial impact. To counter these risks, device security must be addressed in three ways:
A. Student Responsibility: Through increased user awareness of the risks and application of a device security policy (this document).
1. GSL Public Schools does not accept responsibility for personal property brought to school by students. This includes personal digital devices.
2. Students who choose to bring a device to school assume total responsibility for the device. Devices that are stolen or damaged are the responsibility of the student and the parents or guardians.
3. Students should take all reasonable steps to protect against theft of or damage to their personal device.
B. Physical Security: In school, on school property, and when traveling to and from school, users should take the following physical security measure: Your device should NEVER be left unattended for ANY period of time.
C. Access Control and Authentication:
1. Students will access the Internet via the GSL_BYOD Wireless Network. They can authenticate on the filter to access Web content available to students. Any student found connecting his/her device to the network using an Ethernet cable plugged into a wall jack or accessing GSL_GUEST Wireless Network will be denied access to GSL Networks for one calendar year.
2. No student shall knowingly gain access to, or attempt to gain access to, any computer, computer system, computer network, information storage media, or peripheral equipment without the consent of authorized school or district personnel.
3. Students can only log on to their device using their own credentials.
V. GSL WEB 2.0 CODE OF ETHICS
A. Students accessing or using Web 2.0 products including, but not limited to, blogs, wikis, podcasts, and Google applications for student assignments are required to keep personal information out of their postings. Students will not post or give out photographs of themselves or others, their family name, password, username, email address, home address, school name, city, country, or other information that could help someone locate or contact them in person.
B. Students will only log on using their own credentials.
C. Students using Web 2.0 tools will treat these tools as a classroom space. Speech that is inappropriate for class is not appropriate on Web 2.0 tools. Students are expected to treat others and their ideas online with respect.
D. Assignments on Web 2.0 tools are like any other assignment in school. Students, in the course of completing their assignment, are expected to abide by policies and procedures in the student handbook, including those policies regarding plagiarism and acceptable use of technology.
E. Student blogs are to be a forum for student expression; however, they are first and foremost a tool for learning. The district may restrict speech for valid educational reasons as outlined in school board policy.
F. Students shall not use the Internet to harass, discriminate, bully or threaten the safety of others. If students receive a comment on a blog or other Web 2.0 tool used in school that makes them feel uncomfortable or is not respectful, they must report this to a teacher and must not respond to the comment.
G. Students accessing Web 2.0 tools from home or school using school equipment shall not download or install any software without permission.
H. Students should be honest, fair, and courageous in gathering, interpreting, and expressing information for the benefit of others. Students should always identify sources and test the accuracy of information from all sources.
I. Students will treat information, sources, subjects, colleagues, and information consumers as people deserving of respect. Gathering and expressing information should never cause harm or threaten to be harmful to any person or group of people.
J. Students are accountable to their readers, listeners, viewers, to teach each other, and to expose unethical information and practices of others.
K. School board policies concerning acceptable use of electronic technology include the use of this Web 2.0 tool for school activities. (Also refer to Policy 524 Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Policy regarding copyright and use of electronic technology.)
L. Failure to follow this code of ethics will result in academic sanctions and/or disciplinary action.
VI. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The School District does not assume and hereby expressly disclaims liability for the misuse of its computers, equipment, e-mail, and Internet programs that violate this policy or any
applicable law. The School District makes no guarantee that the functions or the services provided by or through the School District’s system shall be error-free or without defect. The School District is not responsible for any damage suffered through the use of its computer system including, but not limited to, the loss of data, interruptions in service, the accuracy or quality of information obtained through or stored in the system, damages or injuries from improper communications, damage to property used to access School District computers or online resources, or financial obligations resulting from the use of School District resources.
VII. IMPLEMENTATION; POLICY REVIEW
A. All violations of the procedures in this policy will result in the immediate loss of network access privileges. The student’s parents will be contacted and any consequences delineated in Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools’ Code of Conduct will be enforced.
B The school district administration may develop appropriate user notification forms, guidelines and procedures necessary to implement this policy for submission to the school board for approval. Upon approval by the school board, such guidelines, forms and procedures shall be an addendum to this policy.
C. The administration shall revise the user notifications, including student and parent notifications, if necessary, to reflect the adoption of these guidelines and procedures.
D. The school district Internet policies and procedures are available for review by all parents, guardians, staff and members of the community.
E. Because of the rapid changes in the development of the Internet, the school board shall conduct an annual review of this policy.
I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the terms of the Acceptable Use, Mobile Device and BYOD Policy Guidelines. This Agreement is in effect and binding for the entire duration of my employment at GSL. Should I commit any violation or in any way misuse my access to the school district’s information, communication technologies resources and/or devices, I understand that my access and use privileges may be revoked and disciplinary action may be taken against me.