The Glencoe-Silver Lake School District offers Internet and network access for staff use. This document, named the Acceptable Use Policy, states the policy and procedures for using the District's network, Internet resources, electronic devices and technology resources. It applies to all authorized users (Board of Education, and employees) who use District technology resources or access the District's network using District owned or personally-owned equipment, including wireless devices.
Educational Purpose
- The technology resources at Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools (e.g. all networking, hardware and software, Internet, email, telephone equipment, digital still and video, fax machines and supporting telephone lines, phones, pagers and all communication equipment, etc.) are provided to support the educational and administrative activities of the District and should be used only for those purposes. Use of the District’s technology resources is a privilege, not a right. Incidental personal use of the District's technology resources must not interfere with the user’s professional or academic performance. Use of the District’s technology resources may not interfere with other user’s ability to use the resources for professional and academic purposes nor violate other school policies or standards of professional behavior. Use should always be legal, ethical and consistent with the District's Anti Bullying and Harassment Policy, policies on honesty and integrity and general standards for behavior.
- Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools has the right to place reasonable restrictions on the material user’s access or post through the system. Furthermore, for network security and safety of students and staff, the entire network is monitored. Users are expected to follow the rules set forth in this policy and the law.
Authorized Use
- Authorized users include members of the Board of Education, Administrators, SuAll users are expected to assist in the enforcement of this policy. Persons in violation of thipervisors, Faculty, Staff, and any other person who has been granted authority by the District to access its computing, network and telephone systems and whose usage complies with this policy. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. By accessing the District's network, using District-owned or personally-owned equipment, users consent to the District's exercise of its authority and rights as set out in the Policy with respect to any such equipment, as well as with respect to any information or communication stored or transmitted over such equipment.
- At the commencement of their employment, Faculty and Staff must sign the Acceptable Use Agreement.
Privacy Expectations
- The District's network resources, including all telephone and data lines, are the property of the District. The District reserves the right to access, view or monitor any information or communication stored on or transmitted over the network, District devices or on or over equipment that has been used to access the District's network and it may be required by law to allow third parties to do so. Electronic data may become evidence in legal proceedings. In addition, others may inadvertently view messages or data as a result of routine systems maintenance and monitoring or mis-delivery.
- Users must recognize that there is no guarantee of privacy associated with their use of District Technology resources. Users should not expect that e-mail, voice mail or other information created and maintained in the system (even those marked "personal;" or "confidential") are private, confidential or secure.
Responsible Use
- All users must not act in ways that invade the privacy of others, are unethical or fail to comply with all legal restrictions regarding the use of electronic data.
- All users must maintain the confidentiality of student information in compliance with federal and state law and to the extent applicable.
- Disclosing and/or gossiping (including but not limited to via e-mail, voice mail, Internet instant messaging, texting, social networking sites, chat room or on Web pages) about confidential or proprietary information related to the District is prohibited.
- All users must refrain from acts that waste District technology resources or prevent others from using them. Users will not access, modify or delete others' files or system settings without express permission. Tampering of any kind is strictly forbidden. Deliberate attempts to tamper with or degrade the performance of a District computer system, telephone system or network or to deprive authorized users of access to or use of such resources are prohibited.
- Users are responsible for both the content and possible effects of their messages on the network. Prohibited activity includes, but is not limited to: creating or propagating viruses, material in any form (text, sound, pictures or video) that reflects adversely on the District, "chain letters" (which proffer incentives to relay them to others) inappropriate messages (including discriminatory or harassing material), and billable services. Sending spams (unnecessary or annoying messages to a large number of users) that does not contain District related information and/or material is strictly prohibited.
- Altering electronic communications to hide a user’s identity or impersonate another person is considered forgery and is prohibited.
- Users will abide by all copyright, trademarks, patent and other laws governing intellectual property. No software may be installed, copied or used on District equipment except as permitted by law and approved by the Technology Department. All software license provisions must be strictly adhered to.
- Students may not send broadcast e-mail or broadcast voice mail without prior permission from the Principal.
- All users are prohibited from engaging in any activity that violates the District's policies, including, but not limited to, the District's Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy.
- All users are prohibited from downloading applications onto District-issued devices and/or signing up for applications using their District account unless authorized by the Technology Department.
Inappropriate Materials
- The District prohibits faculty, and staff from keeping pornography in any form at school, including but not limited to, magazines, posters, videos, electronic files or other electronic materials.
- Accessing the District's network or equipment to create, access, download, edit, view, store, send or print material that violate any of the District's policies, including but not limited to, its Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy, and/or are illegal, offensive, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, sexually explicit, graphic, pornographic, obscene or are otherwise inconsistent with the values and general standards for community behavior of the District is prohibited. The District will respond to complaints alleging that its technology resources were used to bully, harass, and/or discriminate in accordance with its Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy and Anti-Discrimination Policy. These provisions are not intended to prohibit an authorized user from carrying out his or her assigned educational, employment or administrative functions.
Security
- Each user is responsible for the security and integrity of information stored on his or her account, computer or voice mail system. Computer accounts, passwords, security codes and other types of authorization are assigned to individual users and must not be shared with or used by others. Glencoe-Silver Lake School District, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to bypass such passwords and to access, view or monitor its systems and all of their contents. By accessing the District's system, users consent to the District's right to do so.
- Removing or relocating District-owned technology resources requires prior authorization from the Principal and the Technology Department.
- Unless approved by the Technology Department modem use is prohibited on computers that are directly connected to the District network.
- Users may not attempt to circumvent or subvert the security provision of any system. Without authorization from the Technology Department no one may attach a server to or provide server services on the District network.
The Internet
- There are risks involved with using the Internet. To protect personal safety, Internet users should not give out personal information to others on bulletin boards, blogs, chat lines or other systems. The District cannot guarantee that users will not encounter text, pictures or references that are objectionable. Responsible attitudes and appropriate behavior are essential in using this resource. As with e-mail, information that a user places on the Internet is akin to sending a postcard rather than a sealed letter. Its contents may be accessed by system administrators in this District and elsewhere.
- Users must be aware that some material circulating on the Internet is copyrighted and subject to all copyright laws. Materials taken from the Internet must be properly footnoted.
- Users must be aware that some material circulating on the Internet is illegally distributed. Users must never use the District's system to download illegally distributed material.
- Users are cautioned not to open e-mail attachments or download any files from unknown sources in order to avoid damaging their computers and bringing destructive viruses into the District's system.
- With permission, faculty and staff may create or modify web pages on the District web servers. To ensure the integrity of these sites, users must abide by the District's web practices. It is the user's responsibility to update and maintain all links and content, keeping in mind the Inappropriate Materials section and the copyright requirements in this policy.
Policy Enforcement and Sanctions
- All users are expected to assist in the enforcement of this policy. Persons in violation of this policy are subject to a full range of sanctions including, but not limited to, the loss of computer privileges, telephone or network access privileges, disciplinary action, and dismissal/termination from the District. Some violations may constitute criminal offenses as defined by local, state and federal laws and the District may initiate or assist in the prosecution of any such violations to the full extent of the law.
- Any Suspected violation of this policy should be reported immediately to the Director of Technology as well as to the Principal.