POLICY
6-3.13 TECHNOLOGY
PROGRAMS
The responsible use of computers and computer networks
is a powerful tool in support of the instructional program. The
Montgomery County Public Schools’ computer network is a wide-area network
linking the schools and the administrative office to the
Internet.
Liability
The School Board makes no warranties for the computer
system it provides. The School Board shall not be responsible for any
damages to the user from use of the computer system including loss of data,
non-delivery or missed delivery of information, or service interruptions.
The school division shall not be responsible for the accuracy or quality of
information obtained through the computer system. The user agrees to
indemnify the School Board for any losses, costs or damages incurred by the
School Board relating to or arising out of any violation of this policy.
Internet Privacy Statement – Montgomery
County Public Schools
The Montgomery County School Board maintains and operates a Web site for the
dissemination of information about the school division. The School Board
does not collect any information from persons who access its Web site,
including personally identifiable information. The School Board Web site
does not automatically place a computer file - commonly known as a “cookie” -
on any person’s computer who accesses the Web site.
Acceptable Internet Use and Internet
Safety Policy
Generally
The Montgomery County School Board adopts this Acceptable Use Policy, which
outlines appropriate uses, ethics and protocol for the School Board’s computer
network.
1.
The division superintendent or his/her designee shall
select and operate technology that protects against, filters or blocks access
through school division computers to visual depictions that are –
a. child
pornography, as set out in Virginia Code § 18.2-374.1:1 or as defined in 18
U.S.C. § 2256;
b. obscenity,
as defined in Virginia Code § 18.2-372 or 18 U.S.C. § 1460; and
c. material that Montgomery County Public Schools deems to be
harmful to juveniles, as defined in Virginia Code § 18.2-390, material that is
harmful to minors, as defined in 47 U.S.C. § 254(h)(7)(G), and material that is
otherwise inappropriate for minors.
2. The technology protection measure shall
be utilized and enforced during any use of the division’s computers by minors.
3. The school administration shall monitor
online activities of minors.
4. The division superintendent or his/her
designee shall select and operate technology and take administrative measures
to protect the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat
rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications.
5.
The division superintendent or his/her
designee shall ensure that the Montgomery County Public Schools include a
component on Internet safety for students that is integrated in the division’s
instructional program and that is consistent with the guidelines for
instructional programs related to Internet Safety issued by the Superintendent
of Public Instruction.
The failure of any student, teacher or administrator to follow the terms of
this Policy may result in the loss of Montgomery Public Schools’ computer
network privileges, disciplinary action and/or appropriate legal action.
ACCEPTABLE USE AND INTERNET SAFETY POICY
Staff
1. MCPS
staff shall use the division’s computer equipment and communications services
solely for educational purposes.
2. MCPS
staff network account owners are responsible for all activities under this
account, so staff shall not share network passwords.
3. MCPS
staff shall not use the division’s computer equipment and communications
services for sending, receiving, viewing or downloading inappropriate and/or
illegal material via the Internet and World Wide Web.
4. MCPS staff shall not use the division’s
computer equipment and communications services as part of any illegal activity
defined as a violation of any local, state, or federal laws.
5.
MCPS staff shall
monitor online activities of minors.
6. MCPS staff shall report any instances of
Cyberbullying, Cyberthreats, inappropriate or illegal activity to school
administrators.
7.
MCPS staff shall
not disclose, use, or disseminate confidential information regarding students.
8. MCPS staff shall require students to have a
signed Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) before using computer.
9. MCPS staff shall not use computer for
commercial, political, or entertainment purposes during the school day.
10. MCPS staff shall be held responsible and
accountable for damage to district equipment or network as a result of improper
or unauthorized usage.
11. MCPS staff shall not install, or use
personal equipment on the MCPS network.
12. MCPS staff shall comply with all
applicable copyright regulations.
13. MCPS staff shall comply with the retention of electronic public
or student records as governed by the Virginia Public Records Act, Virginia
Code § 42.1-76, et seq. Record retention schedules, which identify various
documents and how long they must (or need to) be saved, may be accessed at the
Virginia Library’s website: www.lva.lib.va.us.
14.
MCPS staff shall
integrate Internet safety into their curriculum.
Failure
to follow the terms of this Policy may result in the loss of Montgomery Public
Schools’ computer network privileges, disciplinary action and/or appropriate
legal action.
ACCEPTABLE USE AND INTERNET SAFETY POLICY
Grades K-5
With the permission of your parent or guardian,
Montgomery County Public Schools offers you an opportunity to use the Internet
and computer systems at school. The term computer system includes hardware,
software, data, communication lines and devices, terminals, printers, CD-ROM
devices, tape drives, servers, mainframe and personal computers, the Internet
and other internal or external networks. We expect you to use the
Internet and computer based technology while in our building only for
educational purposes. This use is a privilege, not a right, and we may
discipline you or take away your right to use the Internet and computer
technology at school if you misuse this privilege. You are responsible for your
own actions while you are on the Internet and are also accountable for any
online activities that occur by others because you have allowed them to use
your account. The division's computer system is not a public forum.
Any communications or materials used on the computer system, including
electronic mail or other files deleted from a user's account, may be monitored
or read by school officials.
1. I
will read the rules for using the Internet that are given below and will ask an
adult at my school if I do not understand what any of them mean. I also know
that if I do not use computers and equipment in the right way, my teacher or
Principal may need to punish me. In fact, I may not be allowed to use computers
and equipment again at school.
2. I will only use computers and equipment in
the manner for which they are made. I know that my teacher and my Principal
want me to use the Internet to learn more about the subjects I am studying in
my classroom. I will not use the Internet for any other reason. For example, I
will not search for a comic book site when I am supposed to be looking for
something in science.
3. I understand that I am responsible or
liable for any damages that I cause while using technology.
4. I will be polite to other people when
writing to them (or talking with them) while I am on the Internet. I will not
use curse words or any language that my teacher or parent would not want me to
use in my classroom.
5. I will never give my name, my home address,
any personal information about me or my family, or my telephone number to
anyone I write to or communicate with on the Internet. I know that almost
anyone I contact is a stranger to me, and that I don't share personal
information with strangers no matter how nice they seem to be.
6. I will not cyberbully. “Cyberbully”
means any threats, harassment, or intimidation of another person using the
computer. I will tell an adult if I see any cyberbullying, cyberthreats, or
inappropriate activity.
7. I
understand that sometimes I may see a site on the Internet that has pictures or
words that my teacher or parents would not want me to see. I will not try to
find those sites and, if I come across one of them by accident, I will leave it
as soon as I can. For example, suppose I am searching for a type of animal and
find a picture that only adults should see. I quickly use my forward or
backward keys to take me to another site. I will not continue to look at the
site with the bad picture and will not show it to others around me. I also will
not print it out or save the picture.
8. I agree that I cannot use the words or
pictures I see on an Internet site without giving credit to the person who owns
the site. For example, I will not copy information from the Internet and hand
it in to my teacher as my own work.
9. I
will never give out private information about others or myself; including last
name, address, phone numbers, or school information.
10. I will tell an adult right away if
anything comes up on the screen that makes me feel
uncomfortable.
11. I
will never email any pictures of others or myself.
12. I
will not use the words or pictures from an Internet site without giving credit
to the resource.
I
agree to follow the rules listed above. If I do not, my technology
privileges may be taken away.
Student Name:
__________________
Student Signature: __________________
Parent Name: __________________
Parent Signature:
__________________
Date__________________
ACCEPTABLE USE AND INTERNET SAFETY POLICY
Grades 6 – 12
With the permission of your parent or guardian,
Montgomery County Public Schools offers you an opportunity to use the Internet
and computer systems at school. The term computer system includes hardware,
software, data, communication lines and devices, terminals, printers, CD-ROM
devices, tape drives, servers, mainframe and personal computers, the Internet
and other internal or external networks. We expect you to use the
Internet and computer based technology while in our building only for
educational purposes. This use is a privilege, not a right, and we may
discipline you or take away your right to use the Internet and computer
technology at school if you misuse this privilege. You are responsible for your own actions
while you are on the Internet and are also accountable for any online
activities that occur by others because you have allowed them to use your
account. The Division's computer system is not a public forum. Any
communications or materials used on the computer system, including electronic
mail or other files deleted from a user's account may be monitored or read by
school officials.
As a student, you should read the following
regulations and then sign this form to show that you understand your
responsibilities in using the Internet at this school. While using the Internet
from school properties:
1. I will only use the technology and
equipment in the manner for which it was designed. I understand that I may be
held responsible for any or all damage incurred as a result of my negligent or
inappropriate behavior.
2. While online, I will not use language,
which may be offensive to other users. I will treat others with respect. The
written and verbal messages I send while on the Internet will not contain
profanity, obscene comments, sexually explicit material, or expressions of
bigotry, racism, or hatred.
3. I will not cyberbully. “Cyberbully”
means any threats, harassment, or intimidation of another person using the
computer. I will tell an adult if I see any cyberbullying, cyberthreats, or
inappropriate activity.
4. I will not place unlawful information on
the Internet, nor will I use the Internet illegally in any way that violates
federal, state, or local laws or statutes. I will never falsify my identity
while using the Internet.
5. I will not use the Internet for
non-school related activities.
6. I will not send chain letters or any
pyramid scheme either to a list of people or to an individual, nor will I send
any other type of communication that might cause a congestion of the Internet
or interfere with the work of others.
7. I will not use the Internet to buy or sell,
or to attempt to buy or sell, any service or product.
8. I will not change any computer file that
does not belong to me.
9. I will not use copyrighted materials or
software from the Internet without permission of the author. I will cite the
source where appropriate.
10.
I will never knowingly give my
password to others, nor will I use another person's password.
11.
I will never use the Internet to send
or obtain pornographic or inappropriate material or files.
12. Except for the usual information contained
in the headers of my electronic mail, I will never give out personal
information such as name, address, phone number, or gender.
13. I will never knowingly circumvent, or try to
circumvent, security measures on either Montgomery County Public Schools'
computers or on computers at any remote site.
14. I will never attempt to gain unlawful access
to another person's or organization's resources, programs, or data.
15. I will not make, or attempt to make, any
malicious attempt to harm or destroy data of another user on the Internet,
including the uploading, downloading, or creation of computer viruses.
16. I understand that the school system is not responsible or
liable for any harm, damages or charges that result from my use of the system’s
technology, including loss of data, interruption of services, corruption of
files or programs, purchases, hacking or other violations of this Acceptable
Use Policy.
17. The
School Division's electronic mail system is owned and controlled by the School
Division. The School Division may provide electronic mail to aid students
in fulfilling their duties and as an educational tool. Electronic mail is
not private and may be monitored and accessed by the School Division.
Users shall be held personally liable for the content of any electronic message
they create. Downloading any file attached to an electronic message
is prohibited unless the user is certain of that message's authenticity and the
nature of the file. All students who use the MCPS Student e-mail system
will complete a Parental Authorization form.
18. I will report any violations of this
Acceptable Use Policy that I have knowledge of to my teacher or principal.
Student's
Agreement
I have read the Acceptable Use Policy for Internet
Access, as written above, and understand fully and agree to follow the
principles and guidelines it contains. If I did not understand the meaning of
part of it, I asked an adult to explain it to me. I agree to follow these
rules at all times when at school.
Student Signature:
____________________________________________________
Parent's
Agreement
As the parent or guardian of this student, I have read
the Acceptable Use Policy for Internet Access and Computer based Technology as
written above. I understand that computer access at school for students of
Montgomery County Public Schools is provided for educational purposes only. I
understand that employees of the school system will make every reasonable
effort to restrict access to all controversial material on the Internet, but I
will not hold them responsible for materials my son or daughter acquires or
sees as a result of the use of the Internet from school facilities. By signing
this document and/or the student handbook in which this policy is contained, I
give my permission to Montgomery County Public Schools for my son or daughter
to use computer equipment and the Internet while on school property.
Parent Signature:
____________________________________________________
Montgomery County Public Schools reflects the general
trend of society towards an information based technological culture. Goal IV of
the instructional Vision Statement for MCPS states, "All students will
understand and use the latest technologies and information sources."
Therefore, computer based instruction is a key element of the MCPS curriculum
and students as a rule will encounter it as part of the normal classroom.
If I do not consent to the above rules, or I do not
wish for my child to access computer equipment and the Internet, I have
indicated my desire on the signature page to be contacted by the school to
arrange for alternative instruction for my child.
Parent
Signature: ____________________________________________________
Guidelines for Student E-mail
Internet, Web-based, student E-mail accounts are made
available to Montgomery County Public Schools’ students for instructional
reasons. Student access to E-mail is a privilege with a corresponding
degree of responsibility for the user. As an instructional tool, student E-mail
accounts are monitored and controlled by the classroom teacher.
As administrators of the student E-mail system
teachers will:
1. Enable
and disable student accounts as needed for instructional reasons.
2. Access and read student E-mail for the
purpose of monitoring appropriate student use.
3. Supervise student use of the E-mail system
and report incidents to the appropriate building administrator for action.
4. Maintain a file of their student’s signed
consent forms.
5. Adhere
to the MCPS Staff Guidelines for the use of Instructional Technology.
Student
responsibilities include:
1. Students should never put personal
information in their E-mail messages (name, phone number, age, home address).
2. Students
must not use E-mail in an inappropriate or offensive manner.
3. Students are responsible for returning a
signed parental consent form before E-mail accounts will be issued.
4. Students
will adhere to the MCPS Acceptable Use Policy for Computer Based Technology.
The
Student e-mail system has been configured with the following constraints:
1. To conserve disk space E-mail messages
will automatically be purged on approximately a monthly basis and Student
E-mail accounts will be of a finite size. Students should save important
messages as text or word processing documents to their desired storage
location.
2. To prevent the spread of computer viruses the ability of
the system to send and receive attachments will be controlled.
PARENTAL AUTHORIZATION FOR SCHOOL EMAIL
With the consent of your parent/guardian, you will be
provided an E-mail account for instructional use. This is a privilege
extended to you to aid your learning and it may be withdrawn or modified by
your teacher if it is misused. By signing this document to use school
provided E-mail or a school computer you become responsible for your actions
with these tools and are accountable for them.
This E-mail account is provided as a support to the
instructional process and consequently any and all messages are open for review
by the assigning instructor. In maintaining and securing the system,
technology support personnel may also have access to the message traffic.
Follow these guidelines and apply common sense to
evaluate your actions in using the system.
1. Messages will not contain profanity, obscene comments or
sexually explicit materials.
2. Messages will not contain racist, sexist, religious
or generation derogatory content. Respect for members of the school and
general community is expected and should be expressed.
3. User
identity will be accurately reflected in all message traffic.
4. No
virus, program, or addition will be introduced into the system, which alters
its operation, destroys or damages data or renames or relocates files.
5. Passwords,
or other access coeds or identifiers, are not to be shared by student
users. No student is authorized to use any other person’s PID, password
or E-mail account.
6. Overall
message volume or routing should not absorb a disproportionate amount of E-mail
system resources.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Print first and last
name Signature
Date
CONSENT
As parent/guardian I consent
to this student being assigned an E-mail account.
Signature
Date
As parent/guardian I do not
consent and do not want this student to have an E-mail account.
Signature
Date
Guidelines for Employee E-mail
The School Board provides computer-based electronic information services for
the sole purpose of carrying out the mission of the school division. The
purpose of this section is to define the appropriate use of the Montgomery
County Public Schools electronic mail system. However, this section does
not enumerate all possible acceptable and unacceptable uses. This policy
applies to all persons who have been provided an MCPS e-mail account,
including, but not limited to, MCPS employees. By using the MCPS e-mail
system, users agree to do so only in compliance with this Policy and all
applicable state and federal laws, including laws related to copyright and
obscenity.
Appropriate Use
Access to the MCPS e-mail system shall be: (1) for educational purposes
that are consistent with School Board objectives and (2) for legitimate school
business. Responsible use of electronic communication requires discretion
and professionalism. Users are solely and individually responsible for
all communication transmitted via their MCPS e-mail accounts and shall not:
(1) forge, intercept or interfere with
electronic mail messages;
(2) use obscene, lewd, profane, threatening or
disrespectful language;
(3) distribute personal information about
others without their consent; and/or
(4) distribute chain mail, solicitations,
political statements, or religious messages.
When communicating via MCPS e-mail, users are expected
to abide by generally accepted rules of etiquette.
Personal Use
The MCPS electronic communication systems are to be used for school system
business purposes. Incidental personal use is permissible, so long as it
does not:
(1) interfere with instruction;
(2) interfere with staff productivity;
(3) burden the school division with identifiable
costs;
(4) preempt any school division activity or
interfere with the efficient operation of the County’s computing facilities or
electronic mail services.
Privacy
As a matter of general practice, the MCPS administration will not regularly
monitor e-mail messages. However, MCPS e-mail system users shall not have
any expectation of privacy in anything that they create, store, send or receive
on the MCPS e-mail system. The MCPS administration reserves the right
without prior notice to access any e-mail message.
Management Practices
The individual user account of any employee shall be removed upon the
employee’s resignation or termination of employment.
On July 1 of each year, the MCPS technology department shall remove all e-mail
messages from the system that are more than one year old.
E-mail Confidentiality
In general, e-mail messages from the MCPS e-mail system are public documents
under applicable law and, therefore, are not confidential. Under the
Virginia Freedom of Information Act, e-mail messages must be produced if a
citizen requests them with reasonable specificity. The general public
shall have access to MCPS e-mail messages as provided in Virginia Code §
2.2-3704.
E-mail messages that contain personally identifiable, non-directory information
about an MCPS student ore employee are confidential and may be exempt from
public disclosure under Virginia Code §§ 2.2-3704(G) and 2.2-3705.4(1).
In addition, e-mail messages that contain personally identifiable information
about a student are covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(“FERPA”), 20 U.S.C. §1232g, and only persons with a legitimate educational
interest may have access to them without written prior informed parental
consent. MCPS employees that use the e-mail system to convey information
to individuals that do not have a legitimate educational interest may be in
violation of FERPA.
E-mail Record Retention
The School Board recognizes that e-mail messages may qualify as public records
or student records under applicable law, and therefore are governed by the
Virginia Public Records Act, Virginia Code § 42.1-76, et seq. Record
retention schedules, which identify various documents and how long they must
(or need to) be saved, may be accessed at the Virginia Library’s website:
www.lva.lib.va.us. The MCPS
administration does not archive messages from the division’s e-mail
server. It is the responsibility of each individual MCPS employee to
comply with the Library of Virginia’s schedules for the retention of electronic
messages, based on the categories of documents for which the e-mail messages
qualify. For example, in cases where e-mail messages are relevant to a
student’s cumulative record, the message must be printed and retained for five
years.
LEGAL
REFERENCE: Code of
Adopted: April 2004
Revised: September 2005, August
2006, August 2007