Acceptable Use Policy

The district’s Access to Electronic Networks Policy (Board Policy 6:235) and the technology guidelines (both listed below) must be followed at all times.

Policy 6:235 ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC NETWORKS
Electronic networks, including the Internet, are a part of the District’s instructional program and serve to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. The Superintendent shall develop an implementation plan for this policy and appoint system administrator(s).

The School District is not responsible for any information that may be lost or damaged, or become unavailable when using the network, or for any information that is retrieved or transmitted via the Internet. Furthermore, the District will not be responsible for any unauthorized charges or fees resulting from access to the Internet.

Curriculum and Appropriate Online Behavior
The use of the District’s electronic networks shall: (1) be consistent with the curriculum adopted by the District as well as the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students, and (2) comply with the selection criteria for instructional materials and library resource center materials. As required by federal law and Board policy 6:60, Curriculum Content, students will be educated about appropriate online behavior, including but not limited to: (1) interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and (2) cyberbullying awareness and response. Staff members may, consistent with the Superintendent’s implementation plan, use the Internet throughout the curriculum.

The District’s electronic network is part of the curriculum and is not a public forum for general use.

Acceptable Use
All use of the District’s electronic networks must be: (1) in support of education and/or research, and be in furtherance of the goals stated herein, or (2) for a legitimate school business purpose. Use is a privilege, not a right. Students and staff members have no expectation of privacy in any material that is stored, transmitted, or received via the District’s electronic networks or District computers. General rules for behavior and communications apply when using electronic networks. The District’s administrative procedure, Acceptable Use of the District’s Electronic Networks, contains the appropriate uses, ethics, and protocol. Electronic communications and downloaded material, including files deleted from a user’s account but not erased, may be monitored or read by school officials.

Internet Safety
Technology protection measures shall be used on each District computer with Internet access. They shall include a filtering device that protects against Internet access by both adults and minors to visual depictions that are: (1) obscene, (2) pornographic, or (3)harmful or inappropriate for students, as defined by federal law and as determined by the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee shall enforce the use of such filtering devices. An administrator, supervisor, or other authorized person may disable the filtering device for bona fide research or other lawful purpose, provided the person receives prior permission from the Superintendent or system administrator. The Superintendent or designee shall include measures in this policy’s implementation plan to address the following:

1. Ensure staff supervision of student access to online electronic networks,
2. Restrict student access to inappropriate matter as well as restricting access to harmfulmaterials,
3. Ensure student and staff privacy, safety, and security when using electronic communications,
4. Restrict unauthorized access, including “hacking” and other unlawful activities, and
5. Restrict unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information, such as, names and addresses.

Authorization for Electronic Network Access
Each staff member must sign the Authorization for Access to the District’s Electronic Networks as a condition for using the District’s electronic network. Each student and his or her parent(s)/guardian(s) must sign the Authorization before being granted unsupervised use.

All users of the District’s computers to access the Internet shall maintain the confidentiality of student records. Reasonable measures to protect against unreasonable access shall be taken before confidential student information is loaded onto the network.

The failure of any student or staff member to follow the terms of the District’s administrative procedure, Acceptable Use of the District’s Electronic Networks, or this policy, will result in the loss of privileges, disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legalaction.

LEGAL REF.:
No Child Left Behind Act, 20 U.S.C. §6777.
Children’s Internet Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. §254 (h) and (l).
Enhancing Education through Technology Act, 20 U.S.C §6751 et seq. 47 C.F.R. Part 54, Subpart F, Universal Service Support for Schools and Libraries.
720 ILCS 5/26.5.

CROSS REF.:
5:100 (Staff Development Program), 5:170 (Copyright), 6:40 (Curriculum Development), 6:60 (Curriculum Content), 6:210 (Instructional Materials), 6:230 (Library Media Program), 6:260 (Complaints about Curriculum, Instructional Materials, and Programs), 7:130 (Student Rights and Responsibilities), 7:190 (Student Behavior).

Adopted: 7/2018

“The inclusion of legal references (LEGAL REF:) herein is published for informational purposes only and the citation is not to be considered controlling or as part of the adopted or revised Board Policy.”
Maine Township High School District 207

TECHNOLOGY GUIDELINES

Using any technology (including Chromebooks) provided by Maine Township High School District 207 shall always be in keeping with the district’s goal of educational excellence and student achievement.

Responsibility:

• I will keep my password confidential.
• I will make sure that I bring my fully charged Chromebook to school every day.
• I will take care of my Chromebook just as I would for any electronic device that I own.
• I will always store my Chromebook in a secure or locked environment when not using it.
• I will only access websites that are appropriate and student-safe. (As a reminder, the district technology staff are able to view the records of all websites and applications I am using or accessing.)
• I will make sure that all district barcodes and identification stickers remain on my Chromebook and I will inform the ChromeDepot if I notice that a district sticker is falling off or has fallen off.
• I will only use the Chromebook issued to me, and not another student’s Chromebook, unless my teacher or another staff member directs me otherwise.
• I will not use another student’s login to access my Chromebook, or try to “hack” another student’s Chromebook or account.
• I will not let other students log on to my Chromebook.
• I will report the loss or theft of my Chromebook immediately, to one of my teachers or the Chrome Depot.
• I will make sure that food or liquids aren’t near my Chromebook.
• I will make sure my Chromebook isn’t exposed to water, excessive heat or excessive cold.
• I won’t leave my Chromebook in my car.
• I will tell my teacher or another staff member if somebody has illegally accessed Chromebook
• I will make sure that I am not using my Chromebook to engage in academically dishonest behavior, as defined in the Student’s Rights and Responsibilities handbook.
• I won’t use my Chromebook to submit, post, publish or display defamatory, knowingly inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive, harassing or illegal material.
• I will only use my Chromebook to engage in communication that promotes kind, respectful and civil interactions.
• I won’t use my Chromebook to cyberbully others.
• I will make sure that I use good judgment when I use the camera and microphone on my Chromebook by making sure that others know when I am taking pictures and that they approve of me taking pictures.
• I will never use the Chromebook camera or microphone in a bathroom or locker room.
• I will make sure that I only access sites or use applications as approved by my teacher.
• I will maintain the software on my Chromebook and not try to “hack” or otherwise change my Chromebook. 
• I will make sure that I use the district’s network resources in an educationally appropriate way, and that I don’t try to disable the district’s network or other computing assets.
• I understand that the only device I can use for testing is my Chromebook.
• My family or I will pay any charges that might arise if I damage or break my Chromebook
• My family or I understand that if I lose my Chromebook, we have to pay for a replacement.(The cost of a new Chromebook is approximately $400).
• My family and I understand that the school district will be the only party that facilitates repairs to the Chromebook and that we should not take the Chromebook to any third parties for repair, or attempt to repair the Chromebook. 
• Students no longer attending schools in Maine Township High School District 207 prior to graduation are required to return their assigned Chromebook before their final day of attendance.  If the Chromebook is not returned, District 207 will assess a full replacement charge and take other steps if necessary.

I understand that using the Chromebook issued to me by the district is a privilege and that it carries no expectation of privacy. I also understand that misusing my Chromebook will result in disciplinary consequences.