Technology Acceptable Use Agreement - Parent Notification
At Centennial Schools, we believe technology is a critical tool for learning and teaching in the 21st Century. To ensure quality use of School District technologies, we have established an Acceptable Use Policy as part of the Technology Acceptable Use and Safety Policy #524.
TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT
The proper use of technology is the joint responsibility of students, parents, and staff. Prior to any use of school district technologies, students, parents, and staff must sign and return the Student Technology Acceptable Use Agreement.
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE
Access to technology in Centennial Schools has been established for educational purposes. All electronic technologies must be used in support of the educational goals and mission of the school district.
UNACCEPTABLE USES
Users will not use the school district system to access, review, upload, download, store, print, post, receive, transmit, or distribute:
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pornographic, obscene, or sexually explicit material or other visual depictions that are harmful to minors;
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obscene, abusive, profane, lewd, vulgar, rude, inflammatory, threatening, disrespectful, or sexually explicit language;
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materials that use language or images that are inappropriate in the education setting or disruptive to the educational process;
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information or materials that could cause damage or danger of disruption to the educational process;
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materials that use language or images that advocate violence or discrimination toward other people (hate literature) or that may constitute harassment or discrimination.
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Personal photos, files, or music not related to educational purposes for any extended length of time
Users will not use the school district system to knowingly or recklessly post, transmit, or distribute false or defamatory information about a person or organization, or to harass another person, or to engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks.
Users will not use the school district system to engage in any illegal act or violate any local, state, or federal statute or law.
Users will not physically or electronically vandalize school district technologies nor use the District’s electronic technologies to vandalize, damage, or disable the property of another person or organization.
Users will not use the school district system to gain unauthorized access to information resources or to access another person’s materials, information, or files without the implied or direct permission of that person.
Users will not use the school district system to post private information about another person, personal contact information about themselves or other persons, or other personally identifiable information, including, but not limited to, addresses, telephone numbers, school addresses, work addresses, identification numbers, account numbers, access codes or passwords, labeled photographs, or other information that would make the individual’s identity easily traceable, and will not repost a message that was sent to the user privately without permission of the person who sent the message.
Users will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the school district system or any other system through the school district system, attempt to log in through another person’s account, or use computer accounts, access codes, or network identification other than those assigned to the user. Messages and records on the school district system may not be encrypted without the permission of appropriate school authorities.
Users will not use the school district system to violate copyright laws or usage licensing agreements, or otherwise to use another person’s property without the person’s prior approval or proper citation, including the downloading or exchanging of pirated software or copying software to or from any school computer, and will not plagiarize works they find on the Internet.
Users will not use the school district system for conducting business, for unauthorized commercial purposes, or for financial gain unrelated to the mission of the school district. Users will not use the school district system to offer or provide goods or services or for product advertisement. Users will not use the school district system to purchase goods or services for personal use without authorization from the appropriate school district official.
Users will not install any personal equipment or software on any district-owned systems. The District does not support personal equipment.
FILTERS
In accordance with the Child’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), the district will monitor online activities and employ technology protection measures during any use of computers by minors and adults.
Even though the School District uses technical means to limit student Internet access, these limits do not provide a foolproof means to prevent access to all inappropriate information.
The technology protection measures utilized will use best efforts and industry standard approaches to block or filter Internet access to any visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors, including but not limited to: any picture, image, graphic image file, or other visual depiction that: taken as a whole and with respect to minors, appeals to a prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion; or depicts, describes, or represents, in a patently offensive way with respect to what is suitable for minors, an actual or simulated sexual act or sexual contact, actual or simulated normal or perverted sexual acts, or a lewd exhibition of the genitals; and taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as to minors.
An administrator, supervisor, or other person authorized by the Superintendent may disable the technology protection measure, during use by an adult, to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
CONSISTENCY WITH OTHER SCHOOL POLICIES
Use of the school district computer system and use of the Internet shall be consistent with school district policies and the mission of the school district.
LIMITED EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY
By authorizing use of the school district system, the school district does not relinquish control over materials on the system or contained in files on the system. Users should expect only limited privacy in the contents of personal files on the school district system.
Routine maintenance and monitoring of the school district system may lead to a discovery that a user has violated this policy, another school district policy, or the law. An individual investigation or search will be conducted if school authorities have a reasonable suspicion that the search will uncover a violation of law or school district policy.
Parents have the right at any time to investigate or review the contents of their child’s files and e-mail files.
Parents have the right to request the termination of their child’s individual account at any time.
School district employees should be aware that the school district retains the right at any time to investigate or review the contents of their files and e-mail files. In addition, school district employees should be aware that data and other materials in files maintained on the school district system may be subject to review, disclosure or discovery under Minn. Stat. Ch. 13 (the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act).
The school district will cooperate fully with local, state and federal authorities in any investigation concerning or related to any illegal activities or activities not in compliance with school district policies conducted through the school district system.
LIMITATION OF DISTRICT LIABILITY
Use of the school district system is at the user’s own risk. The system is provided on an “as is, as available” basis. The school district will not be responsible for any damage users may suffer, including, but not limited to, loss, damage, or unavailability of data stored on school district diskettes, tapes, hard drives, or servers, or for delays or changes in or interruptions of service or misdeliveries or nondeliveries of information or materials, regardless of the cause.
The school district is not responsible for the accuracy or quality of any advice or information obtained through or stored on the school district system. The school district will not be responsible for financial obligations arising through unauthorized use of the school district system or the Internet.
PARENTS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
Outside of school, parents bear responsibility for the same guidance of Internet use as they exercise with information sources such as television, telephones, radio, movies, and other possibly offensive media.
Parents are responsible for monitoring their student’s use of the school district system and of the Internet if the student is accessing the school district system from home or a remote location.
In Centennial Schools, students use District resources/accounts to access the internet and instructional resources. If parents object to the use of the internet, parents may request alternative activities not requiring internet access.