Board Policy: Code: 4.506 

Student Access to Electronic Media

The Board supports the right of students to have reasonable access to various information formats and believes it incumbent upon students to use this privilege in an appropriate and responsible manner.

The director of schools shall develop and implement appropriate procedures to provide guidance for student access to electronic media. Guidelines shall address ethical use of electronic media (such as the Internet) and issues of privacy versus administrative review of the electronic files and communications and shall prohibit utilization of networks for prohibited or illegal activities, the intentional spreading of embedded messages or the use of other programs with the potential of damaging or destroying programs or data.

A written parental request shall be required prior to the student being granted independent access to electronic media involving district technological resources. The required permission/agreement form, which shall specify acceptable uses, rules of on-line behavior, access privileges and penalties for policy/procedural violations, must be signed by the parent/legal guardian of minor students (those under 18 years of age) and also by the student. This document shall be kept on file as a legal, binding document. In order to modify or rescind the agreement, the student’s parent/guardian (or the student who is at least 18 years old) must provide the director of schools with a written request.

School officials shall apply the same criterion of educational suitability used to review other educational resources when questions arise concerning access to specific databases or other electronic media.

 

Board Policy: Code: 1.613 

Use of Electronic Mail (e-mail)

Electronic mail capability among board members and district staff exists for the purpose of enhancing communication to better perform tasks associated with their positions and assignments. Therefore, all staff and board members who have access to the district network shall adhere to the following guidelines when sending or receiving messages via system-wide electronic mail (e-mail): 

1. E-mail shall not be used to circumvent requirements of the Open Meetings Act.

2. Because all computer hardware and software belong to the Board, the Board retains the right to access e-mail, as it believes necessary. Staff/board members will be asked to sign an application for terms and conditions for Use of the Internet. Confidentiality of e-mail communications cannot be assured.

3. Staff/board members shall not reveal their passwords to others in the network or to anyone outside of it. If anyone has reason to believe that a password has been lost or stolen or that someone has accessed e-mail without authorization, s/he shall contact the director of technology immediately.

4. It is the responsibility of the sender not to violate copyright laws.

5. Messages shall not be sent that contain material that may be defined by a reasonable person as obscene or that are racist, sexist or promote illegal or unethical activity.

Any usage contrary to the above shall be reported immediately to the director of schools, and may result in the suspension and/or revocation of system access or if deemed necessary, appropriate disciplinary action may be taken.

 

 

Board Policy: Code: 4.5061 

 Web Pages

In order to take advantage of the opportunities the Internet provides, the Board authorizes the creation of school and/or district web pages on the Internet. Only those web pages maintained in accordance with Board policy and established procedures shall be recognized as official representations of the district or individual schools. All information on a school or district web page must accurately reflect the mission, goals, policies, program and activities of the school and district. The web page must have a purpose, which falls within at least one of three categories:

1. Support of curriculum and instruction — intended to provide links to Internet resources for       students, parents, and staff in the district:

2. Public information — intended to communicate information about the schools and district to students, staff, parents, community and the world at large.

3. District technology support — intended to provide and respond to instructional and administrative technology needs of students and staff.

 

The director of schools shall develop administrative procedures for development of web pages including content, quality and consistency standards and shall designate an individual(s) to be responsible for maintaining the official district web page and monitoring all district web page activity. A building principal shall make such designation for an individual school. Schools or departments who wish to publish a web page must identify the webmaster’s name and e-mail address on the web page. As with any instructional materials or publication used by or representing the school or district, the building principal or director of schools, respectively, is ultimately responsible for accuracy and appropriateness of the information made available on the web site. Concern about the content of any page(s) created by students or staff should be directed to the building principal or the director of schools’ office when related to the district web site. If the concern is not resolved, persons who wish to file a formal complaint shall submit a written request for reconsideration of instructional material. Web sites developed under contract for the school district or within the scope of employment by district employees are the property of the school district.

 

By Henderson County BOE