Morris School District

 

 

User Agreement of Understanding

 

 ONCE COMPLETED PLEASE RETURN THIS SHEET TO YOUR SCHOOL

 

 

Access and use of the Network is a privilege for the User. The files and email contained on the district’s computer systems are the property of the Morris School District.

 

I have read and understand the Technology/Internet Code of Ethics and the Disciplinary Action Policy, and by signing, hereby agree to be responsible for and abide by all rules and regulations contained in them.

 

I understand that the Morris School District has no control over the content of material found on the Internet, nor is the Morris School District responsible for any financial obligations incurred by me as a result of any purchase of product or services over the Network.

 

Since there is always the potential that a Network system failure will result in a loss to a User’s information or work product, I understand that I am responsible for making a personal back-up of any information or product placed on the Network.

 

I recognize that the Morris School District Administration does have the authority to monitor and intercept e-mail messages of all Users and that there shall be no privacy right construed to exist in any work product put on the Network.

 

 

User’s Name is either staff or students.

 

 

User’s Name: _________________________________ (printed)

 

 

User Signature: _______________________________ Date: ______________

 

 

Parent’s Name: _______________________________ (printed)

 

 

Parent’s Signature: ____________________________ Date: _______________

 


2360         USE OF TECHNOLOGY

 

The Morris School District reaffirms its commitment to improving learning and teaching by providing access to and use of stand-alone district computers, the District Local Area Network and the Internet.  Reference to the network herein shall include stand-alone computers, network systems, PDAs (Personal Data Assistants) or other wireless access to the network, and Internet access.

 

The Morris School District shall develop a technology plan that effectively uses electronic communication to advance and promote learning and teaching.  This system of technology shall be used to provide local, Statewide, national and global communications opportunities for staff and pupils.  Educational technology shall be infused into the district curriculum to maximize pupil achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards.

 

Morris School District Network, Internet and World Wide Web

 

Purpose

 

To support its commitment to providing avenues of access to the universe of information available, the district's system of electronic communication shall include access to the Internet for pupils and staff.

 

Limitation of Liability

 

The Internet constitutes an unregulated collection of resources that changes constantly, so it is not possible to totally predict or control the resources that users may locate.  The Board of Education cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information or the appropriateness of materials that a user may encounter.  Furthermore, the Board shall not be responsible for any damage users may suffer, including but not limited to, loss of data or interruptions of service.  Nor shall the Board be responsible for financial obligations arising through the unauthorized use of the system.

 

Protection of Portable Equipment

In the case that Morris School District issued computer equipment is taken off-site it is the responsibility of the USER, who the equipment has been issued, to protect the district’s investment. In the case that such equipment is; lost, stolen or damaged, the event MUST be reported to the employee’s supervisor immediately. In addition, if a theft has occurred, the user MUST file a police report where the incident occurred and a copy of that report MUST be provided to the school district within two weeks of the event.

The Board of Education has the right to enforce financial replacement cost of any equipment that is lost or stolen from non-Morris School District property. The replacement cost will be determined in accordance with “fair-market” value and replacement costs established by the Business Administrator.

Mobile and handheld devices must be physically secured when left unattended to guard against theft, protect business data, and prevent unauthorized access to the device and the - wireless (and wired) network. Portable and handheld devices, including handheld cradles, must not be left unattended in unsecured places such as in an unlocked car, in conference rooms, on an office desktop, or if traveling with the device, at airport public or gate areas.

 

Morris School District Rights and Responsibilities

 

The computer systems: hardware, software, networks and all files are the property of the district, and all computer software and hardware belong to the district.  Repairs and installations of such equipment and software are limited to district owned hardware and software.  Therefore, the district retains the right to monitor all access to and use of the Internet and network systems.

 

The Board of Education designates the Superintendent or his/her designee as the coordinator of the district system.  He/she shall recommend to the Board of Education qualified staff persons to ensure provision of individual and class accounts necessary for access to the Internet, designation of quotas for disk usage on the system, establishment of a document retention schedule, establishment of a virus protection process and coordination of other activities as required to maintain the system.

 

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall coordinate the district system by approving all activities for that building; ensuring that teachers receive proper training in the use of the system; ensuring that pupils are adequately supervised when using the system; maintaining executed user agreements; and interpreting this acceptable use policy at the building level.

 

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall ensure the acquisition and installation of blocking/filtering software to deny access to certain areas of the Internet.

 

District Web Site

 

The Board authorizes the Superintendent or his/her designee to establish and maintain a district web site.  The purpose of the web site will be to inform the district educational community of district programs, policies and practices.

 

Individual schools and classes may also establish web sites that include information on the activities of that school or class.  The Building Principal shall oversee these web sites.

 

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall publish and disseminate guidelines on acceptable material for these web sites.

 

The Morris School District is committed to the application of ethical and legal standards in using the network.  The district expects its pupils, staff and administrators, who access and/or use any hardware or software on the network (hereinafter referred to as 'Users') to abide by the standards set forth below.

 

Users accept the following Rights and Responsibilities.

 

Rights

 

The user has the right to access and use hardware and software available at schools in the Morris School District to complete class assignments, improve his or her ability to access technological resources, develop lessons, lesson plans and to further his or her academic and professional growth.

 

Responsibilities

 

Appropriate Use

 

1.             It is understood that access to and use of the network are privileges.  Such access and use of the network shall be reserved for activities that are of 'educational value' to the user.  For the purposes of this policy, 'educational value' shall mean having a direct or indirect relationship to the approved school curriculum and educational program.

 

2.             The use of the network for accessing or distributing harassing, defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive or illegal material or conducting other prohibited activities, is forbidden.  The Morris School District will avail itself of any and all avenues, within the confines of the law, to prevent such material from entering the network.  Users shall report the introduction or existence of such material on the network to the Director of Technology or the Superintendent's designee, Building Principal or (in the case of a pupil) a teacher in the Morris School District.

 

3.             Users must recognize that e-mail or other messages on the network may contain thoughts, conclusions, certain biased perceptions and/or untruths.  Users who spread false and disparaging information about third parties may be found liable for defamation.  Such use of the network is expressly prohibited.

 

Security

 

1.             Only those users who have received training shall be authorized to access and/or use any hardware or software on the network.

 

2.             The user shall accept the responsibility of the preservation and care of Morris School District hardware and software.

 

3.             It is the user's responsibility to make sure that no hardware or software is destroyed, modified or abused in any way.  Any attempted or actual alteration of the network system software, data or files, or disruption or destruction of resources is considered vandalism.

 

4.             Users shall not deliberately attempt to disrupt the district's computer system performance or destroy data by spreading computer viruses, worms, “Trojan Horses,” trap door program codes or any similar product that can damage computer systems, firewalls, servers or network systems.

 

5.             It is the user's responsibility to obtain written permission from the Director of Technology or the Superintendent's designee prior to removing, relocating or modifying any hardware or software.  The Director of Technology or the Superintendent's designee will oversee all repairs to the network done on school grounds.

 

6.             The user has the responsibility for keeping food and/or drink away from computer equipment.

 

7.             The user shall immediately notify the Director of Technology or the Superintendent's designee, building supervisor or (in the case of a pupil), a teacher in the Morris School District if he or she feels that he or she has identified a security break or vandalism or has been the victim of an on-line stalker.

 

8.             Any user identified with a history of violations/problems with computer systems will be designated a security risk, and may be denied access or restricted in the use of the network.

 

9.             Users shall not install or download software or other applications or files without permission of the supervising staff person.  Users shall follow all district virus protection procedures when installing or downloading approved software.

 

10.            Users are responsible for their accounts and should take all reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorized access to them.  In no case should a user provide his/her password to another individual.

 

11.            Users (unless authorized by an IEP) shall not be permitted to bring into schools or administrative buildings their personal hardware and software, such as but not limited to: laptops, printers, etc.

 

Privacy

 

1.             Users accept responsibility for preserving the privacy of others.  Hacking or access unauthorized files is prohibited.  Investigating or reading another user's files is a violation of his or her privacy.

 

2.             All users of the network must comply with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, as amended, and the Communications Decency Act.  These acts prohibit the unauthorized interception or disclosure of e-mail messages by third parties, as well as the appropriateness of certain material being posted on the Internet.

 

3.             Users shall not store extensive e-mail messages on the network; e-mail messages may be stored for a period of no longer than fourteen calendar days and the Morris School District reserves the right to delete any e-mail messages (read or unread) left on the network for a period in excess of fourteen days.

 

4.             Users may not allow any other person to use their password or to share their account.  It is the user's responsibility to protect e-mail accounts from unauthorized use by changing passwords periodically and using passwords that are not easily determined.

 

5.             Users are responsible for using their own name at all times, shall neither resort to anonymity nor misrepresent themselves as someone else.

 

6.             No personnel or pupil information, which is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, shall be disseminated through the network.  Pupils shall not post personal contact information about themselves or others.  Nor shall pupils engage in any kind of personal contact with individuals they meet online.  Attempts at contact from such individuals shall be reported immediately to the staff person monitoring that child's access to the Internet.  Personal contact information includes but is not limited to names, home/school/work addresses, telephone numbers, or personal photographs.

 

7.             Users shall respect the privacy of messages that they receive and refrain from reporting messages without the approval of the sender.

 

8.             Users must recognize that the Superintendent or his/her designee does have the authority to monitor and intercept e-mail messages for all users and that there shall be no privacy right construed to exist in any work product put on the network.

 

Adherence to Copyright Law

 

1.             The user is forbidden from putting any material owned by others onto the network without written permission.

 

2.             Software is protected by United States copyright law.  The user will not make unauthorized copies of software found on the network or put such software onto other computers, e-mail messages, bulletin boards or other transmissions.

 

3.             The user will not lend, give or sell copies of software to others without the written permission of the copyright owner or without being able to clearly show the software is shareware or in the public domain.

 

4.             The user will not employ 'cut and paste' or other techniques to falsely imply that he or she is the original author of another's material, but will include proper citations to show the sources of such information.  Users shall not plagiarize material that is available on the Internet.  Plagiarism is presenting another's ideas/words as one's own.

 

Disciplinary Action Policy

 

In addition to other disciplinary action available to the Morris School District, a user who does not adhere to the above responsibilities will be subject to disciplinary action.  Consequences for violations may range from temporary loss of Internet and network access to expulsion.  Disciplinary actions may be determined consistent with existing policies and regulations concerning staff and pupil conduct.  Where applicable, law enforcement agencies may be contacted and involved.  The following disciplinary action may be enforced:

 

1.             Responsibility for full financial restitution to the Morris School District or any other injured party.

 

2.             Indemnification of the Morris School District for any damages incurred or assessed as the result of the user's inappropriate or unauthorized use of the network.

 

3.             Denial of access to the network for an appropriate period of time to be determined by the Morris School District.

 

4.             Subjection to criminal and/or civil penalty.

 

Implementation

 

The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall prepare regulations to implement this policy.

 

 

N.J.A.C. 6A:26-6.1 et seq.

17 U.S.C. 101 et seq.

Adopted:  12 January 2009, June 29, 2009