COMPUTER AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY USE
Technology in instruction provides increased opportunities for active learning for students and more options for achieving district curriculum goals. Technology also represents a set of tools that students will need to master in preparation for successful work and living in the 21st Century.
1. Responsibilities
Failure to follow district policy, procedure and administrative regulation when using district technology may result in suspension and/or revocation of the user’s access to the technology. Student violations may also result in discipline up to and including expulsion. Staff violations may result in discipline up to and including dismissal. Fees, fines or charges may also be imposed.
Staff: When technology is located in a HRCSD facility, it is the staff’s responsibility to assure responsible, efficient, ethical and legal use of the technology by students and staff in compliance with the Acceptable Use Policy. Personal use of the District’s hardware, software or connectivity must be on the employee’s personal time, meet the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), and not result in increased costs to the District.
Administration: Principals will ensure that staff and students are informed of guidelines for appropriate technology use and will develop school procedures to assure compliance.
Students: Students are responsible for knowing and following the Acceptable Use Policy for technology.
2. Software Licenses - Use of software without a license valid for installation on district-owned machines or unauthorized copying of district-licensed or school-licensed software is a violation of copyright law and district policy. The user may be subject to discipline.
3. Wide Area Network and Internet-HRCSD has established a wide-area network of computers reaching each school district location, and local-area computer networks in each school. The purpose of the network is to support and enhance learning and teaching by providing electronic communications and sharing information resources across the district.
Staff and selected students may have access to electronic communication inside and outside the district via the network.
4. Network Monitoring - HRCSD will use technology protective measures, installed and in continuous operation, that protect against Internet access by both adults and minors to visual and textual depictions that are obscene, child pornography or, with respect to the use of the computers by minors, harmful to minors.
The District will monitor the on-line activities of minors and deny access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web. The District may monitor the activities of adults as needed to establish compliance with the Acceptable Use Policy.
5. Publishing on the Internet and World Wide Web - Any material created and/or placed on the Internet and World Wide Web using HRCSD resources (hardware, software, server space, personnel), whether or not the material appears with the district or a school name, must serve an instructional purpose and conform to the HRCSD acceptable use policy. Failure by staff or students to adhere to the Instructional Technology Use Policy #8254 and Copyrighted Instructional Materials Policy #8253 and related procedures may result in discipline.
When the personal opinions of students and staff are expressed, notice will be given that the opinions are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the school or school district.
All materials related to HRCSD and schools must be linked to the HRCSD Web page.
Technology Acceptable Use Procedure
System Use Acceptable use of technology including, but not limited to, computers, software, telephones, Internet, e-mail, fax machines and similar equipment, by staff and students, is for the purpose of:
Employee and Student Privacy in the Use of Technology: Because technology is provided to accomplish the work of the school district, employees and students have a limited expectation of privacy in their use of the technology. Routine maintenance and monitoring of the system may lead to discovery that staff or student has violated law, regulation, procedure or policy. An individual search, within the context of the suspected violation, may be conducted when reasonable suspicion is established.
Violations: Employee violations of law, regulation, policy or procedure may result in discipline up to and including dismissal and/or report to the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission and legal authorities. Student violations may result in discipline according to the school’s procedures.
Personal Use of District Technology by employees: Personal use of district-owned technology resources is permitted on the employee’s non-work time, for non-prohibited uses, and when the District incurs no added cost because of the employee’s use and when the use does not violate current Government Ethics rules. Employees are responsible for supervising compliance with the AUP for all equipment that is assigned to them at work and/or used out of school.
Inappropriate and Prohibited Use of Technology for Employees and Students Includes:
Inadvertent Misuse: If a user inadvertently encounters inappropriate or prohibited material, s/he should promptly report the occurrence to the supervisor in writing.
Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA Executive Order, 4/01). HRCSD will enforce the provisions of the Children’s Internet Protection Act when students have access to technology provided by HRCSD or supervised by HRCSD staff. Provisions include:
Internet Filtering: “Measures to block or filter Internet access for both minors and adults to certain visual depictions. These include visual obscene depictions or contain child pornography, or, with respect to use of computers with Internet access by minors, harmful to minors.
An authorized person may disable the blocking or filtering measure during any use by an adult to enable access for bonafide research or other lawful purpose.”
Staff Supervision: All student use of technology will be under the direct supervision of a staff member who will monitor the online activities of all students, especially: “(1) access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet and World Wide Web; (2) the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications; (3) unauthorized access, including so-called “hacking,” and other unlawful activities by minors online; (4) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors.”
Report of Violation to School Administration: Staff who supervises student use of technology in schools is responsible for knowing and following the school district’s Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). They must report student violations to the school administration.