How to Use Electronic Communication in OSSU

Electronic Use Training

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Disclaimer

This presentation is not intended to be an exhaustive explanation of OSSU’s Acceptable Use Policy and Procedures.

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For a full text of the policy and related procedures, you may go to the compulsory training webpage and OSSU Technology webpage.

Electronic Resource Policy

It is policy of the Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union (OSSU) to use electronic resources and communication to support and enrich student learning. OSSU believes that the benefit to students from access to electronic resources and opportunities for online exploration and collaboration far exceed the disadvantages.

Guidelines

With the increase of electronic resources and tools, it is important for OSSU staff to be aware of and follow guidelines related to acceptable use of electronic resources as well as electronic communication between employees and students.

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Communication with Students

• Only email about school matters (consider copying someone else on the email)
• Do not delete emails between you and students/family members
• Do not include students in your social network circles or have interaction through them.
• Information about students learned in online environments is included in information related to “mandated reporter” laws (this includes, but is not limited to bullying and harassment)

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Communication with Students (cont.)

• Report any inappropriate communication, or communication outside of school accounts immediately to your building administrator.

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Personal vs Professional

• Do not use your school email address for personal communication or to register with sites for your personal use.
• School-based electronic devices are the school’s property
• Do not put software that you own on a school computer
• Work email is for work.
• Your OSSU email is owned and monitored by OSSU

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Logging In or Out

• Do not leave a computer unattended while you are logged in
• Do not record your passwords on paper
• Do not share your passwords
• Use complicated, diverse passwords that involve numbers and symbols
• For help establishing secure passwords, contact the tech department

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Your Legal Responsibilities (general)

• Immediately report any potentially dangerous online behavior that you observe
• If you think you may have accidentally viewed an inappropriate website, report it to an administrator immediately
• Do not post negative (or potentially negative) information about others in any public or partially public forum. This may open you up to legal or civil action.
• Do not copy text, images, video, music or any other content to a file that may be posted on-line (ie curriculum documents, shared resources, etc). You may use another’s work, but you must get permission first, then cite the work. This includes music and video files!
• Do not copy software without permission.

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Your Legal Responsibilities (Continued)

• Please report lost or stolen school owned technology to the school administration or technology personnel.

Your Legal Responsibilities (communication)

• For the purposes of this discussion electronic communication will be defined in three media:
• Email (school email accounts)
• Chat (school email account)
• Meet (school video conferencing)
• Google Documents/Electronic Files

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NEVER use your personal accounts to discuss school business. This can open up your entire account to potential subpoena, should you be involved in a legal or civil action (even as a witness)

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Your Legal Responsibilities (Communication – continued)

• Student information comes in two varieties:
• Directory Information – name, address, dates of enrollment, awards, etc
• Personally Identifiable information – race/ethnicity, schedule, grades, test scores, IEP status, etc.
• When discussing a student or group of students by email, NEVER include information of both types in the same email.
• If you need to send information about a student or group of students that includes both kinds of information, do so by chat or google document.
• See FERPA/Confidentiality training presentation for additional information.

Legal References

15 U.S.C. §6501 (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act)

17 U.S.C. §§ 101 -120 (Federal Copyright Act of 1976 as amended)

18 U.S.C. §2510 (Electronic Communications Privacy Act)

18 U.S.C. §2251 (Federal Child Pornography Law)

20 U.S.C. § 1232g (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974)

47 U.S.C. §230 (Computer Decency Act)

13 V.S.A. §§2802 et seq. (Obscenity, minors)

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