DISTRICT NETWORK AND INTERNET ACCESS FOR EMPLOYEES

All employee (certified, non-certified and educational support personnel) use of the Internet and the District’s internal network, shall be consistent with the District’s goal of promoting educational excellence by facilitating educational resource sharing, electronic communication, and improving methods for learning and research. This authorization includes examples of rules about the District’s internal network and Internet use. It does not attempt to state all that may be required of users, or proscribe behavior. The failure of any user to follow the terms and conditions of District Network and Internet access will result in the loss of those privileges, and my result in disciplinary action. Employee misuse of computers, networks, or the Internet may result in legal liability of the employee.

The purpose of providing Network and Internet access in the school environment is to provide access to new means to gather information, provide research experiences, and to teach responsible use of computers, networks and the Internet. To that end the District reserves the right to limit employee access to those sites which are appropriate to educational activity and research.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Acceptable Use – Access to the District’s internal network and the Internet must be for the purpose of education or research, and be consistent with the educational objectives of the school.
2. Privileges – The use of the District’s internal network, electronic mail (E-mail) and the Internet is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will result in a cancellation of those privileges. The Board of Education and Administration have the right to make all decisions regarding whether or not an employee has violated applicable rules, and may deny, revoke, or suspend employee access at any time. Such decisions are final.
3. Unacceptable Use – An employee is personally responsible for his or her actions and activities involving school computers, the District’s internal network, electronic mail (E-mail) or the Internet. The Board of Education and Administration may make additional rules at any time regarding employee use of school computers, the District’s internal network, electronic mail (E-mail) or the Internet. Some examples of unacceptable uses of school computers, the District’s internal network or the Internet are:

1. Any illegal activity.
2. Violation of copyright, intellectual property rights, or unauthorized use of property of others.
3. Downloading of a file without authorization, regardless of whether the file is software or data, or whether it is copyrighted or devirused.
4. Using or downloading a file for a purpose other than that authorized.
5. Use for private financial or commercial gain.
6. Wastefully using resources such as file space, processor time or network time, including any use that hinders, delays or obstructs others in their use of school computers, the District’s internal networks or the Internet.
7. Gaining or attempting to gain unauthorized access to any resources, including but not limited to the District’s computers, networks, databases, and files, or information contained therein.
8. Invading the privacy of others.
9. Using or attempting to use another’s account or password or other identification.
10. Posting material authored or created by another without his or her consent.
11. Posting anonymous messages.
12. Use for commercial or private advertising.
13. Submitting, posting, publishing, or displaying any material which is defamatory, intentionally inaccurate, abusive, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, racially offensive or harassing, or accessing material which is obscene, profane, or sexually oriented.
14. Use or attempted use while access privileges are suspended or revoked.
15. Failure to follow network security rules.
16. Incurring telephone charges, long-distance charges, per-minute surcharges, and/or equipment or line costs or other access charges without written permission of the District.
17. Attempted or actual use, possession or creation of any computer virus or other software, or physical or electronic device intended to or capable of causing damage to any computer, network or file.
18. Use of computing facilities knowingly to disrupt the work of a student, faculty member, school official or any other person or entity.
19. Use of computing facilities knowingly to disrupt normal operation of any computing system.
20. Posting of messages or material under a false name, or corrupting or changing any data or material of any other person without consent.
21. These rules may be supplemented at any time in the discretion of the District. Any supplemental rules will immediately be binding upon employees.
22. Use of the District’s computers, internal network or the Internet to engage in any theft or fraud.

1. Network Etiquette – While using the District’s computers, internal network or the Internet, employees are required to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Be polite. Do not become abusive in your messages to others.
2. Use appropriate language. Do not swear or use vulgarities, or any other inappropriate language.
3. Do not reveal the identification, password, personal addresses, photographs, or telephone numbers of others.
4. Recognize that electronic mail (E-mail) is not private. People who operate the system have access to all mail. Messages relating to illegal activities may also be reported to law enforcement authorities.
5. Do not use the network in any way that would disrupt its use by other users.
6. Consider all communications and information accessible via the network to be private property.

1. No Warranties – The school makes no warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, regarding the use of computers, the network, the Internet, or the accuracy, correctness, completeness or reliability of any information, files or software. The school is not responsible for any damages for any of the foregoing, including loss of data, non-deliveries, missed-deliveries, or service interruptions, whether caused by its negligence, user errors or omissions, or other defects. Use of any information obtained via the Internet is at the user’s own risk. This District specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through use of the network, or the Internet.
2. Indemnification – The employee, by signing below, in consideration of the District providing him/her with network and Internet access agrees to indemnify the District for any losses, costs, or damages, including reasonable attorney fees, incurred by the District relating to, or arising out of, any breach of these or other School Rules by the employee in using computers, the network, or the Internet.
3. Security – Network security is a high priority. If any employee identifies a security problem or failure on the school computers, the District’s internal network or the Internet, the employee is required to notify the Building Principal or his/her designee. The following rules apply to network security:

1. Employees must not demonstrate any security problem or security defeating technique to any other users.
2. Employees must keep accounts and passwords confidential. An employee providing an account or a password to another, or using or attempting to use another individual’s account or a password violates this rule.
3. Attempting to log onto or use school computers, the internal network or the Internet using any other person’s account, password or identification is a violation of these rules.

1. Telephone Charges – The School assumes no responsibility for any unauthorized charges or fees, including telephone charges, long-distance charges, per-minute surcharges, and/or equipment or line costs. Ordinary Internet and school network access and use will incur no such charges. Any such charges are the responsibility of the employee signing below.
2. Privacy – Electronic communications and downloaded material may be monitored or read by School officials.
3. Employees need only sign the Authorization for District Network and Internet Access once while employed in the District Schools.

 ADOPTED: 2/9/98

The employee’s signature is required for District computer, network or Internet use, and constitute:

1. Agreement that the employee is bound by the rules set forth in this authorization, and any other rules adopted by the school from time to time in respect to District computers, network or Internet, and
2. Agreement by employee to be bound by the terms of this authorization and agreement.

I understand and will abide by all rules contained in this Authorization for District Network and Internet Access, and any other rules of computer, network, E-mail or Internet use adopted from time to time. I further understand that should I commit any violation, my access privileges may be revoked, and disciplinary action and/or appropriate legal action may be taken against me.

DATE: __________________________

________________________________

USER SIGNATURE

Adopted: 2/9/98

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