Access to Electronic Networks
(Board Policy 6-235)

This policy and its implementing administrative procedures govern the scope of the District’s authority and the safe and acceptable use of the District’s electronic networks. “Electronic networks” include but are not limited to:

1. District-owned or District-issued computers or similar devices, including but not limited to any District devices issued as part of a 1:1 mobile device program (e.g., Chromebooks, iPads, tablets, Kindles/eReaders);
2. personal electronic devices capable of accessing any local- or wide-area networks of the District, or otherwise transmitting or communicating electronic data, including but not limited to cell phones, iPods, or smart watches;
3. the District’s local-area and wide-area networks, including wireless networks (WiFi) or Districtissued WiFi hotspots, and any District servers and other networking infrastructure;
4. any access to the District’s servers, the Internet, or online apps via the District’s networking infrastructure, including but not limited to remote or proxy access, from any computer or electronic device; and
5. any access to any online account issued by the District, regardless of how or where accessed (e.g., Google SuiteWorkspace, CanvasSchoology).

Electronic networks are a part of the District’s instructional program and serve to promote educational excellence by facilitating resource sharing, innovation, and communication. The Superintendent or designee shall develop an implementation plan for this policy, which may include additional administrative procedures, rules, and other terms and conditions of electronic network use as may be necessary to ensure the safe, proper, and efficient use and operation of the District’s electronic networks and appoint system administrator(s).

The School District is not responsible for any information that may be lost or damaged, or become unavailable when using the electronic networks, or for any information that is retrieved or transmitted via the Internet. Furthermore, the District will not be responsible for any unauthorized charges or fees resulting from access to the Internet.

Curriculum and Appropriate Online Behavior 

The use of the District’s electronic networks shall: (1) be consistent with the curriculum adopted by the District as well as the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of the students, and (2) comply with the selection criteria for instructional materials and library resource center materials. As required by federal law and Board policy 6-60, Curriculum Content, students will be educated about appropriate online behavior, including but not limited to: (1) interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, and (2) cyberbullying awareness and response. Staff members may, consistent with the Superintendent’s implementation plan, use the Internet throughout the curriculum.

The District’s electronic networks are part of the curriculum and are not a public forum for general use.

Acceptable Use

All use of the District’s electronic networks must be: (1) in support of education and/or research, and be in furtherance of the goals stated herein, or (2) for a legitimate school business purpose. Use is a privilege, not a right. Users of the District’s electronic networks have no expectation of privacy in any 6-235 6-235 1 of 3 material that is stored on, transmitted, or received via the District’s electronic networks. General rules for behavior and communications apply when using electronic networks. The District’s administrative procedure, Acceptable Use of the District’s Electronic Networks, contains the appropriate uses, ethics, and protocol. Electronic communications and downloaded material, including files deleted from a user’s account but not erased, may be monitored or read by school officials.

Internet Safety

Technology protection measures shall be used on District provided Internet access. They shall include a filtering device that protects against Internet access by both adults and minors to visual depictions that are: (1) obscene, (2) pornographic, or (3) harmful or inappropriate for students, as defined by federal law and as determined by the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee shall enforce the use of such filtering devices. An administrator, supervisor, or other authorized person may disable the filtering device for bona fide research or other lawful purpose, provided the person receives prior permission from the Superintendent or Chief InformationOfficer. The Superintendent or designee shall include measures in this policy’s implementation plan to address the following

1. Ensure staff supervision of student access to online electronic networks, 

2. Restrict student access to inappropriate matter as well as restricting access to harmful materials,

3. Ensure student and staff privacy, safety, and security when using electronic communications,

4. Restrict unauthorized access, including “hacking” and other unlawful activities, and

5. Restrict unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal identification information, such as, names and addresses.

Authorization for Electronic Network Access

Each staff member must sign the Authorization for Access to the District’s Electronic Networks as a condition for using the District’s electronic network. Each student and the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) must sign the Authorization before being granted unsupervised use.

Confidentiality

All users of the District’s computers to access the Internet shall maintain the confidentiality of student records. Reasonable measures to protect against unreasonable access shall be taken before confidential student information is loaded onto the network.

Violations

The failure of any user to follow the terms of the District’s administrative procedure, Acceptable Use of the District’s Electronic Networks, or this policy, will result in the loss of privileges, disciplinary action, and/or appropriate legal action.