Ring Lardner Middle School

GENERAL INFORMATION

Niles Community Schools strongly promotes the use of electronic information technologies in educational endeavors. The district provides access to information resources in a variety of electronic formats, which allows learners to access resources, communicate in a technologically rich environment, and become responsible, self-directed, life-long learners.

Niles Community Schools is responsible for the management of the infrastructure, hardware and software that the district uses to access information technologies for educational purposes. These responsibilities include:

• Enforcing this Acceptable Use Policy
• Defining the rights/responsibilities of members
• Assigning/removing of member's accounts on the network(s)
• Maintaining and repairing of network equipment
• Selecting software that the network will support
• Selecting resources that support the mission of the school district
• Providing training opportunities on the use and application of information technology

All account holders on the Niles Community Schools Network will be granted access to services the network offers. The following people may hold accounts:

• Students: Students who are currently enrolled in the district may be granted a network account upon agreement to the terms stated in this policy.

• Faculty and Staff: Staff members currently employed by the district may be granted a network account upon agreement to the terms stated in this policy.

• Others: Anyone may request a special account on the district network. These requests will be granted on a case-by-case basis, depending on need and resource availability.

Definitions

• District equipment includes, but is not limited to, computers, hardware peripherals, network infrastructure, disk drives, printers, scanners, video and audio recorders, cameras, photocopiers, telecommunications, video, and audio equipment.
• Software includes, but is not limited to, computer software, audio/video media resources and print/non-print resources.
• Networks include but are not limited to, all voice, video and data systems.

The use of district technology is a privilege, which can be revoked at any time by the district.

All files, programs and other electronic media are the property of Niles Community Schools. Users should have no expectation of privacy regarding documents, files, e-mail or other media stored or created using technology of Niles Community Schools, and understand that all items may be reviewed at any time without knowledge or consent of the user.

Checkout of district technology for non-classroom use must be in accordance with building policy.

Niles Community Schools network members must agree to abide by the following rules:

• Users have appropriate experience or training before using the technology.
• Each individual user is responsible for the reasonable care of technology, including hardware and software while in their possession or while they are using it. They will not damage, deface, or misuse any computers or other technology equipment.
• Users will report any damage or problems with equipment immediately upon discovery to the building principal.
• Users are expected to have all media scanned for virus, dirt, or other contamination which might endanger the integrity of district hardware, software, or networks before they are used in district systems.
• Users are responsible for the security of the technology. Staff and students are not to use or disclose confidential information except as part of an appropriate educational use of technology. For example, passwords are the property of the user and are not to be used by anyone else.
• Users may not leave their account open or unattended.
• Appropriate use of district technology is defined as use to further instructional goals and mission of the district. Only access within the district network, the Internet to retrieve information to facilitate learning, and outside resources to enhance educational information exchange is appropriate. Users should consider any use that does not fall under this definition of appropriate use as being potential misuse for which a loss of technology use and disciplinary consequences may occur. For example, students are not to check e-mail, download song lyrics, etc.
• Users are to use technology during instructional time only for facilitating learning and enhancing educational information exchange consistent with the purposes of the school.
• Users are to adhere to the rules established for the use of hardware, software, labs, and networks in the school or through remote access outside of the school.
• Users will be considerate of other users. This includes demonstrating respect for the rights and property of others and not accessing or misusing files, data, or information of others.
• Users will make the most efficient use of technology resources to minimize interference with others. (Examples: students will not use excessive time on the computer.)
• Staff needs the permission of their building administrator to install or duplicate software or unauthorized files.
• Students may not install or duplicate software or unauthorized files without direct and specific permission from the supervising teacher.
• Users have the conditional right to sign up for list serv, bulletin boards, web sites, newsgroups, or on-line services on the Internet that facilitate learning and enhance educational information only with the approval of the building administrator.
• Users accept responsibility for all material received via the Internet under their account. They accept responsibility for keeping all pornographic material, inappropriate files, or files dangerous to the integrity of the school's network, equipment, or software from entering the school via the Internet or from being reproduced in visual, digital, or written format.

Niles Community Schools' staff and students are prohibited from:

• using the technology for any illegal activity
• using the technology for private, for profit, or for nonprofit activities, or for product advertisement
• malicious use of technology to disrupt the use of technology by others, to harass or discriminate against others, or to infiltrate unauthorized computer systems.
• taking electronic/digital resources, including but not limited to, files, documents, presentations, pictures, videos or other items created at school or using school resources and publishing them on any internet resource including forums, social networking sites, or any other public venue without written permission from the school administration.

Consequences of Inappropriate use of Technology, Computer(s) and the Network

• Any person who does not comply with the Acceptable Use Policy may lose privileges of use. Repeated or severe infractions of the policy may result in permanent termination of privileges.

• The building administrator will determine what is inappropriate use based on this Acceptable Use Policy. Their decision is final. The building administrator may close an account at any time.

• Users violating any of these rights and responsibilities may face additional disciplinary action deemed appropriate in keeping with policies as stated in the student code of conduct, staff handbook or policies of The Board of Education.

Student School School Building: ____________________ Grade: ________

Staff Member School Building: _____________________ Position: _____________

Name: ____________________________________________________________________

First Last

Home Address: _____________________________________________________________

City: _____________ State: _____ Zip Code: __________

Phone: Home: (______) _________________ Work: (______) _________________

Your signature on this form indicates that you agree to abide by the rules described in the Niles Community Schools' Acceptable Use Policy. Please read the Niles Community Schools' Acceptable Use Policy very carefully before completing and signing this agreement. After this form is completed and signed you will be assigned a username & password.

I have read and agree to adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy of Niles Community Schools.

_________________________________________________ _______________

Signature Date

__________________________________________________ _______________

Parent's Signature Date

Please return this form to the school office.