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JICL / GBEF - Student / Employee Acceptable Use of Technology

Purpose

The purpose of the Acceptable Use and Social Media Policy is to provide the procedures, rules, guidelines, and the code of conduct for the use of technology, the Internet, and social media.

A. Definition(s)

The definition of "information networks" is any configuration of hardware and software that connects users. The network includes but is not limited to, all of the computer hardware, operating system software, application software, stored text and data files. This includes all existing and future technologies. This acceptable use policy also addresses “stand alone” workstations.

B. Kearsarge Regional School District Services

The Kearsarge Regional School District (KRSD) provides resources for teaching and learning, communication services and business data services by maintaining access to local, regional, national, and international sources of information. Members of the school community will use KRSD’s information resources in accordance with the policy, procedures, and regulations established by the KRSD, as well as by state and federal laws and regulations. This policy and resulting procedures do not attempt to articulate all required guidelines for proscribed behavior by its users.

Successful operation of the network requires that all users conduct themselves in a responsible, decent, ethical, and polite manner while using the network. The user is ultimately responsible for his/her actions in accessing network services.

C. Guidelines

Access to the networks and to the information technology environment within the Kearsarge Regional School District is a privilege and users of the network and its associated systems must treat them as such. Users of Information networks will do so for the purposes of research, education, and school-related business and operations. While it is not the intention of the KRSD to be intrusive, the KRSD informs all users that authorized KRSD personnel will be monitoring system activity, and the content of e-mail messages and files. The resources of the KRSD are limited. All users must exercise prudence in the shared use of this resource.

Only authorized account or password holders may access or utilize any District system requiring a District issued password or account license issued by the District. Account owners are ultimately responsible for all activity engaged in under their accounts.

Users of District technology agree to report any misuse or abuse of the KRSD's computer network or Intranet/Internet services to the KRSD's Coordinator of Technology Support and Application. Failure to report the misuse or abuse of technology constitutes a violation of this policy.

D. Disclaimer

KRSD makes no guarantees about the quality of the services provided and is not responsible for any claims, losses, damages, costs, or other obligations arising from use of the network or accounts. Any additional charges a user accrues due to the use of the KRSD’s network are to be borne by the user. KRSD also denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of the information obtained through user access. The District identifies that any statement accessible on the computer network or the Internet is the statement author's individual point of view and not that of KRSD, its affiliates, or employees.

E. Unacceptable Use

The KRSD has the right to take disciplinary action, remove computer and networking privileges, and to take legal action, for any activity characterized as unethical or unacceptable.

Unacceptable use activities constitute, but are not limited to, any activity through which any user:

  1. Violates such matters as institutional or third party copyright, license agreements or other contracts. The unauthorized use of and/or copying of software is illegal.
  2. Interferes with or disrupts other network users, services or equipment. Disruptions include, but are not limited to:
    1. The distribution of unsolicited advertising, propagation of computer worms or viruses, distributing quantities of information that overwhelm the system,
    2. The use of a KRSD network to make unauthorized entry into any other resource accessible via the network.
  3. Uses or knowingly allows another to use any computer or computer system to devise or execute a scheme to defraud or to obtain money, property, services, or other things of value by false pretenses, promises, impersonations, or misrepresentations.
  4. Destroys, alters, dismantles or otherwise interferes with the integrity of computer-based information and/or information resources.
  5. Seeks to gain or gains unauthorized access to information resources.
  6. Invades the privacy of individuals or entities.
  7. Uses the network for non-school related commercial or political activity.
  8. Installs unauthorized software for use on KRSD computers.
  9. Uses a network to access inappropriate materials, including but not limited to sending, receiving or displaying or viewing offensive, sexually explicit, pornographic, or obscene content, messages, pictures, video, or other media.
  10. Submits, publishes or displays any defamatory, inaccurate, discriminatory, offensive, abusive, obscene, pornographic, profane, sexually oriented, explicit, or threatening materials, messages, pictures, video, or other content, either publicly or privately.
  11. Uses a KRSD network for illegal harassing, discrimination, bullying, intimidating, stalking, hazing, cyber bashing / cyberbullying, insulting, vandalizing, attacking, or other inappropriate purposes, or in support of such activities.
  12. Posts publicly any items produced by students to the Internet without proper administrative review and/or parental permission.
  13. Uses unauthorized services or mail lists (e.g. LISTSERVS, newsgroups, chat rooms, blogs, social networking sites, unapproved gaming sites, and instant messaging.)
  14. Encrypts communications or files to avoid system security review.
  15. Attempts to access blocked, filtered, or restricted websites (e.g. using a proxy site, encryption, or other means to circumvent a firewall.)
  16. Engages in any other conduct that is potentially harmful to students, staff, administrators, or the KRSD.

F. Kearsarge Regional School District Technology Rights

The District reserves the right to:

  1. Monitor all computer/technology/network activity. Notwithstanding any related laws, staff members have no expectation of privacy regarding their use of KRSD technology inclusive of all district hardware, software, and network resources.
  2. Make determinations on whether specific uses of technology are consistent with these acceptable use procedures.
  3. Log network use and monitor the District’s storage disk space utilization by its users.
  4. Determine what constitutes appropriate use.
  5. Remove a user's access to the technology at any time it is determined the user engaged in unauthorized activity or violated these acceptable use procedures.
  6. Cooperate fully with any investigation concerning or relating to the KRSD's network activity or technology use.

G. Code of Conduct – General Internet Usage

Use of the Internet by students and staff of the KRSD shall be in support of education and research that is consistent with the mission of the KRSD. Internet use is limited to those persons who the District has issued KRSD approved accounts, or access the District “Guest” network with the acceptance of use in accordance with KRSD's Policy JICL / GBEF, and all other applicable policies.

The District expects users of District technology and network resources to abide by the following terms and conditions.  Users shall:

  1. Protect their KRSD account from others.
  2. Respect the privacy of other users.
  3. Not use other users' passwords or share passwords with others.
  4. Use technology in an ethical and courteous manner.
  5. Not use District technology to send hateful, harassing, or obscene mail, discriminatory remarks, or to demonstrate other harmful or harassing behaviors.
  6. Maintain the integrity of the District’s files and data. As such, users will not modify or copy files/data of other users without the owner’s consent.
  7. Treat information created by others as the private property of the creator and will respect others copyrights and associated legal responsibilities.
  8. Not use any District network in a manner that disrupts the District network’s use by others.
  9. Not destroy, modify, or abuse the District’s hardware or software in any way.
  10. Not use, develop, or pass on programs used to harass other users, to infiltrate a computer or computing system, and/or to damage the software components of a computer or computing system (e.g. viruses, worms, "chain" messages, etc.).
  11. Not use the Districts technology or network to access or process pornographic, offensive, sexually explicit, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate material.
  12. Not use District technology or network resources for commercial purposes.

H. Employee/Volunteer Responsibilities   

It is the Employee / Volunteer’s responsibility to supervise student use of District technology and network resources.  Employees and volunteers who use school technology and network resources with students for instructional purposes are responsible for providing a duty of care to supervise such use.  Additionally, it is the employee / volunteer’s responsibility to enforce school policies concerning employee and student computer usage as described within this policy. When, in the course of their duties, employees or volunteers become aware of a violation, they shall stop the activity and follow the steps prescribed in KRSD Policy JICM / GBEG (Prohibited Use of Technology), and other relevant policies.

I. Expectation of Privacy

All computer hardware, software, network, and email systems are the sole property of the District. Users of District technology and network resources acknowledge and understand that the technology and work products created in use of the District’s resources are not the property of the employee or student. All emails, websites, and social media posts created using the District’s owned technology and resources are subject to the monitoring of these systems by the District to safeguard its students and employees. The Kearsarge Regional School District's computers and web accounts remain under the control, custody, and supervision of the District at all times. Employees and students have no expectation of privacy in their use of the District’s email, stored files, website content, and social media when used, accessed, or generated, or transmitted on district computers or networks.

J. District Compensation for Losses, Costs and/or Damages

The employee or student and his/her parents/guardians are responsible for compensating the school district for any losses, costs, or damages incurred by the district for violations of this policy while the employee or student is using district technologies –inclusive of the cost of investigating such violations. The district assumes no responsibility for any unauthorized charges or costs incurred by an employee or student while using school district technologies.

The KRSD reserves the right to remove a user's account if it is determined that the user is engaged in unauthorized activity or is violating this code of conduct.

K. Code of Conduct - KRSD Websites and Social Media

The District sponsors and maintains its social media pages and websites for the KRSD community for sharing information about our schools and the achievements of the students and staff.  These resources also provide other relevant KRSD community information. All posting of comments on KRSD pages are at the discretion of the District’s page administrators. The intent of this policy is to protect the privacy and rights of the KRSD school community. Participants using the resources shall be respectful and courteous. Users will not post offensive comments, complaints, criticisms, statements, photographs, video or audio, or other forms of electronic communication that are or could reasonably be viewed as, malicious, threatening, intimidating, disparaging, profane, obscene, offensive, sexually explicit, inflammatory, discriminatory, or otherwise objectionable.  Users will not use technology in a manner that constitutes harassment or bullying. Examples of such conduct include, but is not limited to, use of offensive posts meant to intentionally harm someone’s reputation, or posts that contribute to a hostile work environment on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by law of company policy.

All postings to KRSD-sponsored sites are publicly accessible without limitation or protection of any kind. The District advises users of its technology to be cautious with the personal information they share when using District resources.  All official KRSD web pages and social networking sites representative of the District or its individual schools (those designed for student use and/or communication to stakeholders about KRSD programs) must be pre-approved by the school administration, and must adhere to the following standards:

  1. Logos and graphics used on the site must be consistent with the branding standards and usage guidelines of the District.
  2. Sites that accept comments or postings by anyone other than the site administrator must be diligently monitored to ensure that information displayed complies with KRSD guidelines as set forth above and as established in the KRSD’s Employee Technology Acceptable Use and Social Media Policy, and that all content is appropriate to the subject matter of the page.
  3. Administration and staff should not expect students to utilize the site as the only source of important information, since student access to social networking sites is restricted on the KRSD networks.
  4. Pages or sites which have not been approved by the Administration will be treated as personal pages as defined by this policy.

KRSD reserves the right to reject or remove comments if these comments violate this policy. Site administrators will remove any submissions that fail to follow this policy in any way.

In posting material on KRSD-sponsored sites, users agree not to:

  1. Post materials that are, or could reasonably be, viewed by the District as malicious, threatening, intimidating, disparaging, profane, obscene, offensive, sexually explicit, inappropriate, inflammatory, discriminatory, or harassment.
  2. Post phone numbers, email addresses or other non-directory confidential information of students, faculty, staff, or any person other than the user.  Any user choosing to post contact information for any reason, is to be aware that the information will be available to the public and is, therefore, subject to misuse.
  3. Break Federal or State law, or encourage others to do so. This stipulation includes the user’s adherence with copyright and fair use laws. Users referencing other’s intellectual property must, reference and properly cite this or the person for credit, and where possible include a link to the original source material.
  4. Post material that infringes on the rights of KRSD or any individual or entity, including privacy, intellectual property, or publication rights.
  5. Post material that promotes or advertises a commercial product, solicits business, invites membership, seeks financial or other support in any business, group or organization.  Building or District administration may provide exceptions to this provision for those businesses or activities officially sponsored by KRSD.
  6. Post chain letters, post the same comment multiple times, or otherwise distribute “spam” via the KRSD-sponsored site.
  7. Allow any other individual or entity to use another user’s personal identification or password for posting or viewing comments.
  8. Post comments under multiple names or using another person’s name.

In posting material on KRSD-sponsored sites, users of District technology and network resources understand that:

  1. The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless KRSD, its affiliates, directors, employees, and / or successors, and assigns against any damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, causes of action, costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs) arising out of any claim by a third party relating to any material user has posted on KRSD-sponsored sites.
  2. KRSD reserves the right to remove any comments at any time for any reason and/or ban future posts from people who violate this Policy.​​​​​​

L. Employee Use of Personal Social Media and Websites

KRSD respects the right of employees to use personal social media and networking sites. KRSD understands social media can be a fun and rewarding way to share your life and opinions with family, friends, co-workers, and the world. However, employee use of social media also presents work-related risks and carries with it certain responsibilities. The District informs all employees that they are professionals who serve as role models for students. Employees of the KRSD shall refrain from any communication, electronic or otherwise, which undermines their effectiveness as employees of an educational enterprise.

Employees must maintain appropriate boundaries between students and themselves even when they are off-duty. KRSD expects employees to behave honorably in both real and virtual (online) spaces. Employee online behavior should reflect the same standards of honesty, respect and consideration used in face-to-face communication. Employees should exercise appropriate professional care in setting, and maintaining professional boundaries between their personal and public online behavior, understanding anything posted online is never truly private.

The KRSD strongly encourages all employees to review the privacy settings on any social media and networking sites they use carefully and exercise professionalism when posting content and information.

The KRSD prohibits employees from 'friending' or otherwise engaging or interacting with current students or those enrolled in the District on any social media applications that are not school-affiliated (excluding immediate family members). Teachers, coaches, and other leaders who wish to create websites for student support, such as a listing of athletic events or classroom support materials or library information, must have those sites pre-approved by the administration. These pages are subject to all KRSD policies. Additionally, employees must abide by the social media site’s terms and conditions.

Employees should adhere to the following guidelines, which are consistent with the District’s workplace standards relative to harassment, student relationships, conduct, professional communication, and confidentiality. Engaging in the following problematic conduct may considered by the District to be immoral, unethical, illegal, and/or constitute professional misconduct, or demonstrate violation appropriate professional boundaries:

  1. Communicating in a manner that would violate any of the School’s policies, including policies concerning bullying, discrimination or harassment.
  2. Personal posts or comments that the District would reasonably view as malicious, obscene, threatening, or intimidating.
  3. Failing to uphold the District’s value of respect for the individual by using the Internet, email, instant message, text message, or other electronic means to disparage or ridicule students, parents, or staff in a manner disruptive to the normal operation of the school, or is defamatory in nature.
  4. Communicating with students via e-mail, instant message, text message, or other electronic means in an overly casual, unprofessional, inappropriate, sexualized, or offensive manner.
  5. Creating, possessing, managing, or having a website that contains immoral pictures, video, or text, or other information or links to such information.
  6. Disclosing any confidential information of the School or confidential information obtained during the course of his/her employment, about any individuals or organizations, including students and/or their families.
  7. Posting or creating a link from a personal blog, website or other social networking site to a School website or social media site without identifying yourself as an employee.
  8. Representing yourself as a spokesperson for your School or the District, or failing to correct such a misconception. If KRSD is the subject of the content you are creating, be clear and open about the fact that you are an employee and make it clear that your views do not represent those of a school, KRSD, fellow employees, administrators, students, or parents, or other people working behalf of KRSD.

If the KRSD believes an employee’s activity on a personal social networking site, blog, or personal website may violate the District’s policies, the District may request the employee cease such activity. In addition, employees who violate this policy may face disciplinary action in accordance with other KRSD policies and/or collective bargaining agreements

All employees shall read and acknowledge this policy’s terms and conditions annually.

See Also:

District Procedure JICL / GBEF-R

Legal Reference(s):

RSA 194:3-d, School District Computer Networks
47 U.S.C. §254, Requirements for Certain Schools – Internet Safety
20 U.S.C. §6777, Enhancing Education through Technology – Internet Safety

First Read: 2/7/19, 3/4/23
Second Read: Waived
Adopted: 2/7/19
Last Review:  3/4/23
Revised: 3/4/23