Acceptable Electronic Use

Unlawful, Unauthorized, or Inappropriate Behavior

Unlawful activity

• Students may not violate any law (such as personal information protection laws or 

copyright laws) using FIS or non-FIS technology resources. Students will be held accountable for any and all consequences that result from illegal activity.

Unauthorised activity

Unauthorised Access

• Students may not access FIS networks, including FIS wireless networks, without signing the acceptable use policy.

• Students may not share passwords for any FIS technology resource, including computers or wireless networks, with anyone, unless told to do so by a teacher.

Modifications

• Students may not install/uninstall software or otherwise modify FIS technology resources without a teacher’s supervision and permission.

Website usage

• Sites which may be used with permission only: Certain web sites may not be used without teacher supervision and approval.

• Sites which are never permitted: Websites such as sites which contain or advocate violence, gambling websites, adult web sites, sites which contain viruses, and criminal web sites are prohibited at all times. They are inappropriate, illegal, or dangerous. If a student finds an unblocked site, which contains questionable or controversial content, students are expected to leave the site and inform a teacher immediately.

• The school reserves the right to determine whether specific websites are appropriate. If a student is unsure about whether a site is permitted, the student must ask a teacher.

Plagiarism

• Plagiarism is an inappropriate use of IT resources. See the secondary section for more detail.

Bullying and harassment

• Cyber bullying is using technology to hurt others, including but not limited to sending threatening or hostile emails, impersonating another person online, spreading rumors, or spreading images of others without permission. All cyber bullying is considered inappropriate and unacceptable and will be dealt with as a disciplinary matter.

• FIS has the right to intervene in any case of cyber bullying involving FIS students, regardless of whether or not the cyber bullying involves FIS technology resources.

Accidental misuse 

• If students accidentally do something considered unauthorised, unlawful, or inappropriate, the students must close the window and inform a teacher immediately. A true accident will not result in punishment. Teachers must be informed so that security measures can be taken. If a teacher is not informed, the student’s actions may be considered intentional.

Physical safety of equipment

Food and drink

• Students may not eat or drink near FIS hardware. Candy and gum count as food. Water counts as a drink.

Equipment safety

• Students may not endanger the equipment in any way, such as by physical misbehavior near computers or inappropriate handling of equipment.

Compensation for losses, costs and/or damages

• Students’ guardians are financially responsible for damages, intentional or unintentional, caused by students to school equipment. This may include non-physical damage such as viruses. Parents or guardians may be required to pay for replacement equipment, the time spent by specialist repairmen, or any other cost resulting from their child’s actions.

• Students’ guardians are also financially responsible for all damages to non-FIS equipment. FIS cannot provide support for non-FIS equipment: the student or the guardian is responsible for keeping non-FIS equipment in working order.

• Deliberate damage to property is a serious offense. In addition to other disciplinary or academic consequences, students with a history of damaging equipment may be prohibited from using it in the future.

• Students are prohibited from spending money online at school. Parents or guardians are responsible for any costs incurred by a student, including but not limited to online shopping, software fees, and use of pay sites.

System security and resource limits

• As previously stated, students may not download or install programmes, or in any other way modify FIS equipment, without the permission of a teacher.

• If a student has unintentionally downloaded a programme, or believes he or she has installed a virus, the student must notify a teacher immediately.

• Any files on FIS equipment may be deleted by the IT Administrator at any time. It is a student’s responsibility to make backups of files or to store files with an appropriate cloud-based service.