Responsible Use Guidelines

Students are expected to abide by the below Responsible Use Guidelines at all times when using devices, regardless of whether they are school-owned or personally owned. Violations of these guidelines online will be treated as a behavior issue with the same consequences as would apply if they took place within the classroom. A printable copy of the document is available here.

PURPOSE

The LVUSD Board of Trustees and leadership team understands the importance of teachers, students and parents engaging, collaborating, learning, and sharing on the Internet through tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Apps, wikis, blogs, and many other online resources that allow people to connect and share information. With this in mind, we have developed the following guidelines to provide direction for teachers, students and parents when participating in online media activities.

LVUSD Responsible Use Guidelines encourage teachers and students to participate in online media and strive to create an atmosphere of trust and individual accountability, keeping in mind that information produced by the district, its schools, our faculty, staff, students and their parents is a reflection on the entire district community and is subject to our Acceptable Use Policy, as well as the district's mission and the obligation to protect the children entrusted to us. By accessing, creating or contributing online for classroom or school use, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Please read them carefully before making use of online media tools.

If you have any doubts or concerns about how these guidelines apply to you or your situation, or how they might apply to some new form of online media in the future, please err on the side of caution and direct your questions and concerns to your teacher or school/district administrator (as appropriate) before you make use of such media.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Consult the legal notification handbook. Be aware that all existing policies and behavior guidelines extend to school-related activities in the online environment as well as on district premises.

Use good judgment. Think about the type of image that you want to convey when you are posting to online media sites. Remember that what you post will be viewed and archived permanently online once you hit the “publish” button.

Provide value. Think about what you have to offer the community -- whether it’s thoughtful, relevant blog posts; tweets; or homework help -- and focus on providing that consistently. Look for opportunities on sites to contribute and provide value to your community. Don’t be an Internet “troll” by posting or passing along mass email forwards and urban legends (funny stories, videos, non-school photos, etc.).

Accept responsibility. If you’re wrong about something, admit it and move on. It’s not the end of the world to have made a mistake, and in the long run it’s better to be honest about it and apologize than to deny it or cover it up. People on the Internet are still people.

Profiles and Identity

• Remember your association and responsibility with your school and the district in online social environments. Ensure your profile and related content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself to other students, parents, and the community, and consistent with the image, purpose and mission of the district. Remember how you represent yourself online should be comparable to how you represent yourself in person.
• No identifying personal information, such as full names, addresses or phone numbers should appear on blogs or wikis or other online media.
• Be cautious how you setup your profile, bio, avatar, etc. The same guidelines apply to this information as well as the substantive content you post.
• When uploading digital pictures or avatars that represent you, make sure that you select a school appropriate image. Also remember not to utilize protected (i.e. copyrighted) images.

STUDENT GUIDELINES

Due to the wealth of online media tools available to students, student products and documents have the potential to reach audiences far beyond the classroom. This translates into a greater level of responsibility and accountability for everyone. Also understand that as an LVUSD student you represent your school even when you are not posting to online media sites during class time, and that you should follow these guidelines anytime you post material that could identify you or your relationship to the school.

Below are guidelines students in LVUSD should adhere to when using online media tools in the classroom, or in any way related to classroom or school activities:

• Be aware of what you post online - online media tools are very public. What you contribute leaves a digital footprint for all to see. Do not post anything you wouldn't want friends, enemies, parents, teachers, or a future employer to see.
• Follow the school's code of conduct when writing online. It is acceptable to disagree with someone else's opinions, however, do it in a respectful way. Make sure that criticism is constructive and not hurtful. What is inappropriate in the classroom is inappropriate online.
• Be safe online. Never give out personal information, including, but not limited to, last names, phone numbers, addresses, exact birthdates, and pictures. Do not share your password with anyone other than your teachers and parents.
• Linking to other websites to support your thoughts and ideas is recommended. However, be sure to read the entire article prior to linking to ensure that all information is appropriate for a school setting.
• Do your own work! Do not use other people's work without their permission. Be aware that it is a violation of copyright law to copy and paste someone else's thoughts. It is good practice to hyperlink to your sources.
• Be aware that pictures, videos, songs, and audio clips may also be protected under copyright laws. Verify you have permission to use the images, videos, songs or other clips.
• How you represent yourself online is an extension of yourself. Do not misrepresent yourself by using someone else's identity.
• Blog and wiki posts should be well written. Follow writing conventions including proper grammar, capitalization, and punctuation. If you edit someone else's work be sure it is in the spirit of improving the writing.
• If you run across inappropriate material that makes you feel uncomfortable, or is not respectful, tell your teacher right away.
• Students who do not abide by these terms and conditions may lose their opportunity to take part in the project and/or access to future use of online tools.

PARENT GUIDELINES

Classroom blogs and other online media are powerful tools that open up communication between students, parents, and teachers. This kind of communication and collaboration can have a huge impact on learning. The district encourages parents to participate in such projects when appropriate, but requests that parents act responsibly and respectfully at all times, understanding that their conduct not only reflects on the school community, but will be a model for our students as well.

Parents should adhere to the following guidelines:

Parents should expect communication from teachers prior to their child’s involvement in any project using online media applications, i.e., blogs, wikis, podcast, discussion forums, etc.

• Parents are highly encouraged to read and/or participate in online media projects.
• Parents will not attempt to destroy or harm any information online.
• Parents will not use classroom online media sites for any illegal activity, including violation of data privacy laws.
• Parents should not distribute any information that might be deemed personal about other students participating in an online media project.
• Parents should not upload or include any information that does not also meet the student guidelines above.