Computers and computing resources are important tools for furthering the district's educational mission. This policy outlines the expectations for you to use these resources responsibly [EC 51871.5]. Technology use in SVUSD complies with Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) regulations.

A. Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

Parents/guardians must discuss this policy with their student and instruct them regarding any restrictions against accessing material that are in addition to the restrictions set forth in the district policy. Please emphasize the importance of following the rules for personal safety.

B. Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

1. Purpose

a. It is the policy of SVUSD to maintain an environment that promotes ethical and responsible conduct in all online network activities by staff and students. This document serves as the guidelines and expectations of all employees, students, and other individuals working within SVUSD with regards to acceptable use of network and online resources.

2. Responsibilities

a. User Responsibilities

i. Use of electronic media provided by SVUSD is a privilege that offers a wealth of information and resources for research. In order to maintain the privilege, users agree to learn and comply with all of the provisions of this policy.

ii. Users may not use the district Internet system for commercial purposes.

3. Guidelines

a. Access to Online Materials

i. The material users may access through the district’s systems should be for educational use only. Use of district systems for entertainment purposes and/or non-academic social media use is strictly prohibited.

ii. Users will not use the district systems to access, publish, send, or receive any material in violation of applicable law. This includes, but is not limited to: material that is obscene; child pornography; material that depicts or describes in an offensive way, violence, nudity, sex, death, or bodily functions; material that promotes or advocates illegal activities, material that promotes the use of alcohol, tobacco, or weapons; material that advocates participation in hate groups or other potentially dangerous groups; materials that promote illegal behavior; material protected as a trade secret or material that can be construed as harassment or disparagement of others based on their race/ethnicity gender, sexual orientation, age disability, religion, or political beliefs.

iii. Students who mistakenly access inappropriate information must immediately report such access to a teacher or school administrator.

iv. Students may not download apps or software on district-purchased devices or alter system configurations unless they have received approval from a teacher or administrator.

b. Safety

i. To protect users’ personal contact information, users shall not share online student's full name or information that would allow an individual to locate a student including: family name, home address or location, work address or location, or phone number.

ii. Any message a user receives that is inappropriate or makes a student feel uncomfortable should be reported, as well. Students should not delete such messages until instructed to do so by a school staff member.

c. Unlawful, Unauthorized, and Inappropriate Uses, Activity, and Language

i. Users shall not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the district Internet system or any other computer system through the district internal or external systems. This includes logging in to someone else’s account and/or accessing someone else’s files.

ii. Users shall not use the district systems to engage in any other unlawful act, including arranging for a drug sale or the purchase of alcohol, engaging in criminal gang activity, or threatening the safety of any person.

iii. Users shall avoid inappropriate language in their electronic communications including collaborative communications within software such as commenting in Google Docs.

iv. Users shall not post information that could cause damage or danger of disruption to offices, schools, organizations, or persons.

v. Users shall not engage in personal attacks, including prejudicial or discriminatory attacks. This includes knowingly or recklessly posting false or defamatory information about a person or organization.

vi. Users will not harass or bully another person. Cyberbullying is prohibited by state law and district policy.

d. Plagiarism, Copyright, and User Agreement Infringement

i. Users will not plagiarize works from any source.

ii. Users will not inappropriately share or reproduce a work that is protected by a copyright including songs, digital images, movies, or other artistic works.

iii. Users must honor their user agreements with personal accounts such as Netflix, and other streaming/software accounts where the terms of use prohibit using the account for anything other than “personal and noncommercial use.” SVUSD does not guarantee access to these services.

iv. When introducing a new software or app to more than one district device, the user, department, or site must purchase enough licenses for each device the user adds it to. Legal action may be taken in such cases that an app or software has not been purchased for each device in cases where the license agreement requires it.

e. Personal Devices

i. Permission to have a device at school is contingent upon an understanding and agreement of this AUP policy. In student cases, parents must have this understanding and agreement.

ii. All costs for data plans and fees associated with devices are the responsibility of the owner.

iii. Mobile devices with Internet access capabilities are required to use district provided Internet through the district’s filtered network while on school property.

iv. Student use of personal devices during class time must be authorized by the teacher.

v. Users may not photograph, videotape, or record any individuals without the written permission of the teacher or administrator and the students being photographed. Recordings made in a classroom require the advance written permission of the teacher or administrator.

vi. Users may not take, possess, or share obscene photographs or videos.

vii. Users may not photograph, videotape, or otherwise record instructional materials and assessments.

f. System and Account Security

i. Users shall not share passwords or account information and must take reasonable precautions to prevent others from using your accounts. This includes NT Username/Passwords and district Wi-Fi passwords.

g. Privacy

i. Users should not expect privacy in the contents of their personal files and in their overall district Internet use on the district systems. All Internet usage is monitored. Violations will be reported to site and/or district personnel who will conduct further investigations as warranted.

ii. Parents have the right to request to see the contents of their student’s files and/or Internet history at any time.

h. Vandalism

i. Vandalism, in addition to physical damage, is also defined as any malicious attempt to access, harm, alter, or destroy data, data of another user, or any other agencies or networks that are connected to the system. This includes but is not limited to creating/ uploading viruses or hacking.

4. Violations of this Agreement

a. In the event there is a claim that a user has violated the law or this policy, the user’s access to the district’s computer resources may be terminated and/or offending users may be disciplined under SVUSD’s discipline guidelines.

b. SVUSD will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation related to any unlawful activities conducted through the district systems.

5. Responsibility for Loss or Damages

a. Users can be financially responsible for any harm that might result from the user’s intentional misuse of the system. In the case of student misuse, parents will be held responsible.

b. SVUSD assumes no responsibility for the loss, destruction, or theft of any personal devices including but not limited to cell phones, computers, and/or personal electronic devices. School officials and district office staff are not required to investigate lost or stolen personal electronic equipment.

c. SVUSD is not responsible for online material accessed off campus on a non-district network.

d. If a district-purchased device is checked out to a student with written parent permission for use off-campus, parents can be held financially responsible for loss or damage to the device.

e. Devices should not be left unattended.

6. Actions

a. The principal or administrator may cancel a user’s privileges whenever the user is found to have violated this policy.

b. Inappropriate use may include discipline under SVUSD’s discipline’s guidelines, suspension or expulsion, in accordance with law, school, and board policy.

C. Student Privacy

Apps and online services are used in SVUSD in compliance with legal requirements for safety and security, including but not limited to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), and the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act [SOPIPA or SB 1177]. For more information, please see “A Parent’s Guide to FERPA at studentprivacy.ed.gov/resources/ferpa-general-guidance-parents or “Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA)” at commonsensemedia.org/kids-action/about-us/our-issues/digital-life/sopipa

1. Google Workspace for Education

a. SVUSD provides students access to Google Workspace for Education. Google Workspace includes web-based programs providing word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, calendaring, research, and collaboration tools for all SVUSD students and teachers. The effective use of these tools will help prepare and engage our 21st-century learners.  We believe that the tools provided by the Google Workspace neatly align with international standards for technology integration as well as with our own Board of Education policies. While a full suite of tools will be available for all SVUSD schools, each teacher will determine which specific ones are most appropriate for their individual educational setting. Access to Google Workspace is login/password protected and internally monitored for suspicious activity. Google Workspace runs on an Internet domain (mysaddleback.org) owned by SVUSD and is intended for educational use only.  As a cloud-based collection, Google Workspace will be available at school and at home via the web, and students can only gain access with their set monitored login and password. Even though a strict content filter will be in place while students are in school, there is always a chance students could be exposed to inappropriate content. School staff will monitor students’ use of Google Workspace when students are at school. Parents are responsible for monitoring their student’s use of Google Workspace when accessing programs from home. Students are responsible for their own behavior at all times and their strict adherence to SVUSD’s Acceptable Use Policy is expected. Google Workspace can include various services, such as Drive, Calendar, Sites, Meet, and Classroom. Each school will choose which tools best suit their educational goals; please contact your school directly with questions regarding the access provided for that location.

b. The following safety features are in place:

1. Firewall and content filters to block viruses and inappropriate content;

2. SSL certificates and authentication for security for all tools where applicable.

c. For more information about student data privacy in Google Workspace for Education, please see the Google Workspace Privacy Policy at workspace.google.com/terms/education_privacy.html.

2. Other Cloud-based Services

a. SVUSD may release personally identifiable information about students to the following agents, among others:

● Amplify Science

● Benchmark Education

● Big Ideas Learning

● Brain Pop

● Clever

● Ellevation

● Follett Learning

● Google

● Harcourt School Publishers

● Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

● Illuminate Education

● Instructure

● McGraw Hill Education

● Panorama Education

● Scholastic

● Seesaw Learning Journal

● Turnitin

Students’ personally identifiable information is only used within the system, for educational purposes, and is not shared with outside agencies. Most of these companies have signed the Student Privacy Pledge at studentprivacypledge.org, and all of them comply with relevant statutes, regulations, and best practices for protecting student data.

b. If you have questions or concerns about SVUSD’s protection of student data, please contact the Technology Services office at (949) 580-3714.